In response to questions from WHAS 11 News, Cindy Stone of Louisville says that since the governor appoints all of the Ethics Commission members "this seems to have resulted in a partisan commission when the commission makeup (regardless of political affiliation) is (supposed) to be comprised of persons who can set aside personal and party affiliation to act to correct wrongdoing in the executive branch."
Stone tells WHAS11 News that didn't happen when she her fellow commissioners were considering whether to proceed with a full investigation of the governor earlier this year. Fletcher's campaign released a June letter from the Commission telling the governor that the panel had decided not to pursue ethics charges against him in connection with merit hiring scandal. Stone was on the commission at the time, resigning for health reasons about a month ago. She refused to say what the vote of the 5 member commission was to drop the investigation of Fletcher because it was done in executive session. Commission Director Jill LeMaster also refused to divulge the vote or say if there was ever a motion or vote to proceed with a full investigation of Kentucky's governor.

In her e-mail to WHAS11 News, Stone says past Executive Branch Ethics Commissions "have taken action against the sitting governor and numerous Executive Branch employees many times when they had the ethical obligation to do so, notwithstanding political and personal desires to the contrary." Stone was a member of the commission when it filed ethics charges against former governor Paul Patton in connection with the Tina Conner scandal.

Stone says the citizens of Kentucky should demand their state legislators to change the appointment process for Executive Branch Ethics Commission so the governor doesn't appoint every member to a board that may have to investigate him/her.