Ryan issues written apology for crimes in office

With his potential freedom hanging in the balance, former Gov. George Ryan issued a short letter Friday apologizing for his crimes during his years of service in statewide office.

"I must say something that I have known in my heart has been a long time coming. And, that is a truly heartfelt apology to the people of Illinois," Ryan's letter starts out. "It has been a difficult journey for me to get to this point, as I truly believed in my service to the people, but it was less than my best, and for that, I am sorry."

For the first time, Ryan acknowledged that the selling of driver's licenses for bribes while he was secretary of state may have played a role in the deaths of six children in a fiery crash in 1994.

"In addition to damaging the public's trust and confidence in government, I realize my mistakes had other implications and tangible effects on my constituents and the citizenry. I know that Reverend and Mrs. Willis suffered such effects - an unimaginable pain and loss - for mistakes made by my administration, by me and others on my watch," the letter says in conclusion. "My heart has and always will go out to the Willis family. They, like all of the people of Illinois, deserve far better than I gave them."

The apology comes after years of adamantly denying his guilt, a lengthy and costly trial and numerous appeals. Less than a month ago, Ryan's wife Lura Lynn was quoted as saying, "If he had it to do over - and I've heard him say this - he would govern the same way as he did before."

An attorney for the Willis family, Joe Power, said Friday he believes Ryan is only saying he is sorry to get out of jail. He said the Willis family believes Ryan should serve his 61/2-year prison sentence.

"Is it coming from his heart or is it coming from his lawyer?" Power asked rhetorically. "The bottom line is he got a relatively light sentence ... I think it will send the wrong message to the public - that people in public office get treated differently than everyone else."

The letter was read to the media early Friday evening by former Gov. Jim Thompson, whose law firm, Winston & Strawn, provided Ryan years of free defense work. Thompson said the letter would become part of the official clemency petition that is now before President Bush.

The letter also comes just days after the sitting governor, Rod Blagojevich, was arrested on sweeping corruption charges - a stunning development that Thompson said would hurt Ryan's bid for freedom.

But on Friday Thompson insisted the letter was heartfelt and not written to sway Bush.

"He has had a lot of time to contemplate his life," Thompson said.

Ryan, who is 74, has served 13 months of his sentence for steering state business to insiders who gave him and his family money, gifts and trips, in a system of corruption that spanned his tenure in two state offices over several years. He was convicted in the spring of 2006 but was able to delay going to prison until the summer of 2007.

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin is among those pushing for Ryan's release, saying Ryan's wife is in poor health and needs him at home.

Bush could commute Ryan's sentence, meaning the former governor would be let out of prison but would still be a felon, or he could pardon him, scrubbing his official record of the conviction.

Bush has not indicated where he stands on the request.

Patrick Collins, who led the prosecution of Ryan, has also argued the one-term governor should stay in prison.

<div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Related documents</h2> <ul class="morePdf"> <li><a href="/pdf/ryanstatement.pdf">George Ryan's full statement </a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>