Political Skullduggery

The ex-Governor of Illinois, George Ryan, must have pissed off the wrong people when he commuted the death sentences of all 167 prisoners on his state's death row in 2003.

After a historic, marathon trial, a federal jury in its 11th day of deliberations found Ryan guilty on all 18 counts of steering state business to cronies for bribes, of gutting corruption-fighting efforts to protect political fundraising and of misusing state resources for political gain.

Ryan's co-defendant, lobbyist and longtime friend Lawrence Warner, was also found guilty on all 12 counts against him...

The conviction marked a stunning fall from grace for Ryan, the third former governor to be convicted of wrongdoing in Illinois history. A onetime legislator from Kankakee, he rose to House speaker before holding statewide office for 20 consecutive years as lieutenant governor, secretary of state and governor...

The verdicts were a resounding victory for the prosecution. The jury found Ryan guilty on all 18 counts of racketeering conspiracy, mail fraud, lying to the FBI, obstructing the Internal Revenue Service and filing false tax returns. Warner was convicted on all 12 counts of racketeering conspiracy, extortion, money laundering and evading cash-reporting requirements.

Ryan faces as much as 10 to 15 years in prison under federal sentencing guidelines, veteran criminal-defense lawyers said. But his prison term could be substantially lower because of his age--72--and his lengthy public service.

Pallmeyer scheduled sentencing for Aug. 4.

Plamegate prosecutor U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald's office handled this case. Yesterday's verdict brings the number of convictions to 75 out of 79 defendants in "Operation Safe Road."