Hear hear through the grapevine that Adam Edelen, Chuck Geveden, Jeff Belcher and others from Governor Steve Beshear’s office were guests of Bruton Smith at the NASCAR race in Bristol. Smith owns a pretty major skybox on millionaire’s row.
Mr. Smith, you’ll recall, also happens to own the Kentucky Speedway, which is in the throes of trying to get tax breaks for the track.
Reportedly, during the race at Bristol, one of the attendees got sick and had to leave. In the process of leaving they mentioned that they paid for their tickets to the race. But we’re not sure how that got them into boxes on millionaire’s row.
So we’re wondering: Did Governor Beshear okay their trip to Bristol? What’d they pay for their tickets? And what does this mean for the Speedway in Kentucky?
Just wondering, honestly, because perception is everything. And it seems to us that somebody may be trying to buy affections of government officials here in the Commonwealth.
Thoughts?
UPDATE @ 10:51: Edelen got in touch with us (we were in a meeting, but got a voicemail) to let us know that they were not guests of Smith and were not on millionaire’s row. He confirms that their tickets were paid for (he’s got the cancelled checks).
So it looks like there are some high-level Beshear staffers who have it out for Edelen and crew and are keen on feeding us rumors.
Pretty interesting.
5 responses so far ↓
1 MiniMight // Apr 24, 2009 at 3:13 pm
No idea what happened hear, but just cause they bought tickets doesn’t mean they weren’t Smith’s guest in the sky box too???
2 hilarious and honest // Apr 24, 2009 at 3:24 pm
I bet Chuck Geveden just kept asking if that was the same car he saw in front of himself a few minutes before…one of the dimmest bulbs on the tree and that’s given him credit with being lit at all. If it weren’t for his last name he shares with his daddy, he’d be an ASSISTANT mall cop.
3 Thunder Storm // Apr 24, 2009 at 10:16 pm
Where’s the images of the checks? Prove it.
Do you really think the Governors Chief of Staff, a Commissioner who was the driver for the current Lt. Governor and a member of the Governors Constiuent Services office (who was also a member of Paul Pattons constituent services office) were at a car race and the owner DIDN’T invite them into millionaires row?
Did they take advantage of the free liquor and food? Did they get premier parking? Did they drive an unmarked state Crown Vic(s) to the event? Were they given preferential treatment unlike what a regular patron would receive?
I’m with Jake. Why would someone make this up?
4 I am just saying... // Apr 27, 2009 at 5:41 pm
I’m just saying… who pays with a check anymore? Credit card, debit card, yes… but check?
And having been the guest in several pro baseball luxury boxes, I had to buy tickets to get in the stadium and then was let into luxury box… I’m just saying .
5 truth teller // Apr 28, 2009 at 7:57 am
Edelen has proven himself to be the same duplicit. politico as others. He’s fake and and misleading, intentionally of course.
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