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February 2007 ArchivesWhenever a candidate for one of the "lesser" statewide offices gets their name in the newspaper or face on TV, it's usually considered a coup. As the old saying goes "any publicity is good publicity". ...One of the more interesting sidelights of the Pence-endorses-Northup news conference today was Pence's reasoning for staying on the job as Lt. Governor. ...The battle between House Appropriations and Revenue Committee chairman Harry Moberly and house leaders produced a little humor on friday. ...Barack Obama had the most unusual handling of the news media that I've ever heard of for a prospective presidential candidate when he was in Louisville on Sunday. ...State Highway Commissioner Marc Williams is in trouble with the executive branch ethics commission. ...The attorney for two former state employees is asking federal judge Karen Caldwell to recuse herself from hearing the two employees cases against the Fletcher administration. CALDWELL HAS AGREED TO RECUSE HERSELF FROM BOTH CASES, WHILE DENYING THAT HER TIES TO FLETCHER WOULD INFLUENCE ANY RULING SHE MAY HAVE MADE IN THESE CASES. ...The latest WHAS-TV/Survey USA poll shows Governor Fletcher's job approval rating went up a little bit in February. 36% of those polled approve, 59% disapprove. It's what's inside some of the numbers that's interesting. ...The power struggle between some of the democratic leaders in the house spilled out into the open on Thursday. ...One could argue that the 2007 legislative session has not been a good one for Jody Richards so far, at least in the eyes of some labor union leaders. ...It's all in the eyes of the beholder. Dualing e-mail news releases about the HPV bill passing House, mostly along party lines. ...Here's an e-mail RNC Chairman Mike Duncan is sending to GOP stalwarts. I wouldn't normally post this stuff but it has some interest since Duncan is from Kentucky. State Rep. Arnold Simpson of Covington got a little red faced on wednesday while pushing his bill to allow liquor sales on election day. ...It appears house leaders have felt some of the heat from their move to gut the social workers bill earlier this week. ...It should be entertaining viewing in Frankfort on wednesday. There are bills to broaden the sale of alcohol in Kentucky along with the recurring bill to let billboard companies cut down vegetation that blocks the viewing of their advertisements. ...It appears house leaders still haven't figured out what to do with a bill that would abolish the run off election in the gubernatorial primary. ...Some Powell Countians are making headway in getting a lifesive statute of former governor Bert T. Combs erected near Stanton. ...Former congresswoman Anne Northup claims in a letter to supporters that she raised $300,000 at her first fundraiser. In the e-mailed letter, she asks supporters to contribute more to unseat a governor who can't win reelection (Fletcher). ...I was going to write about the far reaching impact of the legislature's proposed ban on state agencies extending health insurance to domestic partners, but Larry Dale Keeling of the Lexington Herald-Leader beat me to it. Here are his comments on his blog: ...By now most of you have read or heard about the potential problems with Steve Henry's political fundraising. I had a long interview with Henry today to ask him about some of the accusations and questionable collections he's made in the past year. Here are his answers and some lingering questions: ...Lowell Reese is gone as the publisher of the Kentucky Gazette. Reese sold the political newspaper to editor Laura Cullen Glasscock today. ...The state senate is expected to approve a bill banning state agencies from offering health insurance benefits to the partners of unmarried employees. If the bill gets through the legislature, it could present a dilemma for Governor Fletcher. ...There was a funny Valentine's Day exchange in Frankfort between state senators Julie Denton and Damon Thayer. ...Louisville area lawmakers have an interesting dilemma on their hands in regards to proposed money for Ford Motor Company's plants in Louisville. ...U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell has temporarily halted the planned deposition of her husband's boss in a civil case. ...More than 37,000 Kentuckians have recently received some unwanted and unexpected tax bills in the mail. ...The Fletcher administration is now blocking state employees' access to the Republican Party of Kentucky's website, but the Democrats'. ...I've now seen Larry Bird's boyhood home, albeit with some additions, like a five car garage and two tennis courts. ...TINA CONNER AND PAUL PATTON ARE BACK IN THE NEWS. The Committee to Elect Dr. Steve Henry To U.S. Senate continued to take contributions as recently as last year as Henry tries to pay off his debt and personal loans from that senate race. But the F.E.C. apparently wants to know if Henry's federal committee violated federal election laws. Here's the story: ...If you watched the U.K.-South Carolina basketball game on TV the other night, you would have noticed a big HARPER sign in the background, on the front of the scorer's table. ...The son of state Sen. Dan Seum is in trouble with the law again. ...My friend Rick Redding writes about an interesting, internal potential conflict of interest with the publishers of Louisville's LEO newspaper. The alternative paper is known for its no-holds-barred journalism and satire. But Redding says a side effort to make money could hurt its independent foundation. ...Greater Louisville Inc. has parted company with one of its employees, David Harris, just before the 2007 legislative session begins. ...The Courier-Journal's Frankfort Bureau will have a couple of new faces. ...Most Kentucky residents are probably viewing Billy Harper as a bit of a novelty act, coming into their homes in the middle of U.K. basketball telecasts. ...I finally got a call back from Charlie Owen on Friday. I'd been leaving messages for him since last week. ... |
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