SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) -- Illinois Supreme Court justices heard arguments on why ex-governor George Ryan should receive a partial state pension of $60,000. The state General Assembly Retirement System stripped Ryan of the $197,037 pension he was drawing annually up until his 2006 conviction of racketeering, conspiracy, mail fraud, making false statements to investigators and tax fraud as governor and secretary of state. Early in the year the court reversed that decision and said he should keep pension funds he earned from prior offices where he was not convicted for committing a crime. Former Illinois Governor Jim Thompson, who represented Ryan, argued Wednesday he should not be penalized for the period he served honestly. Jan Hughes, an assistant attorney general representing the retirement system, argued the law leaves no choice but to strip Ryan of his entire government pension. (Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
