ROBERT SIEGEL, host: When he was elected to his first term in 2002, Governor Rod Blagojevich ran as a reformer.</s>Governor ROD BLAGOJEVICH (Democrat, Illinois): The people of Illinois are good, honest, and hardworking. It is time, ladies and gentlemen. It is time for a government that's as good and as honest and as hardworking as the people of this great state.</s>ROBERT SIEGEL, host: At that time, Mr. Blagojevich, a Democrat, was seeking to replace Governor George H. Ryan, who was the subject of a corruption investigation. Now Mr. Ryan is serving time in prison for fraud and racketeering.</s>MICHELE NORRIS, host: Ryan joined a long line of Illinois governors. Daniel Walker ran the state in the 1970s. He later pleaded guilty to fraud and perjury charges and spent a year and a half in prison.</s>ROBERT SIEGEL, host: Before that, there was Governor Otto Kerner. He served as governor in the 1960s and then served time in prison for fraud, perjury, conspiracy, bribery, and tax evasion.</s>MICHELE NORRIS, host: And actually, while we're on the subject of tax evasion, a little bit of good news for the state of Illinois. William Stratton, governor from 1953 to 1961, was indicted for tax evasion, but he was later acquitted.
Gov. Rod Blagojevich is the latest in a string of modern Illinois governors who have run afoul of the law. He follows in the footsteps of George H. Ryan, Daniel Walker and Otto Kerner.