Corruption

Only Thing More Unpopular Than Steve Beshear

Wait for it.

The Legislature!

A Herald-Leader/WKYT poll reveals that only 22% of Kentuckians approve of the legislature’s performance. Only 12% are unsure. That’s a whopping 66% disapproval rating that almost rivals that of George W. Bush.  22% approval!

Two of every three Kentucky voters don’t like the way the Kentucky legislature is doing its job, a new poll shows.

The public’s job-approval rating for the General Assembly appears to be worsening. A similar poll conducted last October showed 44 percent of likely voters in Kentucky gave thumbs down to the legislature’s performance.

The end is nigh! Time to clean out both the House and the Senate.

A few things this late afternoon…

Hilariously useful chart of major sex scandals.

It’s possible to make change one person at a time. This Brave Nation.

The worst thing all day. For real. Captain Hook.

Kentucky has a new Supreme Court Justice. John D. Minton, Jr.

Greg Fischer’s campaign for U.S. Senate is still violating federal law by using the Justice Department’s seal. The campaign also allegedly lied to the DOJ by saying it had stopped running the ad. Imagine that.

UPDATE: Turns out Fischer *did* lie to the DOJ. Here’s the letter the Lunsford camp originally sent the DOJ requesting the Fischer camp stop illegally using the DOJ seal. Here’s the fax direct from the Assistant Attorney General stating that the Fischer camp says it’s in compliance and has removed the ad. And here’s documentation proving that the Fischer camp misled the DOJ.

Oh snap. Amateur hour continues. Word of advice: Don’t play around with the DOJ.

Mark Hebert reports that television stations could be responsible, not the Fischer campaign, but we don’t think every station in Kentucky would be making the same mistake.

And Kim Geveden? Saying, “it’s sad that Bruce Lunsford has to go crying to George Bush’s Justice Department” probably isn’t the most wise action to take when your boy is 20 points down, has no money and no name I.D. with a week to go before E Day. Taking proactive measures to guarantee compliance with the law when shiz first hits the fan would probably be the best thing to do. Just saying.

Wednesday Update Dept. Hillary Squeaks By Edition

Did you know? There was a primary in Indiana and North Carolina last night. Hillary Clinton beat that mean, black elitist Barack Obama by something like two percentage points. So much for that tie-breaker in Indiana, eh? Now we can count on non-stop campaigning in Kentucky, Jonathan Hurst on the teevee 24/7, Jerry Lundergan on the teevee 24/7, Ben Chandler on the teevee 24/7. OMG. It’ll never end even though it’s over. [MSNBC, Wonkette]

The Herald-Leader is so broke and falling apart (but it’s still a million years better than the Gannett monster in Louisville) that it’s offering buyout packages to employees. [Hebert]

Johnny Ray Turner and Eric Shame Hamilton face each other on May 20. Turner has a major vote-buying scandal under his belt and Hamilton is the poster boy for slumlord or whatever. Can you imagine that race? How on earth do you pick who you want to vote for? [H-L]

The Sam Beverage-Marc Williams-DLZ thing is still going on. Really. A hearing officer recommended Williams be found not guilty and everyone is wetting themselves to get that recommendation overturned. The Fletcher administration will last forever, apparently. [C-J]

Ugh. Poor choices of words plague Kentuckians in power more often than not, right? Well, Greg Stumbo, in a discussion about supporting people we (he/us/Kentuckians) know, said, “We’re a very clannish state in a lot of ways.” We’re just glad Alessi didn’t use the word that starts with a ‘k’ in Stumbo’s quote. Clannish. Really? [PolWatchers]

If you missed the debate between Second Congressional District Democrats David Boswell and Reid Haire, go watch it. Keep a bucket nearby for vomiting purposes and remember: it could be worse. [KET]

Update: Cassaro’s Legal Counsel Responds

We told you last month about the depature of Michael Cassaro’s campaign staff (five or six now, we’ve lost count) over uncomfortable working conditions, potential harassment and all that jazz. Oh, and who could forget that Cassaro is refusing to pay all of his former staffers?

Well, whattya know? Someone claiming to be Michael Cassaro’s legal counsel has come up with an excuse for not paying his campaign staff. Check it:

Nancy C. Wagner, Attorney at Law // May 6, 2008 at 11:23 am

As legal counsel for the campaign of Michael Cassaro, I have found that there is no basis in law or fact by which the terminated staffers (whether voluntarily or involuntarily terminated) have a colorable claim against either Candidate Cassaro or his Communications Director. The “drama,” if any, is merely the histrionics of certain of the departed staff. Those staffers who “worked” in furtherance of the campaign have been paid..…the others have yet to produce any evidence of efforts on behalf of or service to the campaign after March 15, 2008. Those individuals have been asked repeatedly to turn over all campaign material, passwords, work product, lists, etc. and to provide the Campaign with a detailed list of services provided prior to termination. To date, neither Candidate Cassaro nor any of his staff have received any response in compliance with this request.

Haha! We love it. Refusing to pay staffers because the candidate and his attorney say there’s no evidence that work was completed.

