Today’s column:
Although they’ve popped up a few times on the KyKurmudgeon blog, the phrases “Boy Governor” and “Kiddie Korps” last appeared in this column in September 2006.
It’s not that Gov. Ernie Fletcher and the folks around him found a magical pill to cure what some prominent Republicans have called their “political ineptitude.” They’ve continued to make their share of missteps during the intervening 13 months. But their recent stumbles haven’t plumbed the depths of juvenile silliness that earned them their nicknames. Besides, the original Kiddie Korps left the building long ago.
But last week, Boy Governor and a new group – call them the Kampaign Kiddies – returned to form when they accused Democratic gubernatorial candidate Steve Beshear of violating the state constitution’s ban on same-sex marriage because his campaign finance report listed contributions from same-sex couples.
As usual, though, BG and his KK didn’t follow their absurd “guilt by association” reasoning to its logical conclusion. Had they done so, they might have realized how the argument could be turned back on them.
For if the acceptance of contributions from same-sex couples constitutes ironclad proof that Beshear supports same-sex marriage, the same flawed logic must lead you to the conclusion that the use of a convicted felon in one of his anti-casino ads constitutes ironclad proof that BG endorses embezzling.
But hey, we already knew BG is soft on crime, including felonies, from his blanket pardon of aides and cronies indicted in the BlackBerry Jam hiring investigation. And that brings us to another recent BG/KK moment.
Someone – in the administration, in the campaign or among Fletcher’s apologists – decided it would be a really neat idea to file a complaint against Attorney General Greg Stumbo with the Executive Branch Ethics Commission, a complaint alleging that Stumbo and his aides violated ethics laws by pursuing the hiring investigation.
Then, that same someone decided it would be an equally neat idea to leak the complaint to various members of the media.
Let’s examine the brilliance of pursuing this strategy on behalf of a governor who was indicted by a special grand jury, who saw 14 members of his entourage indicted in open court and 14 other indictments returned under seal, who pardoned the world in regard to the hiring investigation and who cut a deal with Stumbo to get the charges against him dropped.
Modern political campaigns being what they are, this negative side of BG’s record will be fodder for the opposition. We saw such ads in the primary; we’ve seen more in the general election. There is nothing BG and his KK can do about that except to fight back with their own ads and hope the public tunes out all the negativity.
But by filing a complaint against Stumbo, BG and his KK brought the hiring investigation back into the news with fresh headlines and stories rehashing the whole scandal in the closing days of the campaign, reminding Kentuckians of BG’s greatest failings just before they go into the booth to vote up or down on his re-election. (The administration’s persistence in attempting to depose whistle-blower Doug Doerting has also kept the hiring scandal in the headlines during the campaign.)
Only in the insular world of Boy Governor and his Kampaign Kiddies would it be considered a smart political move to do something that prompts new stories about an old scandal.
In the real world, it was just another political blunder by folks who are masters of that particular craft.
Larry Dale Keeling, a columnist for the Lexington Herald-Leader, has spent most of his 35-plus years in journalism reporting on or writing editorials and columns about Kentucky’s politics and political issues. He now brings his experience and expertise on those topics to the KyKurmudgeon blog.
‘But hey, we already knew BG is soft on crime, including felonies, from his blanket pardon of aides and cronies indicted in the BlackBerry Jam hiring investigation. And that brings us to another recent BG/KK moment.’
I am not aware of anyone being accussed of a Felony. I was aware of the several misdemeanor charges, but felony brings it to a new level. I can also tell you that the Governor does not have any cronies or never has had cronies. Everyone working for him both dem and repub were recommended outside of his circle. This, I think has been the problem with the news coverage on the Governor. Words are thrown around without concern of meaning. In the real world if you hire or fire someone it is not a crime. It can become a civil matter if it is done incorrectly, but it is not a crime. The rules were set up by the dems to make sure if someone new came into power that mistakes would be made especially if a Republican was elected. Mistakes became criminal issues, which is rediculous. I agree with the term Kiddy Korps, but you could also say fresh change from the past. Change is what everyone feared and attacked, “we have never done it this way before stated the state workers” I understand the perception that has been sold by the dems and the media, it was done in a masterful way. The Governor never knew what hit him. The only thing I want to point out is that it was just that, perception, no felonies were charged or committed, and getting back to my other point, Jonathon Miller broke state merit law hiring practices a few months ago with the hiring of one of his friends. The reason Jonathon Miller broke the laws is that the laws are too complicated for anyone to understand even a democrat like him. So perception is reality and the Governor was knocked down by it. I say that the state will be knocked down by the reality that they did not re-elect a person that had a great plan for real change in Kentucky. If the press had only printed his accomplishments instead of perception, I think the outcome would be different. Again, I am not aware of any felony charges.
