http://http://www.kentucky.com/210/index.xml News, sports, and entertainment from Kentucky.com en-us Copyright 2009 Kentucky.com State Government and Politics 60 Fri, 10 Jul 2009 08:10:55 EDT http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss McClatchy Interactive's Workbench interactive-ops@herald-leader.com http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/858259.html http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/858259.html Fri, 10 Jul 2009 06:27 EDT
Forester told attorneys that he's considering a 60-day moratorium on their motions prior to trial, to discourage media coverage of the case that could contaminate the jury pool.

The judge said he will ask the Herald-Leader, The Courier-Journal of Louisville and The Associated Press to refrain from publishing stories about the case in the days leading up to the trial.

Separately, Forester denied a motion by Lawson's attorneys to delay the release of investigative records held by Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway until after the trial.

The Herald-Leader and Courier-Journal have requested records from a state investigation of Lawson in the 1980s. Forester said that as a federal judge, he has no jurisdiction to stop a state official from responding to a request under the state open-records law.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/858257.html http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/858257.html Fri, 10 Jul 2009 06:21 EDT
State budget director Mary Lassiter reported Thursday that the state ended the fiscal year on June 30 with $55.7 million less than expected even a few weeks ago.

Because the Kentucky Constitution requires a balanced budget, Lassiter's office will be looking for unspent money in state programs to make up the shortfall, she said.

It also will raid pots of money other than the General Fund a practice called fund transfers.

Lassiter said such action will be taken over the next week to reconcile expenses with revenues.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/856811.html http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/856811.html Thu, 09 Jul 2009 06:32 EDT
The two, former Circuit Clerk Chester Jones and former Judge-Executive Sherman Neace, pleaded not guilty Wednesday.

One witness a woman who served as secretary of the county Democratic Party Executive Committee has expressed fear of Jones, and others have concerns about contact with him, Assistant U.S. Attorney Ken Taylor said during the hearing.

There was no information at the hearing about why one witness fears Jones.

Taylor did say, however, that Jones came to the federal courthouse at a time when the grand jury investigating the case was meeting, even though he wasn't directed to be there, and talked with witnesses.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/857076.html http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/857076.html Thu, 09 Jul 2009 06:22 EDT
The Conway campaign called the fund-raising effort record-breaking, saying that no other Kentucky Democratic U.S. Senate candidate has raised that much money in one three-month period.

Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo, who is Conway's key Democratic opponent in the Senate race, has not yet released his fund-raising total for the second quarter of the year. In his first 43 days of fund-raising Feb. 17 to March 31 Mongiardo garnered $429,552.

Democrat Darlene Fitzgerald Price, a former U.S. Customs agent, has said she has raised about $15,000 so far.

Stephen Voss, an associate professor of political science at the University of Kentucky, said a strong fund-raising effort in the second quarter shows that Conway is a serious contender.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/856804.html http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/856804.html Thu, 09 Jul 2009 06:07 EDT
Francis Baker was hired by the state court system in 2007, while still on parole for his multiple felony convictions.

On July 2, officials with the Administrative Office of the Courts completed an investigation of Baker, which produced inconclusive results, AOC spokeswoman Leigh Anne Hiatt said.

Still, officials are transferring Baker from his position as a pre-trial officer in Lexington to an administrative position in the agency's Frankfort office "out of an abundance of caution," Hiatt said. There, Baker will no longer have contact with people in custody.

"He was transferred because of his inability to effectively perform his job duties as a pre-trial officer in Fayette County," Hiatt said.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/856335.html http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/856335.html Thu, 09 Jul 2009 06:08 EDT
"KACo leadership is committed to offering your staff our full cooperation as you plan the audit of KACo's financial records," KACo President J. Michael Foster, the Christian County Attorney, said in a letter to Luallen.

Luallen announced last week that her office would examine spending and expenses at the non-profit association, which offers insurance and financing services to counties and provides lobbying, training and legal help. KACo's board of directors is made up of elected county officials from across the state.

Luallen's decision came after the Herald-Leader reported last week that the top five staff members at KACo spent $600,000 over two years for travel, meals and other expenses.

The auditor's office also will investigate spending at the Kentucky League of Cities. A Herald-Leader review found that the League's top three executives spent more than $300,000 since 2006. Travel by all League employees cost $457,000 in 2008.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/855907.html http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/855907.html Wed, 08 Jul 2009 05:55 EDT
Galbraith, a Lexington lawyer who has run unsuccessfully for governor four times, has filed with the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance to run as an independent in the 2011 gubernatorial election.

His running mate is Dea Riley, a political consultant in Frankfort who has managed several campaigns in the state. She formerly was married to state Supreme Court Justice Will T. Scott.

"I believe we can raise over a million dollars and win this race," Galbraith said Tuesday in a telephone interview.

