 |
 |
|
|
Political BLOG |
|
Joe Arnold
|
August 2007 ArchivesSteve Beshear has said that the decision on offering domestic partner health insurance benefits should be up to individual universities. He doesn't believe the state legislature needs to pass a law banning state government from offering those benefits to any state workers. ...Even if you're a critic of Governor Fletcher, you can't ignore the fact that this governor understands the value and need to extend high speed internet access to every home in Kentucky. ...It looks like resident in Ashland, Morehead, Greenup and other areas of eastern Kentucky will soon have less than an hour's drive to a casino. Here's the story from a West Virginia newspaper: ...Apparently some of you are having a tough time submitting comments on this web page, at least that's what you're telling me. ...Steve Beshear reiterated his support for public financing of gubernatorial campaigns during a news conference about his education plan today in Louisville. ...Kentucky Republican Party Chairman Steve Robertson was busy testing out his creative wording skills today while calling for the resignation of Steve Beshear's campaign manager. ...Kentucky Senate President David Williams has been cleared of any ethics violations in connection with a fundraising dinner for lobbyists. ...University of Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino is hosting a fundraiser for democratic gubernatorial candidate Steve Beshear tonight. ...The Kentucky Corrections Department has chosen the media representatives who will witness the execution of condemned killer Ralph Baze, assuming Baze's executive date of Sept. 25 is not halted by a court order. ...None of Jefferson County's 350 voting machines have been certified by the state of Kentucky, meaning the past three elections "may have been compromised" according to Kentucky's Attorney General. ...Those of us who cover politics relied on the Associated Press for our stories about the Fletcher-Beshear radio debate yesterday. It proves all of us, including the AP's excellent reporter Bruce Schreiner, occasionally miss a news nugget. ...My travelogue from Aurora, Illinois will air at 6 tonight. It should be on the web page shortly after 6. ...Pardon my healthy dose of reporter skepticism, but does it appear to anyone else that Attorney General Greg Stumbo may have handed Governor Fletcher a political gift with Stumbo calling for the resignations of U.K. and U of L Board of Trustees members? ...You'll see the results of my visit to Aurora, Illinois on WHAS11 News on Tuesday between 5 and 6:30. I'm not sure what time. ...It appears the spat between Attorney General Greg Stumbo and Secretary of State Trey Grayson may be patched up, for the time being. ...Kentucky's Attorney General is threatening to sue Governor Fletcher over his appointments to state university boards. ...Steve Beshear and Gov. Ernie Fletcher called in to a Paducah radio station for a debate this morning. The debate centered on the same issues that have dominated the governor's race so far, casinos and corruption. ...We finally know what the Bluegrass Freedom Fund is doing and the link between Larry Forgy and Harry Reid. ...This is a must read for all of us who are involved in the day to day backbiting, division and allure of Kentucky politics. ...For those of you who think all of these doctored photos are funny, cute and a lovely waste of time, blogger Jim Pence has one that will have you chuckling. ...Following in the footsteps of their brethren at the Kentucky Republican Party, the Kentucky Democratic Party is using out of context material for humorous purposes. ...There was a whole bunch of politicking going on at the State Fair Ham Breakfast this morning. Here are some of the juicier tidbits: ...The highly qualified cast that will join Al Smith on Friday night includes Greg Stotelmyer from WTVQ-TV, Tom Loftus from the C-J and Dr. Ken Troske from the U.K. Center for Business and Economics Research. ...A slew of well done TV ads from a group with ties to President Bush, have begun airing nationwide. The initial $5 million ad buy includes some big bucks being spent on Kentucky TV stations. ...Two Louisville judges tell WHAS11 News they're seeking the governor's appointment to the Kentucky Supreme Court seat vacated by the retirement of William McAnulty. ...Iraq war vet and former congressional candidate Andrew Horne says he's "looking at" running for U.S. Senate next year. ...Death Row inmate Ralph Baze may die next month by a method he's trying to get a judge to find unconstitutional. ...What's the deal with the ruckus about the phony picture of Steve Beshear holding a drink at a casino? It's funny! But both sides and a newspaper are taking this way too serious. ...Video of Governor Fletcher riding in a white van includes an on-duty Kentucky State Police trooper in the background. It's the last piece of video in Fletcher's first TV ad of the fall campaign. ...John Stamper and Jack Brammer of the Lexington Herald-Leader have the story of the day as far as Kentucky taxpayers should be concerned. ...Ernie Fletcher's first TV ad won't air until tomorrow but you can watch at least part of it tonight at 6 on WHAS11 News. ...Former Kentucky Lt. Governor Dr. Steve Henry is facing more legal troubles. ...Governor Fletcher has made another controversial appointment, this one splitting Kentucky's community of sportsmen. ...It may be like celebrating a buzzer beating 3 pointer at halftime when your team is down by 20 points, but Governor Fletcher's reelection campaign has reason for some optimism today. ...Governor Fletcher has issued the executive order for another special legislative session beginning Monday, August 20th. ...Governor Fletcher's blanket pardons only apply to criminal cases, not administrative cases involving the merit hiring scandal. That's the ruling of an Executive Branch Ethics Commission hearing officer. ...A former Executive