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Former federal judge Frank McGarr, former U.S. Sen. Paul Simon and former U.S. Attorney Thomas Sullivan will chair the Governor's Commission on Capital Punishment. Judge William Webster, a former FBI and CIA director, will advise the panel's members.

Ryan called a moratorium on Illinois executions because since 1977, 13 Illinois Death Row inmates have been released (see Illinois Issues, March, page 8). The governor says that moratorium will continue until the commission completes its review. The panel has no set timetable.

HONORS
UIS chancellor is woman of achievement

Naomi Lynn, the outgoing chancellor of the University of Illinois at Springfield, won the Illinois Woman of Achievement Award at a ceremony last month. Lynn was among more than 100 recipients from throughout the state who were recognized by Lt. Gov. Corinne Wood.

The award was sponsored by Wood, the League of Women Voters and the Illinois Municipal League. Wood invited each of the state’s mayors to nominate from within their communities a woman who has demonstrated professional and personal, as well as community excellence. Springfield Mayor Karen Hasara, a former state senator, nominated Lynn.

Former state rep to direct preservation realty group

Nancy Kaszak, a former state representative from Chicago and chief legal officer for the Chicago Park District, is the new executive director of CorLands, the real estate affiliate of the Openlands Project. Openlands is a 37-year-old nonprofit organization whose mission is to preserve open space in northeastern Illinois. CorLands, a private nonprofit, is designed to act quickly to buy available property and hold it while public agencies put together the funds to buy it.

CorLands also helps landowners form conservation easements that allow them to protect their property and gain tax benefits. In 22 years, CorLands has helped preserve some 6,000 acres valued at more than $60 million.

Primary winners
Illinois Supreme Court
In Chicago’s 1st District, the seat being vacated by Michael Bilandic, campaign organization won over money. Democrat Thomas Fitzgerald finished first in a field of four. Morton Zwick, who ran negative ads, came in last. In northern Illinois’ 2nd District, Republican incumbent S. Louis Rathje lost his seat. Bob Thomas won the race on that side of the ticket, despite sending controversial fliers announcing his pro-life stance. In the race for the downstate 3rd District seat now held by Justice James Heiple, state Sen. Carl Hawkinson of Galesburg got the Republican nod over William E. Holdridge. Heiple has not filed for retention.

Congress
In Chicago’s 1st District, Democratic incumbent Bobby Rush held off a strong challenge from state Sen. Barack Obama. In the northern suburbs, Mark Steven Kirk, endorsed by retiring U.S. Rep. John Porter, was the GOP choice. In November, he will face Democratic state Rep. Lauren Beth Gash of Highland Park. Downstate, longtime state Rep. Tim Johnson of Sidney beat three challengers for the GOP nomi-nation in the 15th District. Among those he defeated were state Rep. Bill Brady of Bloomington and Samuel Ewing, son of outgoing U.S. Rep. Tom Ewing of Pontiac.

Illinois Issues April 2000 | 42

The governor's action came on the heels of Secretary of State Jessie White's decision to alert other states that some of their truckers may have gotten licenses improperly. He also ordered new tests for 35 more truckers. More than 1,000 truckers have already been asked to retake the tests (seeIllinois Issues, March, page 42). Among those White ordered to be retested last month was Adem Salihovic, who, according to the California Highway Patrol, was responsible for a 1998 sequence of crashes on a California highway that injured 51 people and killed two others. Salihovic, Ricardo Guzman and Jain Ying Jiang — who have all been involved in fatal accidents — are among truckers suspected of buying their licenses while Ryan was secretary of state. According to White's spokesman Dave Druker, Guzman, who was involved in the Wisconsin accident that killed six children, was one of those asked to retake the test earlier. Jiang was killed in an accident in Maryland in 1997, six months after getting his license.

Ryan has not been charged with wrongdoing in the continuing probe by the U.S. attorney's office.

Number of people charged as a result of Operation Safe Road: 30*
Number of guilty pleas: 24
Number of people sentenced: 13
Number of current or former secretary of state employees charged: 18
Number of driver's license facilities investigated: 5
Number of truckers who have exchanged suspect Illinois licenses for those from other states: 179
* All figures as of mid-March Sources: U.S. attorney's office, the secretary of state's office
Quotable
"It was there when I was there, probably going to be there in the future. It's a part of the culture there, I guess. "

Gov. George Ryan to the Chicago Tribune on employee corruption in driver's license facilities while he was secretary of state. To date, 30 individuals have been charged by federal prosecutors in a scam to sell commercial truckers' licenses, including the man Ryan assigned to investigate the corruption.

OBIT
Kenneth Boyle
Kenneth Boyle, chairman of the State Board of Elections, lost his battle with cancer on March 11. He was 62.

Boyle, a lawyer from Chatham, had a 30-year career in public service. He served the Carlinville area for six years as a state representative and then was elected state's attorney for Macoupin County. He also served as the chairman of the University of Illinois Board of Trustees.

From the headlines Gov. George Ryan has complained about the glare of media scrutiny. In fact, stories about corruption and cronyism have soaked up lots of ink of late. Here's a sample from last month, in order of appearance. Chicago Tribune: On March 5 that newspaper linked a 74-car pileup in California resulting in two deaths to a trucker who received an improper commercial driver's permit in Illinois while Ryan was secretary of state. The driver told the Tribune he paid $800 and received his permit without having to take the required test. Chicago Sun-Times: On March 12 that newspaper joined with the New York Daily News to report that 66 truckers who had gotten their commercial licenses in Illinois were involved in 40 accidents in New York, 28 of which caused injuries. The newspaper documented instances in which improperly obtained Illinois licenses were exchanged for licenses in other states. Daily Herald: On March 15 that newspaper reported Ryan's friends have gotten a leg up in promotions and salaries since he became governor. An analysis by the paper found that raises for employees who have close ties to Ryan and work in positions under his control outpaced the average salary for other employees in jobs controlled by the governor by 4.6 percent. The Daily Herald looked at 12 workers who either served in the secretary of state's office up until mid-1998 or had close connections to Ryan. The Associated Press: On March 17 that wire service reported Ryan has approved higher-than-average pay hikes for his staff since he became governor. For 87 people on his payroll in February 1999 and in February 2000, the average raise was 11 percent.

Illinois Issues April 2000 | 43