*** UPDATE 1 *** The Senate has unanimously confirmed Sen. Brady as GOP Leader.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Press release…
State Sen. Bill Brady was unanimously selected as Senate Minority Leader by his peers in the Illinois Senate on Tuesday. Brady, who had been serving as the designated Republican Leader since July, thanked his Senate colleagues for their support and pledged to do his best in leading the Senate Republican Caucus.
“I am humbled and honored to receive the support and confidence of my Senate Republican colleagues to serve as their leader,” said Brady (R-Bloomington). “I also want to thank the Senate President for his support.”
Brady was chosen after the mid-term retirement of Sen. Christine Radogno (R-Lemont.) “She left big shoes to fill,” Brady said, “but I am continuing her efforts to reach across the aisle to find common ground.”
Brady’s election as Senate Minority Leader came after the Illinois Senate approved a bipartisan school-funding reform measure he helped negotiate with the Governor and other legislative leaders, which for the first time treats all Illinois school districts fairly and equitably.
“Today, we proved what we can accomplish when working in a bipartisan manner by passing a school funding reform measure that treats all 852 school districts the same,” Brady said. “Let us commit to build upon this foundation of compromise as we move forward on the important issues facing our state and our residents.”
During his tenure as a legislator, Leader Brady has worked to increase education accountability and funding, and sponsored reforms of workers’ compensation and medical malpractice laws. He has championed pension reform, reforms in the state’s insurance and financial industries that became a national model, sponsored laws that promote highway safety through more training for young drivers, and led the way in efforts to restore integrity to state government, ensuring the best use of the taxpayers’ dollars.
Brady has served in the State Senate since 2002. He previously served as State Representative from 1993 until 2001. Brady and his wife, Nancy, have three adult children and three grandchildren and live in Bloomington, Illinois.
[ *** End Of Updates *** ]
* From the Senate Republicans…
We anticipate the Senate will convene in Special Session later this afternoon to elect the Senate Minority Leader.
As you know, Senator Bill Brady has been serving as the Senate Republican Leader “Designee” since July, after his election by the Senate Republican Caucus.
The governor filed a proclamation this week calling a special session for today for this very purpose. Formally electing Brady during a special session avoids convening a regular session day, which would trigger the veto clock on several bills and result in several more session days next month - and nobody, but nobody wants to do that.
* Let’s do a caption contest in honor of his formal ascension, shall we?…
- Curl of the Burl - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 12:09 pm:
Dave Dahl is thinking, “I could be home watching preseason football.”
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 12:12 pm:
“Lemme read to you both Gov. Rauner’s quotes while in Marion… “
- DownstateKid - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 12:12 pm:
No caption, but the Channel 17 guy needs to burn that shirt and pray no demons come forth from it.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 12:14 pm:
“Can you explain… why no ties… It’s Sunday… but will this be a ‘thing’ now… a symbol of solidarity with the Governor?”
- 360 Degree TurnAround - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 12:15 pm:
Republicans reach deal with Democrats. Included in the agreement, Madigan allowed Brady to be Senate Minority Leader.
- South of Sherman - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 12:17 pm:
Republican legislative leaders Brady (Senate), Durkin (House) and Dahl (Honolulu) speak with reporters about school funding reform, fashion, and coffee.
- 360 Degree TurnAround - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 12:17 pm:
“No, there is no definition of white male in the bill”.
- DuPage Saint - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 12:17 pm:
Darn it OW beat me to it. Seriously doesn’t anyone own a tie anymore. There has to be at least one men’s store in Springfield
- Don Gerard - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 12:19 pm:
Downstate Kid - don’t blaspheme. The Great Dave Dahl garners his incredible powers via his wardrobe.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 12:19 pm:
“The word around the Capitol is that this deal is essentially done, but… can either of you confirm that everyone is waiting for the Village of Oswego has her say?”
- Give Me A Break - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 12:19 pm:
Brady announcing his first move will be introduction of a Senate Resolution banning Hawaiian shirts from the statehouse.
- jimk849 - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 12:19 pm:
This is what we look like when we win. You should see what we look like when we lose.
- Pontificating Pete - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 12:20 pm:
@Downstate Kid - That’s actually Dave Dahl, from Springfield’s WTAX-AM.
- 360 Degree TurnAround - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 12:20 pm:
Dry-cleaning optional sunday. At least try an iron.