Galbraith said he was running for governor "to combat Kentucky's electile dysfunction. Nothing has happened in this state for years, and it's the fault of both major political parties. I want to help the electorate change that."]]> http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/855904.html http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/855904.html Wed, 08 Jul 2009 05:48 EDT
That means Grayson, a fellow Republican, must now decide whether to challenge his longtime political friend.

Grayson raised more than $600,000 in two months to explore a possible bid for the Senate seat now held by Bunning.

"More than $600,000 is more than enough to explore a candidacy," said Democratic political strategist Danny Briscoe of Louisville. "You have to go back to the days of Ferdinand Magellan and Balboa to see so much exploring."

Bunning, who has been in the Senate since 1999 and is considered vulnerable by many, said he does not think Grayson, whom he labeled "a friend," will run for his job if he stays in the race.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/855631.html http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/855631.html Wed, 08 Jul 2009 05:38 EDT
Three KACo officials and an outside lawyer met Tuesday for more than an hour with regulators, including Insurance Commissioner Sharon P. Clark and representatives from the agency's legal office and division of financial standards and examinations, said Ronda Sloan, spokeswoman for the department.

"We discussed some issues, and we'll be having some follow-up conversations," Sloan said

She declined to describe the nature of the issues and said that the talks were informal "fact-finding discussions" and not a formal investigation.

Brent Caldwell, a Lexington lawyer who has represented KACo's insurance programs since 1997, said the insurance regulators wanted basic information about "operational issues, how the programs run and how they operate."]]> http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/855628.html http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/855628.html Wed, 08 Jul 2009 05:38 EDT
Mayor Ron Payne said he had become increasingly concerned about the League's spending on travel and meals, high executive salaries and a move two weeks ago to stop providing documents to the Lexington Herald-Leader.

The non-profit organization, which receives money from cities in the form of dues and payments for insurance and financing, reversed itself last week and agreed to provide the newspaper with records.

"When I look at the Kentucky League, they represent the cities in our state and they should be setting the example in terms of transparency and accountability," Payne said. "So I was very much concerned about this and still am."

The Herald-Leader reported last month that the top three League executives have charged more than $300,000 for travel, meals and other expenses since 2006. In 2008, travel by all League employees cost about $457,000. Sylvia Lovely, the League's executive director, has seen her salary grow by 25.5 percent since 2006 to more than $315,000 a year. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/854717.html http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/854717.html Tue, 07 Jul 2009 06:21 EDT
Beshear named three people to the University of Kentucky board to replace trustees whose terms expired. The three will serve until June 30, 2015. They are:

Carol "Bill" Gatton of Kingsport, Tenn., who will replace Phillip Patton of Glasgow. Gatton, a Kentucky native for whom the Carol Martin Gatton College of Business is named, owns car dealerships in Tennessee, Virginia, Texas and Alabama. He graduated from the UK in 1954 with a degree in business.

James W. Stuckert of Prospect, a stock broker with Hilliard Lyons. He replaces James F. Hardymon of Lexington. Stuckert earned undergraduate and graduate degrees from UK.

Barbara Young of Lexington, who will replace JoEtta Wickliffe of Harrodsburg.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/854716.html http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/854716.html Tue, 07 Jul 2009 01:45 EDT
Although Grayson's total more than doubles what fellow Republican incumbent Jim Bunning raised in the first quarter of the year, it's not clear what effect Grayson's tally will have on Bunning's campaign.

Bunning, considered vulnerable in the race, had no comment Monday on Grayson's campaign fund-raising report.

The Hall of Fame pitcher has until July 15 to file his own second-quarter campaign finance report with the Federal Election Commission. He is expected to be asked about his fund-raising Tuesday morning in a weekly telephone conference with reporters.

Bunning has said he plans to run again but that he would reassess his campaign efforts after seeing how much money he could raise in the second quarter.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/851887.html http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/851887.html Sun, 05 Jul 2009 07:05 EDT
Worley, who is the Senate Democratic leader and a private developer, spent $765,000 over two years buying up most of a downtown Richmond block full of 19th-century, Italianate-style buildings, which he demolished.

He's now building a two-story, brick-veneer office building on the site to house Madison County's family courts division.

Worley said his position in the General Assembly doesn't make his development deal with the county and state court system a conflict of interest when he takes state money in his private life.

He said his development companies sometimes get work from local and state governments, including Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, all of which he has power over as a legislator who helps craft the state budget.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/851822.html http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/851822.html Sat, 04 Jul 2009 07:17 EDT
The Louisville-based Reclaim Our Culture Kentuckiana claims in a lawsuit filed in Franklin Circuit Court that the Transportation Cabinet erred in 2008 when it denied its application for the license plate.

In its application, ROCK said it would use money from sales of the plate to raise awareness about harm caused by pornography and the sex industry and to help people hurt or victimized by porn, sexual predators and the sex business.

If approved, the plate would cost $34, but buyers could volunteer to add $10 that would go to ROCK.

