Jim Ryan, two-term Illinois attorney general, former GOP governor nominee, dead at 76

When then-Gov. Jim Thompson tried to recruit Jim Ryan to run for Illinois legal professional basic in 1985 only a 12 months after Mr. Ryan had been elected DuPage County state’s legal professional, Mr. Ryan stated no, feeling he wasn’t prepared but. The cautious resolution set Mr. Ryan aside in a political panorama of typically brash and bold personalities.

James E. Ryan, a two-term Illinois legal professional basic from 1995-2003 who twice ran unsuccessfully for governor, died Sunday “after a number of prolonged sicknesses,” in accordance with a household assertion revealed within the DuPage Coverage Journal. He was 76.

“Former Illinois Legal professional Normal Jim Ryan handed away peacefully at dwelling on June 12, 2022, on the age of 76 after a number of prolonged sicknesses,” in accordance with the revealed assertion.

“Ryan’s appreciable accomplishments as a public official and earlier as a Golden Gloves boxing champion have been dwarfed by the inspirational energy of his perseverance and energy by way of religion within the midst of a string of devastating private tragedies and challenges,” in accordance with the assertion.

Present Illinois Legal professional Normal Kwame Raoul paid tribute to Mr. Ryan on Sunday night.

“Jim Ryan devoted a lot of his profession to public security, first as DuPage County state’s legal professional after which as Illinois Legal professional Normal, and I attempt to observe his instance,” Raoul stated in a press release. “Jim’s management as Legal professional Normal and dedication to defending all residents of Illinois is one thing that I’ve finished my finest to reflect since taking workplace.”

Mr. Ryan was a well-liked contemporary face in Republican politics when he was inspired to depart his regulation agency, Ryan & Darrah, and run for DuPage County state’s legal professional in 1984. He beat incumbent Republican Michael Fitzsimmons by 13,000 votes within the Republican major election and coasted to victory within the November basic election.

Mr. Ryan, an Elmhurst resident, remained DuPage County state’s legal professional from 1984 to 1994, when he efficiently ran for legal professional basic.

In 2002, Mr. Ryan handed up a attainable third time period as legal professional basic and ran for governor, shedding to Democrat Rod Blagojevich.

Mr. Ryan ran for governor once more in 2010, however misplaced in a six-way Republican major to state Sen. Invoice Brady. His later political profession was encumbered by different outstanding Illinois politicians with the final title of Ryan who weighed down the title with unfavourable political baggage.

A candidate named Jack Ryan had stop the 2004 Senate race after revelations that he had visited intercourse golf equipment together with his then-wife. Former Gov. George Ryan was convicted on federal fees in 2006, and a 2009 ballot confirmed 19% of the respondents thought Jim Ryan was the previous governor. One other candidate, former Arlington Heights mayor James T. Ryan, had dropped out of the 1986 Illinois legal professional basic race over allegations he had violent outbursts.

Mr. Ryan additionally battled well being points. He was recognized in 1996 with Stage 2 non-Hodgkin lymphoma and commenced chemotherapy. The illness returned in 2002 when he was the Republican nominee for governor.

All through his profession, Mr. Ryan was revered as a consensus builder who introduced stakeholders to the desk. Although some complained he dominated by committee and acted slowly — Illinois beneath Ryan was simply the seventeenth state to hitch a 1990slawsuit to recuperate damages from the tobacco trade — his supporters known as him deliberative and considerate.

In 1997, then-Chicago Solar-Instances political columnist Steve Neal wrote Mr. Ryan had raised the profile of the legal professional basic’s workplace, partly by going after poisonous dumpers, polluters, on-line fraud and gangs. As legal professional basic, Mr. Ryan additionally helped create the Illinois Violence Prevention Initiative.

However Mr. Ryan was criticized for his dealing with as state’s legal professional of the 1983 homicide case of 10-year-old Jeanine Nicarico of Naperville, which he had inherited from Fitzsimmons. In that case, three males have been wrongfully charged and, on Mr. Ryan’s watch, two — Rolando Cruz and Alejandro Hernandez — have been sentenced to loss of life. After the Cruz’s and Hernandez’s convictions have been overturned, Mr. Ryan’s workplace retried them. All three males in the end have been freed, however Cruz and Hernandez didn’t depart jail till after Mr. Ryan had left the workplace.

Critics argued Mr. Ryan ought to have dropped the fees because it turned more and more clear that one other man, Brian Dugan, had dedicated the crime whereas performing alone. Dugan finally pleaded responsible to the homicide and is serving a life time period. In 2009, Mr. Ryan apologized for “failing to realize a simply consequence” within the case.

Mr. Ryan was born in Chicago. Later, his father Edward Ryan, a builder of modest houses, moved the household to DuPage County. As a youngster, Mr. Ryan was a Golden Gloves boxer in West Facet gyms.

He attended St. Procopius Academy, now named Benet Academy, after which St. Procopius School, now named Benedictine College, the place he obtained a bachelor of arts diploma in political science in 1968. He obtained his regulation diploma in 1971 from Chicago-Kent School of Legislation.

Beginning in 1976, Mr. Ryan was an assistant DuPage County state’s legal professional, and later moved as much as the job as first assistant state’s legal professional. He then went into non-public apply with John Darrah, later a federal decide, for eight years earlier than leaving to run for state’s legal professional.

After shedding the 2002 gubernatorial race, Mr. Ryan returned to Benedictine College in west suburban Lisle, the place he taught political science and prison justice programs. He joined the Chicago workplace of Gardner, Carton & Douglas in 2003 and later was of counsel on the Naperville regulation agency, Jim Ryan & Associates.

In 2005, Mr. Ryan established the Middle for Civic Management at Benedictine College in partnership with the college’s board of trustees and the political science school.

“From the time I met him till his loss of life, Jimmy at all times was striving to do the appropriate factor and to assist folks,” stated his spouse, Marie, within the household assertion. “That was who he was, and he was very profitable at it.”

Along with his spouse, Mr. Ryan is survived by 4 of his six youngsters, John (Stacie) Ryan, Jim (Heather) Ryan, Matthew (Melissa) Ryan and Amy Ryan. “His youngest daughter, Anne Marie, died at age 12 in 1997 of an undiagnosed mind tumor, and Patrick, 24, died in 2007,” in accordance with the household assertion.