Politics & Government
Singing Politician Sends Birthday Video to Late Wife of GOP Big Shot
Illinois Treasurer Dan Rutherford's birthday video landed in Pat Brady's inbox Monday morning.
On Monday, failed GOP gubernatorial candidate and Illinois Treasurer Dan Rutherford sent one of his singing "Happy Birthday" videos to Julie Brady, the wife of onetime state party chairman Pat Brady.
The late Julie Brady, who passed away in April at the age of 51 in her St. Charles home after battling ovarian cancer for three years.
Rutherford's accompanying email read:
Dear Julie,
A birthday should be as wonderful and unique as the person having it. That is why I make these special wishes just for you. May you have a day filled with everything that makes you happy, the warm support of good friends and memories you will cherish. May life's simple pleasures, large and small, make this birthday one of your finest, one of your best and one of your very happiest! I hope your birthday is the perfect start to a whole year of prosperity.
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Rutherford sings and chuckles in the video. At times, his videos have been described as corny and not appreciated by others in the GOP. Certainly, Brady didn't appreciate this one.
"It's a lesson for everyone in this business — this is what you want to avoid. This was the last thing (Pat Brady) wanted to start his day with," Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs), who was a pallbearer in Julie Brady's funeral, told the Sun-Times.
Rutherford has had a tough time in the political arena lately, with his failed bid for governor, publicity over missteps with aides in his office and a lawsuit, recently dismissed, that depicted Rutherford running his organization like a "mob boss."
A Rutherford spokeswoman said he apologized.
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