George Ryan - Definition and Overview

George Homer Ryan (born February 24, 1934 in Maquoketa, Iowa) was the governor of the U.S. state of Illinois from 1999 until 2003. He was a member of the Republican Party. A former pharmacist, Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives, Lt. Governor, and Secretary of State, he was elected governor in 1998, defeating his Democratic opponent, congressman Glenn Poshard, by a 51%-47% margin. His term in office was marked by a scandal involving the illegal sale of government licenses, contracts and leases by state employees during his prior service as Secretary of State; in the wake of numerous convictions of former aides, he chose not to run for reelection in 2002. In December 2003 he was indicted on 18 federal racketeering, fraud and conspiracy charges.

Ryan gained national attention shortly before leaving office when he decided to commute the sentences of everyone on or waiting to be sent to death row in Illinois—a total of 167 convicts—due to his belief that the death penalty was incapable of being administered fairly. He had previously imposed a state-wide moratorium on executions in 2000.

External link

• CNN.com: "'Blanket commutation' empties Illinois death row", January 11, 2003. (http://www.cnn.com/2003/LAW/01/11/illinois.death.row/)

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