How Healthy Is Our Justice System-Part 2

Former Gov. George Ryan is due to report to prison on Wednesday to start serving a six and a half year sentence. Ryan is 73, and was convicted last year of steering contracts to co-defendant Larry Warner and other friends. Prosecutors traced $170.000 of bribe money to the Citizens for Ryan campaign fund which has itself been convicted of racketeering.

It appears that corruption in Chicago started with the governor and was organized and institutionalized. Again we would like to look at this as an isolated incident and there is integrity in every other large city in the country. But we know that this is the excepted and accepted way to run a political machine.

In every major city deals are made by friends who operate in a closed circle of privilege. Some of the deals are legal and some are questionable. When the deals are questionable money helps to make the deal legal. The justice system has learned to close their eyes and keep their mouths close.

It is ironic that the governor was caught when he was 72. That would indicate that he became corrupt when he turned 71. But it is my guess that the governor was corrupt when he first started in politics, and he continued to grow in power as he become more corrupt. The abuse of power appears to be a reality in American politics. Can a politician stay clean and work in the system?

The governor and his friend has been free on bond since their April 2006 conviction. They have yet to spend time in prison and now their lawyers are trying to get a bond from the U.S. Supreme Court. It would not surprise me if their request are approved while they wait for the Court of Appeals.

I always thought that once you were convicted you were sent immediately to prison. The justice system responds differently want they convict someone who is a part of their inner circle. The prison that the governor is assigned to is a comfortable and cozy away from home. It will be interesting to see if the governor will be forced to report to prison.

Corruption has become institutionalized and it is hard to tell the good guys from the bad guys. The goal is to keep the system closed and no one has to try to correct the system. The old saying goes is that you can't change or beat city hall.
Roger