Illinois senate approved expanding authority for the state’s new inspector general. Julie Porter was appointed Saturday after the position sat open for two years. She was named to the position as an emergency amid sexual harassment allegations within the state’s government. Porter will be able to investigate 27 pending ethics complaints even if the resolution period has passed. One of those cases concerns Ira Silverstein was publicly accused last week of sexually harassing a lobbyist. He voted yes on the authority expansion.