Phil Beckman
Daily Egyptian
The license-for-bribes scandal is continuing to cause problems for the Illinois Republican Party as the Republican candidate for governor suggested Monday that Gov. George Ryan should consider resigning as the party struggles to find a permanent chairman.
Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan said Monday that Gov. Ryan should explain his role in the license-for-bribes scandal that took place under his watch as secretary of state or resign, said Dan Curry, spokesman for Jim Ryan's campaign for governor.
"I will not resign. I have no reason to resign," said Gov. Ryan in a statement released following Jim Ryan's comments. "Jim Ryan should be more focused on the issues of the upcoming election and the state's Republican ticket while I will continue to focus on matters of state government, especially the state's budget."
But local Republican politicians do not agree with Attorney General Ryan.
"Gov. Ryan hasn't been charged with anything and is doing a good job running the state," said Rep. John Jones, R-Mt. Vernon. "As far as asking him to resign, I see no reason [for him to do so]. Shoot, he's only got six more months."
Sen. David Luechtefeld, R-Okawville, also said he does not think the governor should resign.
"I think it will create more confusion," he said.
Jim Ryan has his opinion on this issue, said Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro. But Bost was not willing to tell the governor what he should do.
"I think the governor has to make that decision," Bost said. "I can't make it for him."
The license-for-bribes scandal is having an effect on the party's finding a chairman for the state Republican Party. More than 50 people who worked for the governor while he was secretary of state have been indicted for giving Illinois driver's licenses to people not qualified in exchange for bribes. Close friends of Ryan have been snared in the indictment causing some to believe that the governor is "Official A," the high-ranking official federal investigators have targeted in the scandal.
Former Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar, former Quaker Oats CEO William Smithburg and U.S. Rep. Ray LaHood, R-Peoria, all declined assuming leadership in the Republican Party, and some believe they did so because of the scandal that has left the party smeared with corruption.
The party's deputy chairman, Dallas Ingemunson, has agreed to serve as temporary chairman until a July 26 meeting that will again try to find someone willing to assume the reigns Illinois Republican Party.
Curry said he was not concerned about finding a chairman. He said there were a lot of people who were interested.
"There will be a new chairman within a few days," Curry said.
Jones said he has confidence the committee will find someone. But he said this is not an issue that concerns most voters. When he travels around his district, he said people are concerned about state funding for fixing roads, solving water and sewer problems and acquiring new schools.
"This is a tough time to try to find somebody," said Sen. David Luechtefeld, R-Okawville, "because we're right in the middle of a campaign. It is like jumping into the fire, right in the middle of it."
Luechtefeld said the problems with the state party are bound to affect the morale of grassroots party members. It will be important for whoever becomes chairman to try to heal relations at the grassroots level.
"Obviously there needs to be a direction," Luechtefeld said. "We need someone with a lot of integrity and energy."
Bost said whoever is found to take over the chairmanship will have to have credibility and will have to clean house. But he thinks the problems with the state party leadership will have more of an effect at the statewide level than at the local level, because people are more familiar with their local representatives.
"It's a little more frustrating," Bost said. "People read bits and pieces, and you end up talking about that rather than the issues."
Reporter Phil Beckman can be reached at
pbeckman@dailyegyptian.com
Published on 11/17/05; 12:24:44 PM
