Thursday, July 30, 2015

Today's Political Headlines

Analysts predict sharp elbows in fight for earned media at Fancy Farm 

07/29/2015 10:56 PM
With rhetoric heating up between gubernatorial candidates Kentuckians can expect one-liners sprinkled with vitriol at Fancy Farm, but Matt Bevin and Jack Conway will also be competing for air time and column inches in what has so far been a sleepy open-seat general election. “Last year when we all went to Fancy Farm to me it felt like … we were coming out for the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl. This year it feels more like the kickoff —... Read more 

House, Senate chiefs of staff given LRC director's duties once Marcia Seiler retires from agency Friday

07/29/2015 01:21 PM
The Legislative Research Commission will be led by House and Senate chiefs of staff once interim Director Marcia Seiler retires from the agency on Friday. Seiler announced the move in an email to LRC staff last week, as The Courier-Journal first reported late Tuesday. Becky Harilson, chief of staff for Senate President Robert Stivers, and Steve Collins, chief of staff for House Speaker Greg Stumbo, will fulfill the director’s responsibilities until legislative leaders name a permanent LRC head this fall,... Read more 

Bevin, Conway clash over policy at Chamber forum

07/28/2015 10:34 PM
In their third joint appearance of the general election gubernatorial candidates Matt Bevin and Jack Conway traded barbs as policy took center stage. The forum between Bevin and Conway keynoted the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce’s annual business summit in Louisville on Tuesday. The forum was moderated by former Pure Politics managing editor Ryan Alessi. The next governor will assume office in December and will quickly have to produce a budget to guide the state over the next two years. A... Read more 

President Obama is antagonist in new ads by Jack Conway, Republican Governors Association

07/28/2015 11:23 AM
As Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jack Conway seeks separation between himself and an unpopular president in one of two new television ads released on Tuesday, the Republican Governors Association is attempting the opposite in a competing spot unveiled the same day. Conway’s campaign released two 30-second ads that are set to air statewide in a six-figure buy. In one, titled “Fiscal,” Conway pledges to “hold the line on taxes” and touts his office’s record of winning high-dollar judgements during his two terms... Read more 
Rowan County Denies Liability For County Clerk’s Actions In Marriage License Lawsuit
from Ryland Barton
The government of Rowan County, Kentucky, has denied any liability for the actions of its county clerk, who stopped issuing marriage licences this summer after the Supreme Court lifted same-sex marriage bans throughout the U.S. Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis and the county are being sued by two same-sex and two opposite-sex couples who were recently denied marriage licenses by Davis’ office. But in a court Wednesday, the county government argues that the clerk “performs a state function and does not act on behalf of, or set policy for, the County.” The county clerk says her religious convictions prevent her from issuing marriage licenses [...]
Thu, Jul 30, 2015 11:00:00 AM, Continue reading at the source
Kentucky’s Senators Lead Charge to Defund Planned Parenthood
from Ashley Lopez
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky are backing an effort to completely strip federal funds from Planned Parenthood. The chain of health clinics is currently under fire over a controversial video that purported to show that the organization sells aborted fetal tissue. The video was obtained during an activist’s sting operation, and Planned Parenthood officials argue the footage was heavily edited. There is a call for health officials to investigate claims raised by the videos. But ahead of formal findings, GOP Senate leaders—with McConnell and Paul, a presidential candidate, at the forefront— are quickly working to remove all Title X [...]
Wed, Jul 29, 2015 8:27:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
Downtown Louisville Omni Development Gets Panel’s OK, With Caveats
from Jacob Ryan
Plans to construct a 30-story Omni Hotel complex in downtown Louisville are moving forward after gaining approval on Wednesday—with some caveats—from a city review panel. The Downtown Development Review Overlay committee voted 6-2 at to approve the near $300-million development plan, which will include a hotel, apartments and retail. Committee members approved the plan with eight added conditions. The conditions include a call to incorporate public art in the final design, to construct glass garage doors on the loading dock and to report any significant archaeological finds during construction. Committee member Scott Kremer voted against approving the plan. He said developers need “to do a little more [...]
Wed, Jul 29, 2015 7:59:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
Sparks fly as Jack Conway, Matt Bevin spar in front of Kentucky Chamber of Commerce
from syoungman@herald-leader.com (Sam Youngman)
Gubernatorial candidates Matt Bevin and Jack Conway highlighted their differences and traded cheap shots Tuesday at the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce's annual meeting.Click to Continue » [...]
Tue, Jul 28, 2015 10:55:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
Crowd at downtown Lexington rally calls for end to federal funding for Planned Parenthood
from jvoorhees@herald-leader.com (Jessica Voorhees)
Courthouse Plaza rally opposes funding for Planned Parenthood, calls for investigation of organization.Click to Continue » [...]
Tue, Jul 28, 2015 8:51:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
Independent Drew Curtis says petition to get on ballot in race for governor is on schedule
from syoungman@herald-leader.com (Sam Youngman)
Would-be independent gubernatorial candidate Drew Curtis is making the trip to Fancy Farm in far Western Kentucky this weekend, and he said he has a speech prepared just in case.Click to Continue » [...]
Tue, Jul 28, 2015 3:33:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
Family Foundation plans Aug. 22 ‘Religious Freedom’ rally
from Jack Brammer
HERALD-LEADER FRANKFORT BUREAU FRANKFORT – The Family Foundation, a conservative group based in Lexington, is to hold a “First Amendment/Religious Freedom Rally” at noon Aug. 22 on the front steps of the Capitol. “We cannot sit around any longer waiting to see if the governor will do his job on behalf of the county clerks,” said Kent Ostrander, executive director of The Family Foundation in a release Monday. “Their rights and the First Amendment are too important to sit back and only hope.” Ostrander was referring to Gov. Steve Beshear’s direction to county clerks to do their job after the U.S. Supreme Court [...]
Mon, Jul 27, 2015 2:12:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
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Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Today's Political Headlines

