Kentucky’s 10 biggest political stories of 2017
Kentucky had no primary or general election in 2017, but there was no shortage of big political news.
Here’s our list of the top 10 Kentucky politics and government stories of 2017.
We're wrapping up 2017, so let's take a few minutes to look back at some of the biggest Kentucky politics and government stories of the year. Which stories do you think should be on the list? ^JS
— Bluegrass Politics (@BGPolitics) December 29, 2017
1. In January, Jeff Hoover was sworn in as the first Republican House speaker since 1921. https://t.co/xOGH2RH3Dm
— Bluegrass Politics (@BGPolitics) December 29, 2017
In November, Hoover said he would resign the post after acknowledging that he sent inappropriate text messages to a staffer. ^JShttps://t.co/Yf97lz4gax
2. In October, @GovMattBevin proposed an overhaul of Kentucky's ailing pension systems that would have shifted future workers to 401(k)-style plans and brought costly changes to existing retirees and public workers. So far, it hasn't happened. ^JShttps://t.co/zDSUDR1K4m
— Bluegrass Politics (@BGPolitics) December 29, 2017
3. In December, State Rep. Dan Johnson, R-Mt. Washington, committed suicide one day after he denied accusations that he molested a 17-year-old girl in 2012. ^JS https://t.co/wYqDIE3MtV
— Bluegrass Politics (@BGPolitics) December 29, 2017
4. Less than a week after taking complete control of the legislature in January, Republicans approved their top legislative priorities -- limits on abortions, labor unions and trial lawyers -- and sent them to Gov. Bevin, who signed them into law. ^JShttps://t.co/ajFlnbHOgw
— Bluegrass Politics (@BGPolitics) December 29, 2017
5. In February, @GovMattBevin promised a special legislative session on tax reform in 2017, but he didn't deliver. The sacred tax cows he promised to turn into hamburger remain fat and happy. ^JS https://t.co/QJlywq1uAi
— Bluegrass Politics (@BGPolitics) December 29, 2017
6. Kentucky had a record-breaking year for economic development in 2017, reaching $8.9 billion in new investments announced, including two big projects in EKY. The projects will eventually provide an estimated 16,472 new jobs. ^JShttps://t.co/7hkoAr1RGe
— Bluegrass Politics (@BGPolitics) December 29, 2017
7. In March, @GovMattBevin bought a mansion from a political donor at a price well below the value assessed by the Jefferson County PVA, raising the possibility of an ethics violations. An appeals board later said the PVA had overvalued the house. ^JShttps://t.co/RhglZLx2cw
— Bluegrass Politics (@BGPolitics) December 29, 2017
8. House Republicans weren't the only lawmakers accused of sexual harassment. State Sen. Julian Carroll, D-Frankfort, was accused in July of groping a then-30-year-old man in 2005. He was removed as Senate minority whip but remains in the Senate. ^JShttps://t.co/N9OHhbQLyx
— Bluegrass Politics (@BGPolitics) December 29, 2017
9. Drug abuse and child abuse remained rampant in Kentucky in 2017.
— Bluegrass Politics (@BGPolitics) December 29, 2017
In June, the state reported there had been a record 1,404 overdose deaths the previous year. https://t.co/JSsdNBkGej
Meanwhile, substantiated child abuse is up 55% since 2012 in KY. ^JShttps://t.co/b5Qu9rTzUt
10. Finally, @GovMattBevin wasted no chance in 2017 to let people know how much he despises the @courierjournal, @heraldleader and several other media outlets, even falsely accusing one reporter of being a "peeping Tom." (Look up the definition.) ^JShttps://t.co/17QvmVSWOc
— Bluegrass Politics (@BGPolitics) December 29, 2017
This story was originally published December 29, 2017 at 12:08 PM with the headline "Kentucky’s 10 biggest political stories of 2017."