>http://www.suntimes.com/output/elect/cst-nws-debate04.html

>Senate rivals urge Ryan to unseal divorce records

>March 4, 2004

>BY SCOTT FORNEK AND ANDREW HERRMANN Staff Reporters

>The emotionally charged question of sealed divorce records moved into the
>Republican primary for U.S. Senate Wednesday as four of the GOP hopefuls called
>on front-runner Jack Ryan to make public all the documents from his divorce
>from actress Jeri Ryan.

>"Jack Ryan is going to have to own up with respect to some of those questions
>about sealed court records," said retired Air Force Maj. Gen. John Borling.
>"All this will be legitimate [campaign] fodder. ... Better to come out now than
>later."

>Borling's call came in the Republicans' first major televised debate. Ryan did
>not attend, but an hour earlier, he provided reporters with the documents from
>his 1999 divorce that were not sealed. The release was designed to head off the
>type of media fire storm that plagued Democrat Blair Hull's Senate campaign
>before he finally unsealed the files from his stormy 1998 divorce last week.

>Ryan's spokeswoman said he only sought to seal portions that dealt with child
>custody issues in an effort to protect the couple's son, Alex, now 9. Jack Ryan
>said in court papers that information needed to be hidden to protect the boy
>from stalkers threatening his ex-wife, who gained famed on "Boston Public" and
>a "Star Trek" television series.

>Borling and the other three Republicans at the hourlong debate sponsored by
>WTTW-TV and the City Club of Chicago argued that Ryan should move quickly to
>ensure GOP voters he has nothing to hide.

>"There's certainly a concern," said dairy owner Jim Oberweis. "One has to ask
>why that court case was sealed, if it's been sealed."

>State Sen. Steve Rauschenberger argued that Ryan could bring down the GOP in
>November.

>"If he wants to represent my party, I think he has to understand that the kind
>of scrutiny that Blair Hull underwent will be inflicted on the Republican
>nominee who comes out of this primary process," Rauschenberger said.

>In Hull's divorce papers, ex-wife Brenda Sexton accused Hull of calling her
>vile names and threatening to kill her.

>"I would just like to say on Jack Ryan's behalf, because I don't know all the
>things being referred to, but I assume in Jack Ryan's case, that there's no
>issue," said businessman Andy McKenna Jr. "But the disclosure helps answer that
>question for him as well."

>The records Ryan released show he and Jeri Ryan, who starred as the "Star Trek"
>character Seven Of Nine, separated in November of 1998 over "irreconcilable
>differences'' after about 61/2 years of marriage. The couple were divorced in
>California the next year. He lives in Wilmette.

>A year later, Jack Ryan went back to increase his visitation rights, said his
>campaign spokeswoman. Certain aspects of the custody file considered by the
>judge to be harmful to the child were sealed at Jack Ryan's request, the
>spokeswoman said. Jeri Ryan's attorney objected, saying that Jack Ryan's
>motivation included avoiding personal embarrassment and potential damage to his
>political career.

>In 2001, Jack Ryan asked the court to remove parts completely from the file,
>arguing the information was not secure and this posed a danger to his son.

>Jack Ryan argued that his ex-wife was the target of a stalker. According to Los
>Angeles news reports, Marlon Pagtakhan was sentenced in 2001 to five years
>probation for sending hundreds of sexually explicit e-mail messages to Jeri
>Ryan and threatening violence to her boyfriend, Brannon Braga, executive
>director of "Star Trek Voyager.'' Jeri Ryan and the boy lived with Braga.

>In court filings, Jack Ryan's lawyer said Jack Ryan was "concerned about the
>ability of persons to access the court file.''

>A judge agreed with Jack Ryan, citing Jeri Ryan's celebrity status and that
>Jack Ryan has status "to some degree as well.'' The judge ruled that sealed
>orders in the Los Angeles court system "are not, in every case, properly
>enforced'' and that access into sealed records "is not an impossibility.'' Some
>40 documents were allowed to be removed and kept at the office of Jack Ryan's
>lawyer.

>After the debate, Ryan campaign spokeswoman Kelli Phiel said he will not
>release those documents. "Jack loves his country but issues dealing with Alex,
>that's his son,'' said Phiel.