SPRINGFIELD - The state Wednesday told the Illinois Supreme Court that imprisoned former Gov. George Ryan shouldn't be allowed to collect any of his state pension after being convicted of corruption.

The state's high court took arguments in Ryan's bid to collect more than $5,000 a month in state pension payments for the time he worked as a state lawmaker, lieutenant governor and Kankakee County official.

Ryan has already forfeited more than $5,000 per month more he earned while serving as governor and secretary of state because he was convicted on corruption charges based on his time in those offices.

Former Gov. Jim Thompson argued Ryan's side in front of the Supreme Court Wednesday and told justices each position Ryan held was a separate job. So Ryan should still collect his pension for the offices in which he wasn't accused of being corrupt, Thompson said.

"These offices had a beginning and an end," he said.

Assistant Attorney General Jan Hughes countered that previous cases ruled lower-level employees couldn't keep partial pensions if convicted despite working in different jobs. Ryan's case should be no different, she argued.

"A high level person ... can do the most harm to the public good," Hughes said.

"That simply makes no sense," she added.

A state board originally denied Ryan of his full pension in 2006.

But an appeals court this year ruled Ryan could keep part of it, from his government service not including his time as governor and secretary of state. Thompson asked the Supreme Court to uphold that ruling. Hughes and the state want it overturned.

A decision might not come for months.

Ryan is now serving a more than six year sentence at a federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana on his corruption charges conviction. He hasn't received any of his pension payouts since being convicted, Thompson said.

In an unusual moment at the end of his arguments, Thompson, a four-term governor, told the justices he won his first Supreme Court case 50 years ago to the day.

"I've always regarded this court as my home," Thompson said.

Mike Riopell can be reached at mike.riopell@lee.net or (217) 789-0865.