Comments on: Coach Calipari Hosting Beshear Fundraiser

By: wondering

wondering — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 03:28:42 +0000

The restrictions on fundraising and campaigning apply only to merit system employees within the executive branch.

Most of Calipari’s pay comes from endorsement deals and bonuses/incentives.

By: jake

jake — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 23:36:54 +0000

It’s not illegal for a state employee to support a candidate for elected office, really. And what Calipari does on his own time is his own business – that includes politicking.

Would you folks be this upset if Calipari were supporting Rand Paul and then pussing out on an event with him?

By: Larry West

Larry West — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 23:32:05 +0000

The list of government employees’ salaries on the C-J website lists Coach Cal, which is why I assumed he was a state employee. I also thought that government employees were limited in what type of campaigning they are allowed to do.
Jake probably knows the law better than most of us, but I assume that at the minimum he would have to put in “as a private citizen” in any campaigning, just as James Dobson had to do, especially when invoking the name of his foundation as he did.

His salary is listed as only $400,000 whereas Pitino gets $2,250,000. (source: http://datacenter.courier-journal.com/government/salaries/search-results.php?last=Calipari&first=&min=0&max=10000000&title=&dept=&entity=%25&Submit=Search). Anyone know why? (I would guess that his salary from the state is $400K, and the Athletic Association provides the rest.)

By: jtt

jtt — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 22:03:23 +0000

University employees are state employees when it suits them, and NOT state employees when it doesn’t suit them.

By: wondering

wondering — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 13:24:09 +0000

The coach is technically an employee of the University of Kentucky Athletics Association, not the University of Kentucky. That was one of the big issues in the Gillispie lawsuit; namely who actually was the employer of the coach.

And if there is a conflict of interest, wouldn’t that extend to all state employees (merit and non-merit) and teachers (who may be local BOE employees but who are funded by the state)? State employees gave overwhelmingly to Beshear last time and will probably give overwhelmingly to his opponent this time because of the furloughs, lack of raises and upcoming health insurance price increases/coverage cuts.

By: Coffee Party

Coffee Party — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 01:53:08 +0000

He just canceled…via Facebook of all places.

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/coachcalipari

By: Larry West

Larry West — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 01:34:51 +0000

Since Beshear has to approve the state budget, which I assume includes the coach’s salary (since he is an employee of the University of Kentucky), isn’t there a conflict of interest involved here, even if the governor doesn’t set the salary or terms?
If the coach endorsed his opponent, couldn’t the governor make things a little (more) difficult on funding higher education in Lexington?
Heck, if you’ll pay me a measly one million dollars per year, I’d endorse even you for governor.
One more reason to hope Pitino gets his act together this year and pulls the upset.

By: room106

room106 — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 19:21:21 +0000

one more thing…think this letter adds to likelihood because think Farmer has surely told Calipari he’s not running at minimum and that’s if he’s not also aware of Farmer’s “new job”…may God help UK if Richie Farmer is in charge of meeting all rules/compliance issues for athletes…he’ll need to hire the same 5-6 goofballs that take care of him in state gov to take care of him there too…

By: room106

room106 — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 19:17:54 +0000

rumor has it that Richie Farmer has been talking to UK for few months about becoming Assistant Athletic Director…spot just vacated when person it was hired in Oregon (coincidence?). Month ago, heard it hinged on Farmer’s insistence that the university make it clear that he is Barnhardt’s annointed successor and he also wanted more money that university offered. Let’s see if it happens…