James Brady
| James Brady | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| White House Press Secretary | |
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In office January 20, 1981 – March 30, 1981* |
|
| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Jody Powell |
| Succeeded by | Larry Speakes (Acting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
James Scott Brady August 29, 1940 Centralia, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | August 4, 2014 (aged 73) Alexandria, Virginia, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Sue Beh (1960–1967) Sarah Kemp (1972–2014) |
| Education | University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (BA) |
| Nickname(s) | Bear |
| *Brady formally retained the title of Press Secretary until the end of the Reagan Administration on January 20, 1989, but he did not brief the press after he was shot in the 1981 assassination attempt. | |
James Scott "Jim" Brady (August 29, 1940 – August 4, 2014) was an assistant to the U.S. President and White House Press Secretary under President Ronald Reagan. In 1981, Brady became permanently disabled from a gunshot wound during the attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan. Brady became an ardent supporter of gun control as a result of this event. Brady died on August 4, 2014, 33 years after the shooting. His death was ruled a homicide, caused by the gunshot wound he received in 1981.
Brady began his career in public service as a staff member in the office of Illinois Senator Everett Dirksen (R-IL). In 1964, he was the campaign manager for Wayne Jones of Paris, Illinois in the race for US Congressman in the 23rd District. In 1970, Brady directed a campaign in the 23rd Illinois Congressional District for Phyllis Schlafly.
Brady served various positions in the private sector and in government, including service as Special Assistant to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, James Thomas Lynn; Special Assistant to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget; Assistant to the Secretary of Defense; and member of the staff of Senator William V. Roth, Jr. (R-DE). He also served as Press Secretary to then-presidential candidate John Connally in 1979.
After Connally withdrew his candidacy from the race, Brady became Director of Public Affairs and Research for the Reagan-Bush Committee, and then Spokesperson for the Office of the President-Elect. After Reagan took office, Brady became White House Press Secretary.
On March 30, 1981, and 69 days into his presidency Ronald Reagan and his cabinet members, including Brady, were leaving the Washington Hilton Hotel when a gunman opened fire. The first of six bullets hit Brady. The gunman was 25 year old John Hinckley, Jr..
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