Statewide update—June 20, 2011

SouthtownStar—Alderman: Mayoral aide made threats before Choi hearing, “Chicago Ald. ‘Proco’ Joe Moreno (1st) disclosed Friday that a top mayoral aide threatened to permanently cut off his access to Mayor Rahm Emanuel if he dared to question the appointment of the mayor’s new hiring chief.”

• (AP) Chicago Tribune—Study: Wrongful convictions cost taxpayers #214 M, “A new investigation has found that the wrongful convictions of 85 people have cost Illinois taxpayers $214 million…While the BGA/CWC study revealed that almost all of the wrongful convictions were caused by multiple factors, the cause most commonly alleged was government error and misconduct by police, prosecutors, and forensic officials,’ the groups said in a report published on the BGA website.”

• State Journal-Register—Governor to try again to exclude some state workers from unions, “Nearly 2,000 state employees could be ejected from unions representing them and another 1,700 would be prevented from joining collective bargaining units under a bill that could be called in the Illinois Senate next week.”

• Chicago Tribune—Governor Quinn, veto this gambling bill, “Legislators frantic for new state revenue have passed a gambling expansion bill that, at more than 400 pages, deserves to fall over of its own weight… Quinn and Mayor Rahm Emanuel should confer with legislative leaders to draft a leaner bill that has a chance of gaining public support.”