Keeling, you are a sick person! Why don’t you apply the same cynicism and name-calling toward the partisan actions of the Attorney General and Judge Graham, or against Steve Beshear and his checkered past? Why is it that ALL actions of our governor, who is more of a man than you will ever be, are belittled by you, while his adversaries and those who plot to smear him get a total pass from you. You abuse your columns to try to harm those you dislike or disagree with. Your’s is truly a “bully pulpit”. What do you do in life except cynically judge and smear good people? You are the one who is transparently juvenile!
Dan Druen was indicted on several felony counts involving tampering with a witness and evidence.
Dan Druen was only indited on those after he was indited on Misdemeanors. The misdemeanors which were rediculous were then turned into Felonies, which was part of the strategy and game of the AG. This is a joke.
Sorry, Mr. Keeling, I could not find a post for this. I hope you can pass it along. It does make a statement that is hard to deny.
jas in Frankfort
Most won’t remember, but . . .
Several weeks ago I posted Peabody stock would go up when they get the Commonwealth tax credits. Well, it is not at its all time hight, but sure is a lot higher than it was a few months ago.
And, now Peabody is involved in a hostile takeover. Don’t tell me that government tax credits are not responsible for the increase.
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10:20
Nice try, but not exactly THE TRUTH.
And, you shed no light, at all , on the arrogance of Fletcher and his actions following all this dirt.
NOT IN MY KENTUCKY HOME , ERNIE.
10:20 …
Dan Druen had 19 felonies alone hung on him by the grand jury. These included destroying evidence and violating the merit system
Addressing this “is that the laws are too complicated for anyone to understand even a democrat”
Tommy Greenwell provided the indicted Governor and his cronies direction on how NOT TO violate the merit system. They got mad, moved him to EPPC and the rest is history.
Then the best of all, the indicted Governor braggs about non-merit hiring is 61% democrats. If I was a republican voter whose party has been out of office for over 30 years and couldn’t get into the non-merit world, I’d me mad as hell.
In the end the D’s he hired didn’t care about the indicted Governor or his vision, all they saw was increasing their high 3 through 2008 so they could retire.
The indicted governor completed very few projects due to his inability and his even poorer decision making to get “his” people in decision making positions to see his vision completed.
Now he is paying the price.
Tom Greewell knows , very well, the limitations on hiring. Sometimes, as a state worker, it does not matter if your view to a staff member is right or wrong. IN many instances, it is their way or the highway.
If any of the group of “young and middle aged lions” has listened to Greenwell, this entire matter would not have taken place.
Such is the arrogance
of this Administration.
————————-
Tommy Greenwell provided the indicted Governor and his cronies direction on how NOT TO violate the merit system. They got mad, moved him to EPPC and the rest is history.
Mr. Keeling this may not match the discussion but, I filed it under POLITICS.
I feel this statement needs to be made. jas
I wish I had an opportunity to talk with Representative Ben Chandler while he was in Frankfort the other day. If I did, I would say to him:
“Mr. Chandler you mention about housing and homes and that is a very admirable thing, but what about the predatory lenders that created this problem, with the permission of the Congressional Banking Committee. I don’t if you notice Mr. Chandler, the banks have been creating new ways of additional profit centers, to shore up their profits. And, that is a good idea for stockholders.
However, Mr. Chandler please, please don’t pass along the debt, created by unscrupulous BROKERS AND BANKERS to THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UNDER THE HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
I sure feel sympathy for those whose payments have risen from an affordable payment to skyrocketing house payments that cause people to default. It is the Congress fault Mr. Chandler for giving so much freedom to THE BANKING PEOPLE. I noticed you voted with them on the Credit Card Bankruptcy Legislation. I think that was a mistake! IMO, this was a problem, created by a greedy, over zealous, banking market that wanted everybody to have their own credit card. And they did! Just like the HOUSING CRUNCH, when the debt became too LARGE for the BANKS, who arrives on the WHITE HORSE TO BAIL THEM OUT?