- Jay Dee - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 12:20 pm:
Brady thinking: “Anyone curious about the disembodied hand over my shoulder, or is it just me?”
- 360 Degree TurnAround - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 12:22 pm:
I’m sorry, Aloha shirts are nice. But Dahl is wearing the rarely seen “long sleeve” aloha shirt.
- Precinct Captain - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 12:22 pm:
“Now, I’ll know what it’s like have Rauner all the way up my…”
- Don Gerard - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 12:22 pm:
New DEVO album cover - “De-Evolution of the Midwest White Male”
- Franklin Delano Bluth - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 12:24 pm:
“The turnaround agenda was missing one BIG thing: jeans. I’m excited to bring jeans back into leadership once and for all. More jeans. More tax cuts for the wealthy. More good things for Illinois.”
- Dave Dahl - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 12:24 pm:
Brady: “I’ll be getting those school clothes any time now …”
Durkin: “Outrageous. O-U-T-R…”
Dahl: “I AM smiling!”
- OurMagician - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 12:25 pm:
Corporate Casual, Casual, It’s Five O’clock Somewhere Casual
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 12:32 pm:
“No, we aren’t members of the Seersucker Caucus”
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 12:34 pm:
“We’ll take questions, but we’re due at the mansion for our fall Carhartt coat fitting… “
- ToughGuy - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 12:34 pm:
“We’re announcing a little down time. Maybe some hiking or a trip to Hawaii. The “hand” from the Adams Family will be joining us.”
- Commonsense in Illinois - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 12:37 pm:
Durkin: “Well, I guess Leader Brady and I do look a bit drab in plain shirts. Why do you ask?”
- Franklin Delano Bluth - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 12:38 pm:
“Good god, this is the crappiest Dave Matthews cover band I’ve ever seen.”
- Commonsense in Illinois - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 12:39 pm:
Durkin: “Yes, I can now admit to the world that Dave is my long-lost brother. It was 1974 in a Krogers, as I recall that we misplaced Dave among the kumquats…”
- Curl of the Burl - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 12:39 pm:
“No, we are NOT the new members of the Boat Drink Caucus.”
- 360 Degree TurnAround - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 12:41 pm:
“I didn’t know Jimmy Buffet was a reporter”.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 12:51 pm:
“The terms of our own release from Bruce Rauner is as follows… “
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 12:52 pm:
“Bruce is treating us well, we CAN walk around, but only supervised… and we look forward to being released and spending time with our families… “
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 12:53 pm:
“Matt Besler? Never heard of him… “
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 12:54 pm:
“I think Jimmy saw Kristina Rasmussen… Thursday… yes, those boxes were delivered to her office… “
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 12:55 pm:
“No, neither of us follow @RadicalCandorIL… “
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 1:08 pm:
“To be honest, we’re trying to reach Speaker Madigan, he stepped out for a few minutes and we all know about the ‘no cell phone’ thing… “
- Old Timer - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 1:10 pm:
Excuse me guys Proft is on the phone
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 1:32 pm:
“Cardinal Cupich said if the tax credit part failed, we have to do more than 10 Our Fathers and 10 Hail Marys to get his forgiveness… “
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 1:34 pm:
“No. Central Catholic and Fenwick are in different attendance brackets for football… “
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 1:59 pm:
Wasted away again in Madiganistan.
- Glengarry - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 2:07 pm:
“I still didn’t say 10% across the board budget cuts. Ain’t that right Jim?”
- A guy - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 2:44 pm:
My levis are at the Dry Cleaners. I’ll get ‘em when it’s official.
- Rabid - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 3:01 pm:
these hi heels are killing me
- Mike - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 3:43 pm:
They’ve nominated a hardcore right winger as their leader. The same guy who couldn’t even fend off Pat Quinn in the GOP wave? Wowza.
- Claude Peppers - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 4:41 pm:
I didn’t know Steve Dahl was a DJ in Springfield.
- Rabid - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 7:27 pm:
doggone radogno
- Rabid - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 7:33 pm:
just like diana said I got lucky jeans
- Rabid - Tuesday, Aug 29, 17 @ 7:57 pm:
we just went through three fifths
- Rabid - Wednesday, Aug 30, 17 @ 6:48 am:
Social warrior war chant