Ryan Alessi wrote a detailed story about the money infamous 527 group Bluegrass Freedom Fund raised in 2007. The story didn’t mention the names of any staff members or affiliates, which surprised us quite a bit as they’re relevant to the story. BFF is headed by Achim Bergmann– Bruce Lunsford’s main advisor and former (maybe current?) campaign manager– whose wife Emily was the first person to be mentioned in the press as part of the Lunsford for Senate team. Meaning you can bet your undergarments that Lunsford will be able to pull heavily from that crowd of millionaires.

Interesting to note the money that rolled into the BFF’s coffers in 2007. Over $3 million. $1.9 million from the casino-horsie set that’s argued before the legislature on behalf of casino gaming, $600,000 from the Democratic Governors Association headed by Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius at the time (she visited the Lunsford-Stumbo campaign in 2007, so that’s an obvious one), $300,000 from organized labor, $345,000 from other interest groups.

Even more interesting to note that of the casino set, the following contributed: Bill Yung ($1 million), Churchill Downs Inc., Ron Geary of Ellis Park, Turfway Park, W.S. Farish, Tracy Farmer, Greg Goodman and John Oxley.

Alessi adds:

Some of the same names and interests also opened their wallets to other funds that benefited Beshear and his gubernatorial campaign, including Beshear’s campaign fund, his inauguration committee fund and the Kentucky Victory 2007 committee — a joint fund-raising group set up by the Kentucky Democratic Party and the Democratic National Committee last spring.

So the fund was merely an extension of the Beshear campaign. Nothing wrong with that. Just saying. As it’s even more clear today why Governor Steve Beshear would tacitly endorse Bruce Lunsford as a senatorial candidate.

Money makes the world go round.