Branch Ethics Commission member says it was a partisan panel that decided not to pursue ethics charges against Governor Fletcher. ...A new website focusing on Kentucky politics and the media has the scoop on one of the congressional races next year. ...Governor Fletcher now has some back up for his claim that the merit hiring investigation was "a political witchhunt," according to a letter released by Fletcher's campaign. ...Kentuckians for the Commonwealth, a citizens activism group, is launching a campaign to try and stop passage of an energy bill that could give up to $300 million in tax breaks and incentives to Peabody Energy Company. ...It ain't gonna happen, but Congressman Ben Chandler isn't ruling out a run for U.S. Senate in 2008. That's according to Bill Bryant's blog. ...The Legislative Ethics Commission could have a ruling in ten days on the ethics charges against Senate President David Williams. The closed door hearing was held today with a host of lobbyists testifying with Williams sitting right behind them, listening intently. ...All indications are that the House and Senate are re-e-e-e-e-e-ally close to reaching agreement on an energy bill and may iron out the details during another meeting on Thursday. ...If Kentucky lawmakers and Governor Fletcher approve an energy bill that includes incentives for Peabody Energy Corp., the cost per job is expected to be about $800,000. ...Just a few thoughts from Mark Hebert on stuff that's not necessarily political: ...I forgot to include the summary of the Preston-Osborne poll done for the Lane Report in my previous post. Here it is: ...It looks like the Survey USA/WHAS11 polling on the governor's race has some company in showing democrat Steve Beshear with a big lead. ...Last month, an anti-war group ran a few TV ads lambasting Sen. Mitch McConnell's support for continuing the war in Iraq. ...Inmates being used to process state tax returns and thousands of lost returns........here's the facts and fiction on both. ...I apologize for not writing about this when I broke the story last week. It seems no other media outlets have picked up the story so here's the Revenue Department tuberculosis story in a nutshell. ...A poll commissioned by a Lexington business magazine has found more than 70% of Kentuckians support tax breaks for coal-to-liquid fuel operations in Kentucky. ...The former mayor of Richie Farmer's hometown is expected to plead guilty to some criminal charges and probably do some jail time. ...The Kentucky Attorney General has expressed some concern about Caroline Pitt Clark's appointment to the Kentucky Public Service Commission and it has nothing to do with the fact that she was part of Governor Fletcher's criminal defense team. ...Governor Fletcher and Kentucky lawmakers have been thumping their collective chests over the state budget surpluses for the past two fiscal years. But the $400 million surplus that was projected for this biennial budget is shrinking. ...One of the sharpest wits to sit on Kentucky's Supreme Court has resigned. William McAnulty is retiring to devote his attention to his battle brain cancer. ...Governor Fletcher says past contributions to his campaigns and inaugural fund from casino interests don't affect him and he wouldn't rule out taking casino money this year. ...Governor Fletcher says "we're very close", David Williams says meetings are planned for Saturday and House Leaders don't know what Fletcher and Williams are talking about. ...In a stunning rebuke to its chairman, the Kentucky Board of Education has replaced Keith Travis as chairman, voting 10-1 for Joe Brothers to take over the chairmanship. ...Two of the largest voting machine manufacturers in the country are now caught in the crossfire of a pissing match between Kentucky's Attorney General and Secretary of State. ...As reported earlier on this web page, early negotiations between the House and Senate on an energy bill have not gone swimmingly. ...It appears a Peabody Energy's plan for a huge new power plant near Mammoth Cave may have fallen in a sinkhole. A judge has rejected the permit for the Thoroughbred Plant. ...Steve Beshear is still way ahead of Governor Fletcher, according to the latest Survey USA/WHAS 11 poll. ...Apparently, state lawmakers won't be approving Governor Fletcher's nominees to the Council on Postsecondary Education. ...The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has launched a P.R. campaign against the Kentucky Academy of Trial Attornies, er, the Kentucky Justice Association. That name change is the point of the attack. ...He's B-a-a-a-a-ck!!!! Mark Nickolas has relaunched his web site, even though he's based in Montana now. ...The house and senate negotiators who are trying to come up with a single energy bill to pass in another special legislative session didn't get very far when they met on Thursday. ...Brereton and Libby Jones are having their summer picnic August 25th at Airdrie Stud in Woodford County. ...Here's a rundown of my observations from the politicking at the Fancy Farm Picnic: ...A meeting of the Legislative Committee on Military Affairs apparently didn't produce warm and fuzzy feelings for Kentucky's Adjutant General. ...Mitch McConnell has tapped a young Kentuckian to be his chief strategist for his 2008 reelection campaign. ...According to one of the organizers, Barack Obama is definitely coming to a fundraising rally in Lexington later this month. ...For those of you who won't be going to Fancy Farm this weekend, here's WHAS-TV's plan for coverage: ...It looks like Keith Travis may have a fight on his hand to keep his chairmanship of the Kentucky Board of Education. ...Governor Fletcher says he supports collective bargaining rights for police and firefighters, but it didn't help him win over the Kentucky Fraternal Order of Police board members. ... |
|
|
WHAS11.com Political Blog
WHAS11 Reporters blog the latest political news from the campaign trail and beyond. 
|
|