PRESS SNUBS BRADLEY AWARDS, GREBE SAYS

By Michael Horne
Pity Michael W. Grebe, the head of Milwaukee-based Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation. This year, for the third time, a panel will select four prominent conservatives who will be able to stuff an additional $250,000 each into his or her pockets. But the mainstream media just doesn't seem to care, Grebe told the Washington Times
"It has been frustrating, even remarkable, how the establishment media has chosen to comment on similar prizes given by Teresa Heinz Kerry, but not by the Bradley Foundation," Grebe told the newspaper.
Milwaukeeworld will gladly disassociate itself from the mainstream media by offering this comment on the Bradley Prizes: Even a conservative would acknowledge that a no-strings-attached $250,000 is a very liberal gift.
Previous winners of the ignored prize have included conservative columnists George F.Will and Charles Krauthammer, who was a winner of the Bradley Prize in its inaugural year of 2003. No awards were granted in 2004, which may explain why the media moguls of the world have not penciled the event into their calendars, but were resumed in 2005 with Krauthammer as a judge this time, along with Grebe, Pierre S. "Pete" Dupont and Jeane Kirkpatrick. It's a wonder anybody could stand up to the scrutiny of that team!
The awards will be handed out in a gala ceremony May 25th at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
Grebe is quoted in the article as saying the event will be "our own Oscar night," and "over the top," which must be quite a heady thrill for the former Foley and Lardner partner who was paid over $529,333 for his work in 2003. [A more recent salary figure for Grebe is available in the foundation's 2004 IRS Form 990-PF, a 1000 page plus document that overwhelmed milwaukeeworld's computer when an attempt was made to open it this afternoon.]
The foundation has 2004 assets of $665,327,753.
Nominations for the prizes are made by a panel of 100 prominent conservatives. The judging panel has included such notable figures as Wm. F. Buckley, Jr. and Robert H. Bork. The winners will be announced in April, and you'll read the names here first. Grebe wasn't available Friday afternoon for comment.