By Sean Crawford, IL Public Radio
For three decades, George Ryan was at the front of the Illinois Republican Party. Along with terms as House Speaker, Lieutenant Governor, and Secretary of State. He capped his career with his 1998 election as Governor.
But now Ryan faces a string of corruption charges and will likely go to trial next year. On Tuesday, he pleaded innocent to those charges.
But the political party that for so many years embraced Ryan has now found him to be its worst nightmare. Illinois Public Radio's Sean Crawford prepared this report.