In the cabinet's response, attorney Allan Weiss of Louisville asked the court to dismiss the complaint because ROCK promotes religion, making the organization ineligible to sponsor a specialty license plate under state law.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/851031.html http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/851031.html Fri, 03 Jul 2009 01:51 EDT
In court documents filed Thursday, Larry Mackey, an attorney for road contractor Leonard Lawson, argues that a request for testimony that Lawson gave to the Kentucky Attorney General's office during a 1983-85 investigation of bid-rigging should not be released until after Lawson's current trial on conspiracy, bribery and other charges is completed. The release of that information could prejudice a potential jury, Mackey argues.

Lawson is accused of paying for internal Transportation Cabinet cost estimates of road projects his companies were set to bid on. The alleged scheme occurred during former Gov. Ernie Fletcher's administration in 2006 and 2007. Also charged are former Transportation Secretary Bill Nighbert and Lawson employee Brian Billings. All three have pleaded not guilty. A trial date has not been set.

U.S. District Court Judge Karl Forester ruled Thursday that the jury will not hear any evidence regarding the 1983 guilty plea of Mountain Enterprises, a company formerly owned by Lawson, for violating anti-trust laws.

A reporter with The Courier-Journal of Louisville had filed an open records request with the attorney general's office for information that Lawson might have given investigators during the 1983 investigation. The Lexington Herald-Leader has also filed a request for the information.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/851026.html http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/851026.html Fri, 03 Jul 2009 01:50 EDT
"My nephew was a hostage in this situation," said Sen. Alice Forgy Kerr, R-Lexington. "He's losing his job in retaliation for my vote against predatory gambling in this state."

Kerr is the aunt of John L. Forgy, who submitted his resignation Wednesday as attorney for the horse racing commission, effective July 31.

Forgy did not return phone calls seeking comment about his departure from the commission. He did not state a reason for leaving in his one-sentence resignation letter obtained by the Herald-Leader.

Forgy has had the job, which pays $76,478 a year, since October 2008 and has been an attorney in state government since June 2004. He was a Phi Beta Kappa student at Georgetown University and received his law degree from the University of Kentucky.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/850575.html http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/850575.html Fri, 03 Jul 2009 02:44 EDT
The nonprofit's board of directors also voted to welcome state Auditor Crit Luallen, who said Wednesday that her office would audit the League and the Kentucky Association of Counties because of what she called "serious concerns over spending" at both groups.

Luallen said her decision to audit the League was partly based on the League's decision to stop releasing documents to the newspaper, but Thursday's announcement won't stop her work.

"We are proceeding with our plans to conduct the audit and will contact the League on Monday to set up the first meeting," Luallen said late Thursday.

The League's executive board, along with the board that governs its insurance arm, voted in a conference call Thursday to reverse a June 25 letter denying any further requests for documents under the state's Open Records Act. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/849424.html http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/849424.html Thu, 02 Jul 2009 06:49 EDT
He told the Herald-Leader that after six years on the job, he was looking to retire and address "outside personal responsibilities."

Trisler, 66, informed county officials about his decision Tuesday. He issued a public statement saying that this month would be a natural departure point with the start of a new fiscal year and with the building of a new judicial center under way.

"I feel now is the right time in my life to make this change and a good time for the citizens of Mercer County," Trisler said.

A Democrat from Salvisa, Trisler was appointed Mercer County's top official in September 2003 by then-Gov. Paul Patton after the death of Judge-Executive Charles H. McGinnis. Trisler is a former executive with Lexmark International. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/849607.html http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/849607.html Thu, 02 Jul 2009 06:42 EDT
The Herald-Leader reported Wednesday that a provision in the insurance policy that KACo has sold to 112 counties covers defense attorney fees for elected county officials who are accused of having abused the public's trust.

That revelation drew sharp criticism from state Auditor Crit Luallen, who announced Wednesday that her office would audit KACo.

"We were appalled that public funds have underwritten" officials' criminal defenses, she told the newspaper. "I think it's entirely inappropriate."

Over the last eight years, KACo has paid $306,263 for the criminal defense bills of three judge-executives, a clerk and a jailer, said Joe Greathouse, KACo's director of insurance. ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/849241.html http://www.kentucky.com/210/story/849241.html Thu, 02 Jul 2009 06:16 EDT
Luallen said that "alarming media reports" by the Lexington Herald-Leader over the past month have created "serious concerns over spending" at the organizations.

"In both of these cases, we want to get to the bottom of exactly what has caused a pattern of excessive spending with inadequate oversight, how extensive was that, and what other issues are out there that also need to be reviewed and analyzed," Luallen said.

The auditor's investigation comes after the Herald-Leader reported this week that KACo's five top officials spent nearly $600,000 in two years on travel, meals and other expenses. More than half of those expenses were charged by Bob Arnold, KACo's executive director.

Last month, the newspaper reported that the League's top three leaders charged $300,000 in trips and expenses over three years. Eighteen of its 83 employees earn $100,000 or more, and Executive Director Sylvia Lovely's compensation package is $315,000.]]>