Birkett endorses former boss Ryan for governor

Republican gubernatorial hopeful Jim Ryan is getting more political assistance from his DuPage County roots.

DuPage State's Attorney - and Ryan protégé - Joe Birkett threw his support behind his former boss Sunday. Birkett was one of Ryan's top lieutenants when Ryan was the county's top prosecutor from 1984 to 1995.

"We need a governor with a prosecutor's mentality," Birkett said at a news conference at Ryan's Elmhurst campaign headquarters. "Jim Ryan has the guts to do what it takes to run the state. Jim is tested and when he looks at a problem he finds a creative solution."

Ryan said Birkett's endorsement will carry a lot of weight with the more than 500,000 registered voters in DuPage.

"Nobody is more respected in our county than Joe Birkett," Ryan said. "When I was Illinois Attorney General, I turned to him for his thoughts on a variety of topics."

Birkett's endorsement comes a little more than a week before the Feb. 2 primary and days after another county political bigwig announced he was supporting Ryan. DuPage County Board Chairman Robert Schillerstrom dropped his own bid for the governor's office late last week and urged GOP voters to cast ballots for Ryan.

Birkett's Sunday endorsement was couched with a critique of former state party leader and fellow GOP gubernatorial contender Andy McKenna. Birkett slammed McKenna, saying McKenna abused his power as state party chief and broke ethics rules when he included his own name in a springtime poll to gauge opinion on a possible statewide run. McKenna and Ryan are also facing GOP competition from state Sen. Kirk Dillard of Hinsdale, state Sen. Bill Brady of Bloomington, radio commentator Dan Proft of Chicago and Hinsdale businessman Adam Andrzejewski.

"When the chips were on the table, Andy McKenna put personal interests ahead of the party's interests," Birkett said. "When he was given the opportunity to lead, he failed the test of leadership."

Ryan also fired shots at McKenna's campaign financing strategy. McKenna has put $1.8 million of his own money in the race, according to campaign finance figures from the state.

"Andy McKenna would not be a credible candidate if he and his family weren't trying to buy this election," Ryan said.

McKenna spokesman Lance Trover said Birkett's support of Ryan is "not a surprise" and fired back at Ryan for agreeing to lead a short-lived tax increase campaign for the county in 2008. That campaign ended when the state legislature approved an RTA funding plan and increased the sales tax in collar counties by half a percent - half of the increase going to the RTA and the other half going to the counties to spend on public safety and transportation needs.

"Unfortunately, Jim Ryan will do anything in the final weeks of this campaign to distract voters," Trover said. "Jim Ryan and Joe Birkett last teamed up with state Sen. Kirk Dillard to raise taxes on suburban families. It appears now they want to take their tax-hiking ways from the suburbs to all Illinois families."

Ryan disputed McKenna's tax hike claims and said he represents the interests of the people of the state.

"If the citizens are going to be in charge, we have to work to take back the government," he said. "The only reason I want to be governor is to serve."

In addition to supporting Ryan, Birkett also weighed in on the race for the GOP nod to be the next DuPage County Board chairman. Birkett is supporting state Sen. Dan Cronin, who used to work under Birkett at the state's attorney's office.

"Dan Cronin has been a strong supporter of law enforcement, education reform and fighting public corruption," Birkett said. "The way he's run his campaign shows he's been honest and credible with the voters."

Cronin is in a four-way race for the seat with fellow state Sen. Carole Pankau, Burr Ridge Mayor Gary Grasso and county board member Debra Olson.