Corruption

Republican Spreading Lies & Distortions

Former Fletcher spokesperson-turned-blogger Brett Hall (R-History of Making Shit Up) has done it again. This time he’s lying about an aide of Rep. John Yarmuth. It’s one thing to discuss Yarmuth’s perceived negatives in an election year but it’s an entirely different ball game when you begin attacking and lying about a candidate’s staff. Staff whom, we remind you, are not elected officials.

Hall recently posted this blurb on his site, Kentucky Politics:

Yarmuth, who’s taken hits lately following the discovery of a congressional aide’s gay porn website activity, may have a tough go of it this year. Two factors could work against him: (1) Hillary Clinton at the top of the Democrat ticket and (2) U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell’s being a probable shoo-in for re-election on the GOP side.

Catch that? He’s alleging– no, making shit up— that a Yarmuth staffer has had some sort of issue involving activity on a gay pornography website. What on earth is he talking about?

Could he be talking about the (awful and painful to watch) mainstream movie that Yarmuth’s spokesperson Stuart Perelmuter wrote and starred in? You know, the one we stopped the RPK from using in a negative manner? The movie that is not disgusting or shameful and can be rented at almost any Blockbuster? We’ve emailed Hall asking for clarification but he has not provided comment. We wanted to give him a fair and honest opportunity to clear the air and he has run in the opposite direction.  So all we can do is chalk his claims up as complete bull.

If Brett Hall is going to post false/libelous/hurtful information about non-elected officials on his website he should be able to back his claims up. Since he cannot do so, people like Chris Theineman, Jack Richardson, Anne Northup and others should tell Hall how they feel about his disgusting activity. It’s brainless, spiteful and should be shunned by anyone old enough to vote. There’s no place in politics for that level of ignorance.

Fired for Questioning McConnell

We have just been alerted that Heather Ryan has just been fired from her job at the Maiden Alley Cinema in Paducah for daring to question Senator Mitch McConnell and catching it on video. (More info on the background of the situation here.)

Here’s an excerpt from Heather’s message:

It is with complete shock and utter dismay that I come to you this afternoon of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, January 21, 2008. As you may have guessed, a dramatic turn of events happened less than an hour ago while I was at my office in Downtown Paducah, KY. I was fired from my position as the Executive Director of the Maiden Alley Cinema for the incident in which Heaven and I asked Mitch McConnell about the war in Iraq.

It is absolutely unbelievable to me that such a powerful Senator would target a low income family simply to flex his political muscle. But believe it folks, I am now jobless, on the day in which we use to remember the great Civil Rights Leader, Martin Luther King, Jr., because I dared to speak out.

If you’re not pissed off you’re not paying attention.

We encourage you to contact the Maiden Alley Cinema to express your dismay. If you live in Paducah? Maybe you should stop by the theater to ask them what the hell is going on. 112 Maiden Alley, Paducah. Or just give them a call at (270) 442-7723.

Once Heather makes the video of the incident available, we’ll have it for you. It’s not looking pretty for Mitch at the moment.

Isn’t this despicable? Mitch McConnell. The man who professes such a love for freedom of speech and the First Amendment. The lone Republican standing for the right the right to burn the flag.  Cowering like a scared puppy. Getting a woman fired for merely exercising her rights. This attitude of ‘how dare you question my authority!’ has got to stop.  For McConnell and his people to exert influence like this is outrageous.

Where’s the mainstream press on this one? (HELLO, BIG STORY HERE!) Time to wake up.

Wrong Place, Wrong Time Arrests Not Rare

Cross-posted at The ‘Ville Voice

Turns out that the case of Paul Schum, the Bardstown school principal who lost his job after being arrested on Halloween night in a shady section of downtown, is not so unique. As WLKY’s Mike Petchenik reported last night, police have made hundreds of arrests for “loitering for the purposes of prostitution.”

In Schum’s case, prosecutors dropped their case because they had no evidence of a crime. Because of Schum’s job and costume — he said he was dressed in drag for a Halloween party, and had property in the area — the case got thorough media attention. But nearly the same thing happened to a guy driving home from work – at an odd hour — in 1999. Darrell Leonard told Petchenik police told him he was “the wrong color, in the wrong neighborhood, in the wrong time of the morning…” and so arrested him. Leonard’s case was later dropped, and the city paid him $1,800 to cover his legal expenses and lost wages.

That was eight years ago, and Leonard was working a low-wages late shift job, and apparently was able to keep it. Schum, on the other hand, had his career ruined by the false arrest experience. Doesn’t it make you wonder what kind of settlement Schum might be in line for?

Petchenik found that in five years, police made more than 1,700 similar arrests, but nearly 2/3 were thrown out by judges. Leonard said he was told he got his citation for being in the wrong neighborhood at the wrong time. You do the math, but it seems that means police are making nearly 600 arrests a year on charges that don’t stick. That’s about 10 a week.

