The Illinois pension system may be tens of billions in the red, but as of Friday it has one fewer check to write: convicted ex-Governor George Ryan won't receive a dime of his pension.
The 75-year-old Ryan was set to receive nearly $200,000 per year in retirement before his conviction in 2006. Even after going to jail, a state appeals court ruled that he could keep the $70,000 a year accruing to his government service prior to conviction.
But the Supreme Court overturned that decision Friday. In the majority decision, former Bears kicker and Supreme Court Justice Bob Thomas wrote, "As the victims of Ryan's crimes, the taxpayers of the state of Illinois are under no obligation to now fund his retirement."
Ryan was convicted for giving out government contracts and licenses in exchange for bribes and political favors. He traveled to Jamaica and Cancun, and received gifts ranging from golf bags to small-business loans. The charges stem from his time as governor, from 1999 to 2003, and as secretary of state for the eight years prior. He also served two terms as lieutenant governor, the period of time for which he was hoping to receive pension payouts.
Ryan is currently serving a six-and-a-half-year prison term at the Federal Correction Complex in Terre Haute, Ind. and will be up for early release on July 4, 2013. But he has recently stepped up his appeals for clemency to President Obama, as his wife Lura Lynn Ryan has been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer.
He had hoped for clemency from President George Bush, but the Rod Blagojevich scandal made that politically impossible.