A separate Christmas Eve article in the Chicago Tribune examined the state of clemency petitions in Illinois, while detailing a couple of petitioners seeking pardons based on their claims of innocence. Although Quinn has a good track record of granting pardons for petitioners showing rehabilitation, he has been far more hesitant to grant pardons declaring the innocence of those wrongfully convicted. The article is well worth the read, and not just because I am quoted in it (though that never hurts).
Congratulations to all of you receiving clemency on this holiday! Now that you can move on with your rights restored and your convictions expunged, I am sure that this will always be remembered as a very merry Christmas.