Illinois alerts states to bogus truck driver's licenses

Ryan denies that he knew about state employees allegedly granting commercial licenses to truckers in return for bribes

Gov. Ryan denies role in bribery scandal

March 16, 2000
Web posted at: 12:16 p.m. EST (1716 GMT)

In this story: 30 people face charges 14 states warned of unqualified truckers RELATED STORIES, SITES

CHICAGO (CNN) -- In a corruption scandal swirling around Illinois Gov. George Ryan, his state is warning others around the country to be on the lookout for at least 175 truckers who may have paid bribes to get their commercial driver's licenses in Illinois.

At least 14 states have been notified of the potentially unqualified truckers, some of whom may be linked to four fatal crashes and dozens of other accidents across the United States. Legitimate drivers must pass stringent driving and written tests.

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Ryan denies knowing about state employees granting licenses to truckers in return for bribes, a practice investigators say began during Ryan's tenure as Illinois secretary of state. He held the post from 1990 to 1998.

"Would I have tolerated it? Hell no, I wouldn't have tolerated it, not in a second," Ryan said emphatically last week.

Federal prosecutors say at least $170,000 of the bribe money was used to buy tickets to Ryan fund-raisers as he sought the governorship. Truck safety advocates say pressure to raise campaign funds encouraged the license-selling.

Fatal accidents have been linked to drivers who may have purchased licenses in Illinois with bribes

The money allegedly was paid to workers and managers of state-run truck-testing facilities, including a former manager who said she received $80,000 in payoffs from a trucking company executive.

Both have pleaded guilty along with 20 other people. The driver's license program is under the secretary of state's office.

So far, 30 people have been charged in a 19-month federal investigation called "Operation Safe Road." Charges range from extortion to conspiracy.

Among those indicted is Dean Bauer, who is one of Ryan's closest friends. Bauer, who was inspector general for the secretary of state when Ryan held that post, is accused of racketeering, mail fraud, obstruction of justice and lying to FBI.

Last month, Bauer was accused of trying to cover up an inquiry into a crash in Wisconsin in 1994 in which six Chicago children were killed, The Washington Post reported. The truck driver involved in the crash allegedly bought his license with a bribe in Illinois.

Ryan, a Republican elected governor in 1998, has repeatedly denied any involvement in the bribery scandal and has not been charged. U.S. Attorney Scott Lasser, who in the past had said Ryan was not a target of the investigation, now declines to comment.

Truckers are required to take stringent road and written driving tests before being granted licenses

In one example of alleged trucking license corruption, authorities say hundreds of drivers put the same address on their application form. The address, located in the Chicago suburb of Elk Grove Village, is that of a motel not far from a secretary of state truck-testing center.

The 175 truckers identified by the current Illinois secretary of state, Jesse White, all traded their Illinois licenses for licenses in the states where they live. Many were likely issued with no additional testing because states often honor licenses issued elsewhere.

So far, more than 1,000 truckers in Illinois have been ordered to retake their licensing tests, according to White's office. Only 171 of the 510 retested since White took office passed and kept their original licenses.

The 14 states that have been notified are: New York, California, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Georgia, North Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Michigan, Colorado and South Dakota. White suggests those states re-test the truckers.

Chicago Bureau Chief Jeff Flock and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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