DuPage County State’s Attorney Joe Birkett expressed a few of his political complaints Wednesday night in a speech hosted by the College Republicans.

Birkett spent much of his speech criticizing Gov. George Ryan’s blanket commutation. He spoke about a party he was getting ready to go to when he found out about the pardoning.

“Gov. Ryan ruined that party,” Birkett said. “It’s not the first party he ruined.”

He urged that Republicans have to move beyond Ryan’s actions as a party.

“I do believe Governor Ryan had personal problems with capital punishment,” Birkett said.

Birkett said he thought Ryan had felt this way since he took office and should have been more up front with the public. He thought Ryan’s actions were an abuse of power and said steps needed to be taken to ensure it does not happen again.

“He stepped outside the role of governor and became a dictator,” Birkett said.

He said Ryan had nullified 25 years of law with his blanket commutation.

Birkett warned Republicans of their position within state government.

“We got so used to having the mansion,” Birkett said. “Times have changed.”

Birkett said he wants students, in addition to Republicans, to be active in the community, as well as politics. One man in the audience questioned Birkett about his future election plans.

“I never thought I would run for anything,” Birkett said. “I’m definitely planning on running for state’s attorney in 2004.”