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In Reply to: Latest Whispers on Elderhaven's Windfall and Family Couriers with Gold posted by Skidrow's Demon on September 19, 2005 at 18:48:23:
CHICAGO, IL, United States (UPI) -- Lawyers Monday began questioning first group of about 300 potential jurors at the political corruption trial of former Illinois Gov. George Ryan.
Jury selection at the trial of the one-term Republican governor accused of handing out state contracts to friends and backers in return for campaign contributions, trips and gifts was expected to take several weeks.
Ryan, 72, was charged with racketeering, conspiracy, mail fraud, tax fraud and lying to the FBI in a 22-count indictment in December 2003. He has denied the charges, although he did not speak as he entered U.S. District Court, WFLD-TV, Chicago, reported.
The somber, grandfatherly Ryan was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003 for commuting the sentences of 167 Illinois death row prisoners and pardoning four others after 13 were exonerated.
Seventy-three of 79 people indicted, many state employees, have been convicted of charges growing out of the federal government`s Operation Safe Road investigation of the selling of drivers` licenses for bribes when Ryan was secretary of state.
