With the news of former Illinois First Lady Laura Lynn Ryan’s health failing, not to mention the ex-governor not being in the greatest health himself, coupled with the likeliness his honest services fraud convictions will ultimately be overturned, thanks to Conrad Black’s pending case in the United States Supreme Court. Perhaps it is time for the ex-governor to come home and take care of his sick wife. I am all for it.
As it currently stands, George Ryan will get out of jail in 2013. Laura Lynn Ryan is rumored to be suffering from an incurable lung disease and might not survive long enough to see her husband vindicated. The tool of honest services fraud has been repeatedly used and abused, and it is time to see something done about it. Because it is a vague law, allowing prosecutors to convict defendants without proof of actual thievery, it is doomed to be struck down.
The honest services statute, which is a federal law, was heavily relied upon in the Ryan case and remains one of the main reasons Ryan is in prison today. Last month U.S. Supreme Court Justices spent an hour questioning lawyers about the statute that, according to Conrad Black’s lawyers, is considered “vague in all of its applications.” In fact, Justice Stephen Breyer told one government lawyer, who pressed to keep Conrad Black behind bars, that of 150 million workers in the US “I think possibly 140 million of them would flunk your test” of the law. Surely, Ryan’s lawyers will argue the same for their client when the time comes.
30 Comments
Joe, now you have done it! Ryan killed those kids in the van, he should die in jail!
Dear Gus,
Ryan is not serving time in prison for murder. Are you feeling okay?
Let the old guy out, he did nothing more than what almost every other politician does.
Joe you used the word worker to describe employed americans. Worker was a term first used by karl marx to describe the masses working in a communist utopia. Which we both know is an oxy moron. might i suggest using the phrase employed or working americans and the word associate around the ktf virtual office.
Please disregare last comment just realized you were quoting someone. Sorry joe
No problem Robert, I am used to being picked on for no good reason here. ha ha
PS – I was quoting US Supreme Court Justice Breyer.
Dear Guiseppe,
I never followed the hired truck scandal, but I heard that it ultimately resulted in the loss of human lives. Could you tell me, in a nutshell, how some people lost their lives from it, if this is really true?
The Hired Truck Scandal had nothing to do with George Ryan or the loss of lives.
Joe,
Okay, sorry, I guess I got the stories mixed up. But didn’t the ex-governor issue liscenses to unqualified drivers in exchange for bribes, which ultimately resulted in the loss of human lives. I heard that some children died. If this is true, then I feel that the ex-governor should never get out. Afterall, its not like those poor children get to come back.
Dear Leaping,
Lower level employees in the Illinois Secretary of States Office took it upon themselves to abuse their positions and accept bribes from unqualified applicants seeking CDL’s. Some of these Secretary of State employees used portions of their ill begotten gains for political donations to their boss and perhaps other major politico’s. When the news broke, it was believed that George Ryan was somehow behind the license for bribes scheme. Ryan in fact never took part in such scheme. Blaming Ryan for the scheme is like blaming a Postmaster when one of his or her mail curriers brings a gun to work and opens fire killing a dozen people.
Like I said, Ryan as served more than enough time in prison – he should be at home now.
That’s a bad analogy, joe!
“Blaming Ryan for the scheme is like blaming a Postmaster when one of his or her mail curriers brings a gun to work and opens fire killing a dozen people.”
?????????????????????????????????????????
Maybe it is a strange analogy, but my point is clear. The boss should not be considered responsible for the deaths.
Are you saying that the governor who is the chief executive officer of the state is not responsible for what happens on his watch?
What does it tell you that Bush didn’t pardon your guy, Ryan?
What I am saying is Ryan had nothing to do with the deaths of those children in the infamous car accident.
Bush failed to pardon a number of his cronies, including Scooter Libby, because Bush was mad at his party for turning on him. In addition, the timing of the Blago arrest did not help Ryan chances for a pardon.
Joe, what do you think about Scott Brown’s victory over Martha Coakley?
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Hey Joe–interesting anecdote on DiFronzo from a Philly Wiseguy about a meal they had in prison:
http://www.philly.com/philly/video/78425502.html
They say he’s from “Detroit” but I think its obvious “Jonny Bannanas” is DiFronzo.
When you say that Cerone and Fratto act like they run the Outfit to other families, who are these other families? Midwest borgatas or what’s left? That would just essentially be the Toccos in Detroit right? Or were you referring to the New York guys?
Given John Gotti was famous in the early 90s when you still hung with these guys, did Chicago Outfit guys discuss Gotti ever or families in NY?
Dear Grand,
I reviewed the video. It reminded me of why I sometimes feel shame over being of Italian decent.
I agree, the silhouette of Johnny Banana’s seemed like that of DiFronzo – although DiFronzo was never recognized as anything but a Chicago gangster.
Cerone and Fratto have done a great job of making the Outfit from Cleveland believe they are running the show here in Chicago.
Grand & Ogden,
The last thing that guy needs is a sausage & peppers sandwich. Johnny BAnanas was undoubtedly DiFronzo. I wonder why they blurred his image.
Dear Grand,
In fact, Cerone and Fratto facilitated a longstanding and highly lucrative business deal for the Outfit in Cleveland at McCormick Place about 10-years ago.
Joe–
I believe he was named as a Detroit enforcer probably because Lutz didn’t really want to acknowledge DiFronzo by name, given I’m sure even the Philly family knows DiFronzo is top-dog in Chicago. We know his Outfit name is “Jonny Bannanas” as Lutz said, and I don’t think any Detroit members carry that name. Furthermore, from what I’ve read, East Coast LCN members always thought of the Outfit as brutal killers…given most the murders discussed in Family Secrets were not simple shots to the head. A NY family would never invite all their top leaders to participate in the beating death of one member as what happened to Spilotro. That probably contributed to Lutz’s thinking as well.
What about my question on Gotti? Would a guy like Magnifichi or DiFronzo even be interested in reading about what was happening in NY?
Thanks for the backstory on Cleveland. I’ve also heard Jimmy Cozzo was a key-player in the Cleveland connection as well back when Joe “Loose” Iacobacci was running things…from what I read, Russell Papalardo now runs things there.
Bullsh%t!
The Cleveland Family has been extinct for 10+ years, my friend.
Dear Grand & Ogden,
I believe Magnafichi met Gotti in Florida many years ago. I do not believe that Gotti and the Chicago Outfit had any common interests of importance. I can look in to it further.
Dear b.s. meter,
Thank you for your opinion.
Judging from Lutz’s heavy-handed, cartoonish, pseudo-Italian behavior, I’m guessing that he strongly identifies with Italian-American culture, but is insecure because of his obviously German last name. He overcompensates by carrying himself the way he does.
Does anyone know where this Italian-American swagger comes from? I remember my brother calling me from Calabria, Italy a few years ago. He said something that I found very interesting yet humorous:
“Man, the ‘Italians’ in Melrose Park are waaaay more Italian than actual, real Italian people!”
I took this to mean that Italian nationals carry themselves without the any of the pretense that Italian-Americans have a tendency to exhibit.
Can anyone shed light on this?
Joe, can you address my 12:06 p.m. question?
Dear Votive,
Regretfully, I must confess that I went thru a phase like that myself – between the ages of 15-22. I associated with kids from Elmwood Park, Galewood (which are similar to Melrose Parkers), which is where I picked up this disgusting habit many years ago – luckily its over. I think back to those days and shake my head. In fact, the Italian-American swagger that you mention is the reason I am sometimes ashamed of my heritage. To answer your question, I suppose it can be compared to Ebonics (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ebonics).
Can I quote you on my blog if I link back to your website?
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