Daily Herald

February 09

 Gov. Ryan vetoes anti-terrorism plan; override vote threatened

By John Patterson and Heath Hixon 

 Gov. George Ryan said Friday that lawmakers may have rushed their efforts last fall to come up with an anti-terrorism plan and that there were simply too many lingering questions for him to sign it into law.

Ryan delivered his veto message Friday night, citing his concerns with expanding eligibility for the death penalty, inadequate protection of the rights of innocent people accused of terrorism, and the potential for untrained police to begin tapping phones and eavesdropping on conversations under the guise of fighting terrorism.

"The few short weeks of the fall veto session may not have provided a sufficient amount of time for the careful scrutiny and debate that would likely have occurred in the regular legislative session on some of the more controversial provisions," Ryan said in a message accompanying his amendatory veto.

The governor, however, stopped short of saying he didn't think terrorists should be executed. But he questioned whether the death penalty would serve as a deterrent to terrorists.

"It sure didn't stop the fellows that flew into the World Trade Centers," the governor told reporters as he left the Capitol Friday night.

On Monday, Ryan told reporters he planned to veto the plan and suggest changes to lawmakers. If they support the changes, the plan becomes law. Lawmakers can also vote to override Ryan's veto and enact the plan in its original form. Several key lawmakers earlier in the week said they would do just that.

Attorney General Jim Ryan urged lawmakers to quickly override the governor's actions, particularly in regards to the death penalty. Ryan, an Elmhurst Republican who is running for governor, was the leading proponent of the anti-terrorism plan.

"I will vigorously lobby both parties, in both chambers, in an effort to restore this vital provision to our anti-terrorism bill," Jim Ryan said in a statement sent to news organizations. "It passed both houses with a lone dissenting vote, so I am confident that the General Assembly will prevail on this issue."

During the fall session, the House approved the plan 106-1 and the Senate approved it 55-0. Lawmakers must take action on the governor's veto. Lawmakers must act to either accept the changes or override the veto within the next two weeks or the plan fails entirely.

House Republican Leader Lee Daniels of Elmhurst was the sponsor of the terrorism-fighting plan. His spokesman said Friday night that the governor's actions were being analyzed and there had been no decision on how to proceed.

The governor cited specific concerns with provisions that would allow the seizure and forfeiture of property of suspected terrorists, penalties for charities linked to terrorism, and the loosening of qualifications for people doing wiretaps.

In particular, Gov. Ryan said he did not believe it was appropriate to punish charities directly or even indirectly involved in supporting terrorism the same as the people who actually carry out the acts of terrorism.

The governor recommended changes that he could find acceptable.

But he flatly rejected the provision that would make terrorists eligible for the death penalty. Ryan cited his fears of influencing the death penalty commission studying changes to Illinois' troubled system, and questioned why this piece of the plan was needed.

"In fact, it would be difficult to imagine a scenario under which a terrorist act resulting in death would not already qualify for capital punishment under our current statute," Gov. Ryan said. "Moreover, terrorism is currently a death-eligible offense under federal law."