Former Gov. Thompson wants Obama to commute former Gov. Ryan's sentence

For eight years, former Illinois Governor George Ryan ran a corrupt Secretary of State's office. Unlike most political scandals, this one had a death toll--six children killed in a fiery traffic accident caused by a trucker who got his Illinois driver's license after paying a bribe.

Ryan knew about it--and did nothing.

His friend and former boss, Jim Thompson, another former Illinois Republican governor, has been trying to have Ryan's seven year prison sentence commuted since late last year, citing the poor health of Ryan and his wife. The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Thompson plans to ask President Obama to release Ryan from the Terre Haute Federal Correctional Institute.

After the first call for a commutation went flat--Ryan finally, through Thompson, issued a statement of remorse for his crimes. It was mostly ignored, because it was released three days after the arrest of his successor, Rod Blagojevich.

But that letter didn't didn't go far enough. Ryan needs to address the culture of corruption that stinks up the Land of Lincoln, and the Kankakee Republican should offer his services to power-clean Illinois if he is released early from prison.

Thompson, who has never been accused of wrongdoing, should do the same. The Chicagoan was governor when GOP power broker William Cellini received a sweetheart deal to build what eventually became the Abraham Lincoln Hotel in Springfield.

In 2007, years later than it should have, the state foreclosed on the hotel.

Twice in the last year, Cellini was indicted on various corruption charges. The Springfield businessman has pleaded not guilty.

For a dissenting opinion, read Pat Hickey's post.

Technorati tags: politics Illinois Politics George Ryan Republican Barack Obama Illinois crime Blagojevich