Obama Avoiding George Ryan Clemency Controversy

President-elect Barack Obama is steering clear of the heated debate over whether former Governor George Ryan should receive a pardon or some other form of clemency from President Bush, Greg Hinz reports in Crain's Chicago Business:

A one-sentence statement, released midday Wednesday after repeated media inquiries, said: "As the incoming president, he doesn't feel it appropriate to involve himself in pardon and commutation decisions at this time."

Earlier in the day, Obama aides had indicated a statement on the Ryan matter was coming, but wouldn't tip their hand as to the contents.

The issue has been a hot topic since Senator Dick Durbin said last week that he was considering asking President Bush to commute Ryan's six-and-a-half-year racketeering sentence. On Monday, Durbin released the letter he sent to President Bush making his request official.

As Capitol Fax's Rich Miller noted, Durbin said that he would not ask Obama to commute Ryan's sentence if Bush does not.

Comments

[BSERIUS]

Read John Kass today in the Tribune.... Obama .. "The Audacity of Milquetoast" ..The Ilinois , Chicago combine is now national... Durbin, Daley , Thompson , Blago,... 6 Willis children burned to death , George Ryan stopped investigations in his office ...His wife is slipping notes in pockets of people who will see pres Bush...Maybe Balfour , the Hudson family accused killer should be pardoned

[PUNISHER2]

I make Obama car decals for $10.00. Represent our great president. I am on ebay and can be found at www.myspace.com/punisher129

Brian McClung

[DuPageDem]

Do you take Obama half-dollars for those?

[movecenter]

Obama is rolling out a stellar cabinet faster than any president-elect has done in recent history. He's dealing with the auto bailout, bank bailout, states' aid, plummeting stock market, 2 wars, Mumbai attacks, not to mention moving his family to Washington. Now he also is expected to weigh in on clemencies?!

I don't blame him for sitting this particular decision out. Geepers!

[boophus]

And he is not even a sitting president yet. We still have to wait for the evil troll occupying the WH to leave. Can Jan 21, 2009 come fast enough?

[HIbbs4Prez]

Any relation to Jack Ryan?

[ensure]

POLL: Obama Rides Tide of Public Approval of Cabinet Choices: http://www.sefermpost.com/sefermpost/2008/12/poll-obama-rides-tide-of-public-approval-of-cabinet-choices.html

Thanks to Obama, Germany Loves American Again: http://www.sefermpost.com/sefermpost/2008/12/thanks-to-obama-germany-loves-american-again.html

[mcantwell]

Thanks for the comment. I know how to spell "answer" too. :)

[salamanca1]

And yes, I actually know how to spell answer.

[salamanca1]

mcantwell, Sen. Durbin is applying to GW Bush for the pardon, not Obama. Obama, being from Illinois, was going to be asked about the issue one way or the other, so he crafted the above anser. I like Durbin, but I'd like to smack him upside the head for this move.

[unite4change]

Maybe he will consider a pardon him when he is POTUS.

[mcantwell]

Shouldn't this question be posed to Bush since he is the President, and the one who will be considering the Pardon?

[Igetitnow]

Why should anybody be pardoned by anybody if they were convicted of racketeering. We need to put a stop to this pardoning nonsense!

[RailroadMikey]

He's a crook. What makes him different from any common thief? He abused the public trust, abused his office and duped the taxpayers of Illinois. He should serve his time like everyone else guilty of a crime who was found guilty by a jury of peers. let him stay there - there are more improtant things for the government to accomplish.

[salamanca1]

Good for Obama. I live in Illinois, and George Ryan deserves to serve every day that's coming to him. And, I hope he's still there when he gets Rod Blagojevich, our current governor and federal investigative target, as a cellmate.

[littlebrowngirl]

If Bush does not pardon Ryan, Obama will not. Ryan did bad things and he should be in jail. People from Illinois know the whole Ryan story and it is not pretty.

I am sure that Obama will stay far away from this one.

Sorry Dick.