Bill Brady—Change Illinois Women Can’t Afford

Anti-FMLA, Anti-Equal Pay for Equal Work, Anti-Woman, Anti-Working Family Candidate Looking to Take His Extremist Positions Statewide if Elected Governor

Champaign, IL— Illinois Democratic Women (IDW) denounced Bill Brady’s candidacy for Governor Thursday as Sheila Simon, Democratic Candidate for Lt. Governor, was in Champaign for the statewide organization’s Women’s Issues Fall Forum to discuss what’s at stake for women and families in November.

“A vote for Bill Brady is a vote against women—against you, against me, against your sisters, daughters and granddaughters,” Pam Monetti, Co-President of Illinois Democratic Women said.  “He is incredibly anti-woman and anti-working families.  After seeing that he does not support women from his role in the legislature, I fear how much he would damage the equality of women from the Governor’s mansion.  He is not, nor will he ever be, on the side of women and children.  We cannot allow this man to be elected our Governor and reverse all of the progress we’ve made in the last 100 years.”

State Senator Bill Brady has a long history of votes and statements against women, children and working families.  Here are just a few of his radical positions.

Bill Brady:
•    voted against a bill requiring insurance to fund mammograms and pap tests (SB 144, 6/6/07)
•    voted against a measure to increase penalties for repeat domestic batterers  (HB 2356, 4/21/93)
•    does not believe that the state has an interest in ensuring equal pay for equal work. Speaking recently about the issue, Brady said, “I’m against government intrusion that is not productive.” (Chicago Tonight, 5/10/10)
•    voted against the Family and Medical Leave Act (HB 2, 3/24/99)
•    pledged to end Illinois’ All Kids program if elected governor (State Journal-Register, 12/13/05)
•    voted consistently against raising the minimum wage, and even proposed lowering the minimum wage as recently as June 2010 (Chicago Tribune, 6/25/10, Pantagraph, 2/22/07; HB 1954, 3/18/99)

“State Senator Brady has said he is against equal pay for equal work,” Sheila Simon said. “I just cannot fathom the reason why Senator Brady believes that I, as a woman, should get paid less than a man for the same job. This is someone who is conservative amongst the conservatives.”

Illinois Democratic Women is hosting a series of fall women’s issues forums featuring Sheila Simon, Democratic candidate for Lt. Governor, to discuss what’s at stake for women and families on November 2nd.  The series will cross several communities throughout the state to discuss women’s issues ranging from choice and health care to education, domestic violence and equality.  The first forum of the series was held in Champaign on Thursday, September 23rd.

“Every time I pick up a newspaper or hear Bill Brady talk, I find more extreme positions on issues that matter for the average family,” stated Monetti.  “How do you vote against children? Or vote against supporting their education? Or protecting victims of domestic violence? The questions continue-and the answers don’t add up.  I, along with the women across Illinois, deserve an explanation of how Bill Brady can continuously vote against us and then ask us to trust him with our lives and our future.”

IDW is a statewide grassroots organization working for more equitable representation and participation of Democrat women in all levels of the Democratic Party and government.  It is comprised of mothers, wives, sisters, nurses, teachers, students, firefighters, environmentalists, activists, police officers, and retired women. IDW works to unite this wonderful diversity of devoted women behind one common goal– the involvement of women in the political process.

For more information, please visit www.illinoisdemocratwomen.org or call 312-945-8572.

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