It may not a good idea to be hanging out in certain neighborhoods in the middle of the night, but who knew one of the biggest risks would be an arrest for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Oh Snap Update Dept. Hillary Confuses Pundits Edition

BGR states the case for why Andrew Horne will beat Mitch McConnell. Story refers to an item we mentioned yesterday but goes on to discuss the back story. Lots about people being fed up with the usual Washington insiders. [BGR]

Democratic Representative Royce Adams (Dry Ridge/Northern Kentucky) is preparing legislation to allow students to pray whenever they want in school under any circumstances. This would go above and beyond current laws allowing students to pray in the classroom as long as they aren’t disruptive. Perfect example of time wasting and pandering when we have a state that’s near death. [Hebert]

In case you haven’t heard, Ernest Lee released the names of the donors to his defense fund. Everyone in the country rolled their eyes and began questioning the political IQ of the former governor. Nothing shady popped up and we’re all left wondering why on earth Fletcher allowed the fund to become a campaign issue. Stupidest. Move. Ever. [H-L]

Louisville continues a slow slide into the 19th century. Under the leadership of Mayor for Life/the Jerrycrat, Louisville has slipped behind nearly every major metro area in the country when it comes to public health. Ignorance prevails over reality for the city’s Metro Council. Regression, regression, regression and Jerrycrat does nothing to push progress– even when some backwater folks think banning alcohol sales will kill crime. [C-J 1, 2]

Irvine police officers arrested their own police chief last week after he (Chief Jim Crowe— real name) allegedly intimidated a witness and resisted arrest. The officers were subsequently fired by the Irvine city council. What the heck is going down in Estill County these days? [H-L]

Did you know? Hillary beat Barack Obama in New Hampshire last night. Everyone and their mom is confused as all get out and can’t believe their posturing about an Obama victory turned out to be for naught. They’re all rushing to explain away their failed predictions instead of just humbly admitting they were horribly mistaken. [Newsweek]

P.S. Could someone please do something controversial or questionable today? It’s a slowish news day. Come on, Frankfort folks, cause a scene.

Tina Conner Back in Court

Can’t believe Hebert isn’t all over this.

Brandon Ortiz reports that Governor Paul Patton’s former mistress, Tina Conner, is attempting to reinstate her second lawsuit against Patton.

Conner’s attorney, Bill Jacobs, asked the Kentucky Court of Appeals to reconsider during a hearing earlier today. Neither Conner nor Patton were in attendance.

There’s a joke in this somewhere…

Hart Sent to Prison for Vote Buying

Chuck Hart of Salt Lick was found guilty in June 2007 of attempting to influence a juror during a trial for charges of vote buying during the May 2006 primary in Bath County. He was also found guilty of obstruction of justice, two counts of vote buying and two counts of knowingly making false statements to the feds.

It all stems from a February meeting of Hart, Bath County Attorney Donald Maze and Bath County PVA Paul Goodpaster in which jurors were targeted and pressured by Hart in an attempt to obstruct justice. Hart, according to Maze and Goodpaster, actually called the supervisor (whom he knew) of one juror in order to determine “what kind of person” the juror was.

But like all bad things in Kentucky’s crazy political world, the end is nigh. Hart was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison. It’s over, Bath Countians. You may breathe a collective sigh of relief.

From the Herald-Leader:

An Eastern Kentucky man has been sentenced to 33 months in federal prison in connection with vote buying in the 2006 primary. Federal Judge Joseph Hood sentenced Charles “Chuck” Hart, 55, of Salt Lick in Bath County on Monday. Hart was found guilty last June of obstruction of justice, vote buying and making false statements to federal agents.

Things are calming down in that neck of the woods today with the special election in the 72nd House District. Polls close at 6:00 P.M., at which point we’ll know whether Democrat Sannie Overly bests Republican Bryan Beauman as she is expected.

Fletcher’s Legal Defense Fund Update

Tom Loftus reports that more than $90,000 was given to Ernie Fletcher for his legal defense fund. Fletcher filed his report two days early (today) with the Executive Branch Ethics Commission.

Fletcher received 11 donations in 2007:

  • James or Linda Booth, Lovely, $12,000
  • J. Chester Porter, Mount Washington, $10,000
  • Stan Cave, Lexington, Fletcher’s chief of staff, $3,500
  • Mira Ball, Lexington, home builder, $12,000
  • Don Ball, Lexington, home builder, $12,000
  • Brian Nolan, Lexington, $250
  • Robbie and Lisa Rudolph, (Fletcher’s cabinet secretary and running mate), Kirksey, $24,000
  • Ward Correll, Somerset, $6,000
  • Jess Correll, Stanford, $6,000
  • Eugene Goss, Harlan attorney, $1,000
  • Stan Chesley, Cincinnati attorney, $5,000

On a somewhat related note, gambling/racing ponied up for the Beshear-Mongiardo inaugural festivities to the tune of $90,000.