(Springfield) -- Republican gubernatorial candidate Jim Ryan is already defending himself over his longtime association with a fundraiser who later was convicted of corruption.
Stuart Levine was a law-school colleague of Ryan's and provided almost 800-thousand dollars in campaign cash in services over an eight-year period ending in 2002.
However, during Levine's tenure on two state boards under former Governor Rod Blagojevich, federal agents discovered his efforts to profit from influence-peddling.
He pleaded guilty and testified against Tony Rezko.
Ryan and six other GOP candidates have been announced for the February 2nd primary.