An expansion of whistle-blower protections, two big settlements and a whole new city Ethics Board are up for vote Wednesday at Chicago's City Council meeting.
Here's a breakdown of the issues:
Whistle-blower protections: Mayor Rahm Emanuel wants to expand protections for those who report misconduct or corruption among elected officials. Though some aldermen expressed concern over the ordinance, the City Council’s Rules and Ethics Committee on Tuesday recommended its approval. The new rule would protect business owners and residents who get denied city permits, contracts or jobs after reporting the abuse.
Settlements: Council members are expected to approve two big settlements today. The first is $3.4 million for Maurice Patterson, who was wrongfully convicted of murder and spent eight years in prison. The second is $1.3 million for William Kurtz, struck several years ago by a drunk driver being chased by police.
Ethics Board: In a statement from the mayor's office, Emanuel will announce the replacement of the entire board and recommend Stephen Beard, executive vice president, general counsel and secretary to the board at Heidrick & Struggles, as the board's chair. "The seven new nominees include two former judges, a former patronage monitor, a General Counsel for a large company, and community leaders," a spokeswoman for the mayor's office said in a statement to media.