It was YOU, BEN CHANDLER, and all the members of Congress that opened the door for the inclusion. So, it appears to me, the CURRENT HOUSING CRUNCH was self inflicted and we taxpayers, who can make a house payment, don’t need to be using our money to bail out THE BANKS AND BROKERS. And if you vote to pass this on to HUD, you have again supported the FINANCIAL LOBBY in Washington and not WE THE PEOPLE!”
Give Jim Bunning a call; he is on the BANKING COMMITTEE!
Never mind, he wouldn’t comprehend.
I just wanna say
Jim Anderson Stivers
Keeling might as well be on the Democrat Party payroll. His only issue it how republicans are bad and democrats are good. He is part of the liberal media which all surveys show are 80% democratic.
For the expectation of his remarks, when reaching a “plea deal” Fletcher admitted some, less degree of wrong doing had been done.
Yet, in his latest TV AD, with his wife, he say some mistakes were made.
HMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
Don’t cha tink that is a little late ERNEST?
Don’t feel bad, Mr. Keeling uses his sword (pen) to take as many swipes as possible at the AG too. I think he’s on Crit’s payroll.
Once again LK nails it. For those who don’t know, LK will blast D’s when they do stupid things. This administration’s problem hasn’t been that they are R’s, it’s because they are arrogant bafoons who would not listen to anyone. Had they taken their time and kept their noses clean, we would be talking about whether or not Beshear can keep the race close.
Lift from previous post:
10:23 AM, October 17, 2007
Jonathon Miller broke state merit law hiring practices a few months ago. Jonathon Miller broke the laws is that the laws are too complicated for anyone to understand even a democrat like him. So perception is reality and the Governor was knocked down by it.
I wish you had a name posted instead of an anon.
10:23
You mention perception becomes reality.
POLITICS is Perception, in which their PERCEPTION, becomes the public REALITY.
(THEY HOPE)
If politics dealt with REALITY then there would be far few candidates. Many would be
preachers, etc. etc.
And, the law are so complicated in the merit system, they are difficult to understand.
Actually, no law is difficult to understand as long as you stay in the misdemeanor category. Felony, somewhat different.
But, if the regulations, and that is what the are, are so complicated, perhaps the individual is looking for something that is not there? Actually, the regs are fairly simple.
If one violated, with a later to be learned, master plan, and many are replaced, then the topic of MEDIA conversation pretty much stays with the momentium calling attention to the number of times a person is found guilty of violating, a simple regulation.
INTENT
is very important in this consideration and what we have seen for the past, what is it, three years, there is absolutely, no question about INTENT.
The Demcorats learned to play this “musical chairs” with a simple thing called,
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT.
Don’t know why that was not good enough for ERNEST.
Peabody Energy Stock
Recently, I mentioned that Peabody Energy stock would to up, with the acquisition of government subsidies. Well, Peabody stock went up again this week and this is the closing price. Current Price: $57.93
Two years ago their stock was around $25.00.
When Peabody Chair met with THE CHENEY ENERGY GROUP the stock of Peabody went up with a special emphasis being placed on syn fuels and coal.
After that meeting, and the media coverage the stock went to an all time high of around $50.00 maybe a little more.
As it happened the Chair of Peabody sold some of his Peabody stock and gained around a half million dollars.
And, now the stock is very high. And, for good reason. It is a WIN, WIN situation for
Peabody as our State Goverment has endorsed the business principals, development and failed technology of an ENERGY GIANT with a big political pac.
HMMMM, Wonder of Jody or Fletch, owns any Peabody Energy stock? And better yet, does Steve Beshear?
PEABODY CLOSING PRICE THIS WEEK.
Current Price: $57.93
Last Trade Time: 10/26/2007 4:03 PM
Open: $0.00
Previous Close: $55.98
Daily Range: $56.50 - $58.92
52-Week Range: $36.20 - $56.20
Volume: 6,787,400
Market Cap: $14.86B
P/E Ratio: 28.71