Sorry, but no one in their right mind is going to take a candidate’s attorney at their word. No way, no way. This is politics. Not paying your campaign staff– even if you’re dissatisfied with their work– is despicable.

Oh Snap Monday! Election is Soon Edition.

The C-J, in its profile of Greg Fischer, appeared to do its best to make sure everyone knows how unknown he is, citing a poll from more than a month ago. But the paper makes it clear he’s a successful southern Indiana businessman. One of his companies, MedVenture, had to refund $124,000 in incentives to the city of Jeffersonville for failing to hold up its end of the deal. And another company, bCatalyst, “fizzled” according to the paper. [C-J]

A bank associated with former Governor Brereton Jones (American Founders Bank in Frankfort) is hit for insider loans. Wait. What? And it’s one of only three Kentucky banks operating under cease-and-desist orders from the FDIC. Bank officials and their spouses gave $35,800 to Beshear’s campaign. All this comes down just a few weeks after Jones criticized Beshear’s miserable handling of potential casino legislation. [H-L]

The Republican Party wants Democrats to elect Greg Fischer. Not even joking. Note that there’s absolutely no discussion of the fact that Fischer doesn’t appeal to Republicans and Lunsford does, greatly. Hrm. Total weirdness. [BGRS]

Al Cross thinks racism is the only thing that will keep Obama from carrying Kentucky this year. Oh, did you know there are Kentuckians who fly the confederate flag? While he may be partially correct, how much more disconnected could Cross be? Has he ever been outside of Lexington? Sure, there are all kinds of idiot racists in Kentucky… but come on. Kentucky voters aren’t *that* stupid. [C-J]

The campaigns of Reid Haire and David Boswell (KY-02) are arguing it up about who is campaigning harder. Imagine that. We’re just hung up on which candidate has the better website. [Hebert]

A WWII veteran in Morehead raises some questions we’ve all been asking for quite a while. “I am a WW 2 veteran and still remember that it took only six weeks to train for war. We were then fully equipped and sent to war for whatever the future held. Bush and his generals have taken seven years to train the Iraqis, and he says they still need many years more. It makes one wonder if we are being told the truth about what his mission really is.” [Morehead News]

Clinton Campaign Behind Negative Reaction

UPDATE @ 12:30: Welcome to our readers from The Hotline On Call!

Those 89 or whatever negative calls Ben Chandler’s office received in reaction to his endorsement of Senator Barack Obama for President? Well… they were a direct result of a negative email Olivia Morris Fuchs sent out urging Clinton supporters in Kentucky to flood Chandler’s office with complaints.

From: Olivia Morris Fuchs [mailto:########@aye.net]
Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 10:25 AM
Cc: Christian Corrales
Subject: URGENT ATTENTION NEEDED: PLEASE MAKE CALLS to Congressman Chandler

4/29/08

Dear Team, we understand that Congressman Ben Chandler is about to endorse Senator Obama. Please call his office immediately to ask that he endorse Hillary and that if he is unable to do that, that he delay his endorsement until after Kentucky Voters have had an opportunity to cast their ballot. Here is Christian’s email to me, below.

Please ACT RIGHT NOW! And, if you are able to join me at the park at the corners of Jefferson, Sixth and Liberty streets at 11:00 a.m., (Yes, also right now) for visibility Jonathan has requested please email me or just show up, immediately after you call Rep. Chandler. Work Harder and Faster! Olivia Anne

Also note Olivia’s urging to show up for a “visibility” rally during the Chandler announcement. How shady.

Read the rest of this mess after the jump…

Read moreClinton Campaign Behind Negative Reaction

Thursdays aren’t as good as Fridays.

The Justice Department is asking Greg Fischer to stop using its seal in his attack ad. Hrm. Yet another campaign blunder. Imagine that. [PolWatchers]

Even the dirty liberal media thinks the RPK fears Lunsford. Rightly so. [The Arena]

The reality-based community voting Democrats in Kentucky are tired of the U.S. Senate race. And guess what? They realize, love it or hate it, that the Lunsford writing is on the wall come May 20. Despite a few who believe it’s still possible for Greg Fischer to win and pee themselves anyone points out that Lunsford is the nominee. [BITB]

Former night club owner Ken Shapero is now handling Greg Fischer’s press and really seems hung up on picking apart Vencor. Hrm. Oh, the name of the actress in Fischer’s misleading attack ad is Dale Carter Cooper, who is from Louisville. [C-J]

Ben Chandler’s office received 154 favorable, 89 unfavorable emails about Chandler’s recent endorsement of Barack Obama for president. Did you know? People are afraid of Rev. Wright and Barack Osama. So afraid. It’s so evil of Ben to actually endorse somebody but perfectly all right for others to do so. [PolWatchers]

Virginia Fox, former head of KET and education secretary for Ernie Fletcher, is refusing to step down from her seat on the Council for Postsecondary Education. Steve Beshear is demanding that she resign, though she was confirmed by the state senate. [H-L]

Did you know? Hillary Clinton’s campaign is push polling. We forgot to share this with you a few days ago. You’ll enjoy it or hate it, obviously. [Politico]