Yesterday John Cheves broke the story of Democratic House Speaker Greg Stumbo’s improperly (illegally?) undisclosed ownership of a thoroughbred race horse while simultaneously pushing for expanded gambling at Kentucky race tracks.

Stumbo didn’t disclose on his legally required ethics report that he owned the race horse. That’s fine and dandy, right? I mean, we’ve come to expect such ethical lapses from the former Floor Leader/Attorney General/Current Speaker. He’s got a long history.

But with the current gambling brouhaha (sp? ugh, too busy to spell check) in Frankfort and the questions swirling Stumbo’s past and connections to people like BOPTROT felon Jerry Bronger, who was lobbying on Greg’s behalf for racetrack slots, the last thing he needs is for more salacious connections and allegations to be brought up.

So… what caught our eye yesterday were Stumbo’s partners in ownership of the horse, Kassidy’s Kiss, named after his youngest daughter.

Here they are:

• Greg Ginter, former Alcoholic Beverage Control Commissioner . You all remember him from the Kent Downey scandal, right? (If not, stick with us)
• Michael Eaves, who was Ginter’s attorney during the 1996 scandal that shook Frankfort.
• Morris Floyd, Ginter’s law partner
• Mike Bowling, a former state rep and Stumbo’s former law partner.

Just who are these people and WTF was the Kent Downey scandal? Let’s take another fancy stroll down the Frankfort memory hole by examining random newspaper articles from 1996 to find out. Note: we’ve scanned the original stories, after a bit of research, if anyone is interested. Just chose to excerpt the juiciest bits for this story.

From a November 13, 1996 Associated Press article in the Kentucky Post:

A second high-ranking state official has resigned in the course of an investigation of a top legislative employee.

Greg Ginter left his posts as the state’s top alcoholic-beverage regulator and a special assistant to the governor.

Carol Czirr, spokeswoman for the Cabinet for Public Protection and Regulation, said Tuesday only that Ginter’s resignation “was related” to the investigation of Kent Downey.

Downey was director of operations for the state House of Representatives, but that office was abolished last week and his hiring power removed.

Investigators are looking into whether Entertainment Outings Ltd., a travel company operated by Downey, was involved in prostitution.

-SNIP-

Ginter said Patton aides had questioned him previously about his relationship with Downey, whom he calls a longtime friend.

Read the rest of this crazy flashback and see the delicious excerpts after the jump…

From a 1996 Kentucky Post article:

State Parole Board member Homer C. Shumate quit last Wednesday after news reports that he tried to intercede in the criminal case of a Lexington woman whose name has surfaced in the Downey investigation.

Like Shumate, Ginter has a link to Leslie Leek, a Lexington woman hired by Downey to work for the Legislative Research Commission during the 1996 General Assembly.

Downey hired Ms. Leek, who had been a waitress at a topless nightclub in Lexington, as a temporary employee despite the fact that she had pleaded guilty a few months earlier to a charge of facilitation to traffic in cocaine.

Shumate, a friend of Ms. Leek’s, resigned after it was reported that he intervened in her criminal case.

Ms. Leek, who has been subpoenaed by a federal grand jury in Lexington, said Tuesday that she met Ginter when she went to his office to apply for a job at the Kentucky Horse Park.

At that time Ginter was deputy secretary of the Tourism Cabinet.

The horse park was not hiring, Ms. Leek said, but Ginter gave her a job grooming horses at his thoroughbred farm, Floyd & Ginter Farm in Richmond.

-SNIP-

She was arrested on the drug charge in February 1995 and pleaded guilty in September 1995 in Fayette Circuit Court.

Ginter acknowledged Tuesday that he is a friend of Downey’s and that he attended an Entertainment Outings-sponsored golf scramble at La Grange Woods Country Club in August 1994.

Finally, the juiciest of them all. A 1996 story by Herald-Leader Staff Writer Bill Estep:

Sex in a South Carolina shower. Gambling at a Lexington residence. Nude dancers and a woman performing lewd acts with golf balls at a LaGrange tournament.

It’s not a racy cable movie. It’s the federal indictment of Kent Downey of Versailles, a former top aide in the Kentucky House of Representatives.

A grand jury in Lexington yesterday issued a 17-count indictment charging Downey with promoting prostitution, arranging illegal gambling and laundering money, all felonies. Downey, 46, was named in all 17 charges.

-SNIP-

The investigation of Downey created an uproar in Frankfort when it surfaced in October 1996.

One reason was the spicy allegations of prostitution and Downey putting former strip-club employees on the LRC payroll.

But another was that Downey’s ties to some lawmakers were scrutinized by investigators

For instance, investigators asked about Downey making arrangements to rent a house during the 1996 legislative session for House Majority Leader Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg and Democratic Reps. Harry Moberly Jr. and Mike Bowling. The lawmakers paid the rent, however, and said they did nothing wrong and knew of no improper activity by Downey.

-SNIP-

The indictment said legislators and lobbyists attended EOL events. However, no lawmakers went on the South Carolina trip.

-SNIP-

Greg Ginter of Richmond, who was head of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission, quit under pressure a few days later when investigators tried to talk to him about the case.

Yeah. Say it with us: RUH RO!