Brady's shady ethics, absence of compassion, make him poor gubernatorial choice‏

State senator Bill Brady (Rep. 44), GOP candidate for governor, is reeling from two recent questions concerning his personal financial ethics and his personal empathy for his fellow Illinoisans which every voter should ponder ahead of the March 18 Primary.

The Tribune just published an investigation how last November, Sen. Brady voted for tax subsidies "that helped revive his family's struggling real estate investment in a central Illinois town". While Illinois law does not prohibit legislators from voting on issues that could benefit them personally, it does require they consider whether to abstain. Brady pondered....and then voted for the tax subsidies that helped the family business anyway. This is not new legislative conduct for Brady. During his 2010 run for governor, the Trib revealed how Brady "repeatedly voted to authorize Champaign city officials to make infrastructure improvements that supported a Brady family development project" near Champaign. Again, Brady voted to help Brady when he could have abstained. Alas, Illinois has a weak ethics law when it comes to legislators voting to help their bank account. Tom Homer, former legislator and current Illinois legislative inspector general argues legislators should not even be allowed to debate measures that benefit them financially, much less vote on them.

The second Brady problem is more troubling because it directly impacts the many thousands of Illinoisans in need who will be adversely affected by a Brady governorship. He outrageously told a GOP gubernatorial debate Tuesday that he wants unemployment benefits cut because a lot of those folks enjoy collecting unemployment benefits. That "Mitt Romney 47% are bums" moment brought a firestorm of criticism. Within 24 hours Brady backtracked, saying that he was "insensitive" and "didn't take  into consideration there are a number of people out there looking for jobs who don't want to be on unemployment" Brady's apology is bunk.  He's been in the legislature for 21 years and still sees fit to demonize the neediest Illinoisans to score points with the Republican true believers who come out in droves to vote for the most heartless conservative in the Primary.

Sen. Brady probably won't shed any tears if he loses in the Primary. He's still got the second best job he could want - voting to enlarge the Brady family fortune in the Illinois Senate.