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* UPDATED x1 - Brady: “It’s not my firm” * Rauner campaign paid Pat Brady’s firm for consulting

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* Hmm…

Illinois Policy continues it’s downward spiral this week putting out an article on me that is 100% false. I have never been paid directly or otherwise by Guv’s campaign. Proft and Tillman - fake news, losing elections and wasting donor $. @illinoispolicy @JohnMTillman #twill

— Pat Brady (@pat_brady) April 22, 2018

The story had nothing directly to do with Tillman and the Illinois Policy Institute. The story ran in one of Dan Proft’s papers. Now, maybe you think that’s all one thing. Fine. But Brady is also misrepresenting the report…

The public affairs firm of Patrick M. Brady, the ex-Illinois GOP Chairman turned lobbyist, received $35,682 in the first quarter of 2018 from Gov. Bruce Rauner’s campaign, according to a filing with the Illinois State Board of Elections.

In January, Rauner made three payments for “political consulting” to Brady’s River Strategies of Chicago totaling $26,133. He made a fourth payment of $9,550 on March 5, two weeks before Rauner’s primary election with State Rep. Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton).

Partner Tracy Slutzkin formerly worked as a news producer at WLS-AM 890, including alongside political activist and radio host Dan Proft, one of the principals of LGIS, which owns Prairie State Wire.

River Strategies describes itself as a “media, public affairs, and corporate communications” firm. But Brady is the only firm member with political experience. […]

Brady acted as a defacto spokesman for Rauner during the primary, making regular media appearances where he would attack Ives, though he was never formally identified as such.

Click here to see the Rauner campaign payments and click here to see the River Strategies website.

Brady is often described as a Rauner surrogate, or a former state party chairman or a Rauner supporter. In reality, his firm got a few buckaroos from the Rauner campaign this year. Whether he received a piece of that is probably irrelevant.

*** UPDATE *** “I receive zero financial benefit” from the firm, Brady just told me. “It’s not my firm, it’s their firm,” with “their” referring to Tracy Slutzkin, Hayley Bierkle Burns and Linze Rice.

So, why is his name on the “our team” page? “My name is on the website as a marketing strategy,” Brady said.

“This is a strategic partnership,” he insisted.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Apr 23, 18 @ 9:49 am

Comments

Man, I thought it was “bad” when Pat Brady was shilling for Rauner outside the Pritzker mansion that lacked toilets…

… the fact his firm got money for it.

Embarrassingly comical.

A sad fall for Pat Brady.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 23, 18 @ 10:14 am
Actually it was over $57,000 total, not an insubstantial amount of money. The D-2 says what it says; Brady erodes his credibility by claiming otherwise.

Comment by Put the fun in unfunded Monday, Apr 23, 18 @ 10:19 am
Never forget Brady was the one who announced he would open a SPI office after GovJunk won. He expected Next Generation Strategies to pile up a lot of beans with the new reformers. The list includes AT&T, DuPage Airport Authority and some gamers.
He also turns up with Steve Cochrane at WGN-AM to blurt out proGovJunk babble. More paid “talent” fees like the dough to the MO governor. Hmmmmm.

Comment by Annonin' Monday, Apr 23, 18 @ 10:26 am
““It’s not my firm, it’s their firm. *** This is a strategic partnership.”

stra·te·gic adj. relating to the identification of long-term or overall aims and interests and the means of achieving them.

part·ner·ship n. a business or firm owned and run by two or more partners.

Huh…

– MrJM

Comment by @misterjayem Monday, Apr 23, 18 @ 10:38 am
““My name is on the website as a marketing strategy,” Brady said.”

Ummm Pat, you really need to work on that spin.

Comment by Chicago Cynic Monday, Apr 23, 18 @ 10:54 am
Maybe Brady can form a new firm with Scott Drury. Both are former federal prosecutors…

Comment by Put the fun in unfunded Monday, Apr 23, 18 @ 10:55 am
If that’s the kind of spin and crisis response Pat is offering, potential clients are best to look elsewhere for more competent advice and counsel.

Comment by Whatever Monday, Apr 23, 18 @ 11:42 am
Is this one of those “Public Private Partnerships” the Guv talks about?

Comment by Oh!nowIunderstand Monday, Apr 23, 18 @ 11:53 am
–“My name is on the website as a marketing strategy,” Brady said.

“This is a strategic partnership,” he insisted.–

I have no idea what he’s trying to say. If you’re on the “team,” you’re on the team.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Apr 23, 18 @ 12:37 pm
So Brady’s not in charge, then?

Comment by Northsider Monday, Apr 23, 18 @ 12:59 pm
Pat Brady still displays all the skills which went into IL GOP losing nearly every race there was to lose during his term as state chair.

Comment by Just Sayin' Monday, Apr 23, 18 @ 2:53 pm
Kind of hypocritical of OW to be critical of someone for being paid to speak on behalf of a candidate or public official. At least we know Brady’s identity.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Apr 23, 18 @ 3:40 pm
===Kind of hypocritical of OW to be critical of someone for being paid===

Why? He’s not getting paid to be here. Wish he was, but he’s not.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Apr 23, 18 @ 3:42 pm
Sam/Frank

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 23, 18 @ 4:38 pm
The real question is for Chicago media, like WGN and John Kass/Tribune, which put Brady on as if he were some kind of everyman objective Republican and not a paid spokesman for Rauner.

He was on WGN on Election Night with Cliff Kelley bashing Proft and Tillman and Ives.

Would they have had him on had they known this?

I think not.

Comment by Media Maven Monday, Apr 23, 18 @ 7:46 pm
–The real question is for Chicago media, like WGN and John Kass/Tribune, which put Brady on as if he were some kind of everyman objective Republican and not a paid spokesman for Rauner.–

That absolutely should have been disclosed.

Brady is trying to be way too cute. He’s on River Strategies website, described as being part of “leadership.”

If Proft tried to claim that he was independent of Uiehlein, I wouldn’t buy that either.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Apr 23, 18 @ 7:50 pm
Politics in IL is all about making money. Want to know who is who, or doing what? #FollowTheMoney

Comment by LoisLearned2much Monday, Apr 23, 18 @ 8:48 pm