A complicated legacy: Remembering former Illinois Governor George Ryan

Former Illinois Governor George Ryan died at 91 years old late late week. A pharmacist by training, his career in public service took him from state representative to speaker of the Illinois House, to lieutenant governor, secretary of state, and ultimately governor.

Then, of course, came the prosecution for corruption, and more than six years in federal prison. Along the way, Ryan challenged the way the death penalty was administered in Illinois and set the state on the path that would eight years later, lead it to abolish the death penalty. 

His legacy is, to say the least, a complicated one. Journalists who covered Ryan and two individuals who worked with him share their memories of him.

GUESTS

Rick Pearson
Chief political reporter, Chicago Tribune

Dave McKinney
Political reporter, WBEZ
Former Statehouse bureau chief, Chicago Sun-Times

Bernie Schoenburg 
Former political columnist, The State Journal-Register

Jim Durkin 
Former House Minority Leader, R-Western Springs
Partner at the law firm of Croke Fairchild

Julie Dutton 
Former press secretary, Lt. Gov. George Ryan
Former communications director, Bureau of Budget (now GOMB) under Gov. Ryan

Maurice Possley 
Investigative reporter; formerly with the Chicago Tribune
Pulitzer Prize winner and finalist for investigations at the Tribune
Co-author of “Until I Could Be Sure: How I Stopped the Death Penalty in Illinois”