Bobby Sherman, John Arnold must also pay as part of LRC lawsuit settlement

07/28/2015 12:00 AM
Former Legislative Research Commissioner Director Bobby Sherman and former lawmaker John Arnold will pay undisclosed sums to plaintiffs who recently settled sexual harassment lawsuits against the Legislative Research Commission. Louisville attorney Thomas Clay, who represents the three current and former LRC staffers who sued the agency and others in October 2013, declined to discuss terms with Sherman and Arnold, a former Democratic representative from Sturgis. House Speaker Greg Stumbo said Monday that the pair, who both left their positions a month after... Read more 

Attorney general candidate Andy Beshear rolls out seven-point plan to combat child abuse

07/27/2015 10:39 PM
Democratic candidate for attorney general Andy Beshear has released a series of proposed reforms to prevent child abuse in the commonwealth. On Monday Beshear announced a seven-point plan aimed at cracking down on child abuse in Kentucky. Nearly 23,000 kids in Kentucky were found to be in need of services in 2014, according to Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky upon their review of data from Child Protective Services and the Department for Community Based Services. According to the group, the number of... Read more 

'Pill-mill bill' showing progress, but officials say work remains to combat drug abuse in Kentucky

07/27/2015 07:27 PM
FRANKFORT – A state law targeting prescription drug abuse has shown signs of progress since its enactment in 2012, with fewer patients “doctor shopping” for pills and more physicians searching Kentucky’s narcotic drug database before writing prescriptions, according to a study released Monday. Gov. Steve Beshear, flanked by Attorney General Jack Conway, Senate President Robert Stivers, House Speaker Greg Stumbo and other state officials, said the University of Kentucky Institute for Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy’s study covering July 2012 through March... Read more 

Miss Kentucky USA Katie George on Donald Trump comments: "I wish he hadn't said it"

07/27/2015 07:16 PM
Those who tuned in to NBC earlier this month hoping to catch the Miss USA pageant might have missed Louisville native Miss Kentucky USA Katie George as she placed 11th in the competition. That’s because controversial comments about Mexican immigrants by GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump, who co-owns the pageant, caused NBC and Spanish-language challenge Univision to drop the pageant. During Trump’s June campaign launch, the billionaire real-estate mogul said some Mexican immigrants crossing the borders are drug smuggling “rapists” and “killers.” The... Read more 
New Criminal Charge Filed Against Man at Center of Kentucky Banishment Case
from R.G. Dunlop
CARROLLTON, Ky.—The case of Adam Horine, the mentally ill Kentucky man removed from jail and put on a bus to Florida by Carrollton police earlier this year, continues to grow in complexity. He now faces a criminal charge of groping a woman in a northern Kentucky hospital. Since his banishment from Carroll County, Horine has been on a circuitous voyage through the criminal justice and mental health systems. His case prompted a Kentucky Attorney General’s investigation into alleged police misconduct and sparked sharp criticism of the state’s mental health services. Carrollton police jailed Horine last April on misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct [...]
Tue, Jul 28, 2015 11:30:00 AM, Continue reading at the source
Report Breaks Down Climate Change’s Impending Effect on Kentucky’s Economy
from Erica Peterson
Climate change will begin to have a demonstrative effect on Kentucky’s economy within five years. This is the conclusion from a report released today by the nonprofit Risky Business. The organization is dedicated to exploring the economic effects of climate change, and is chaired by liberal billionaires Michael Bloomberg and Tom Steyer, as well as former banker and George W. Bush-era Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson. Recently, groups have begun focusing on the economic costs of climate change, considering any discussion or debate over the science or existence of climate change to be unnecessary. Yesterday, 13 major companies including Walmart, UPS, General Motors [...]
Tue, Jul 28, 2015 4:01:00 AM, Continue reading at the source
‘Big’ Affordable Housing Ordinances Stall, For Now, in Metro Council Committee
from Jacob Ryan
An ordinance that affordable housing advocates consider a big step forward in Louisville’s quest to boost living options for low-income residents is being held up in a Metro Council ad hoc committee. The five member, bipartisan committee addressed the ordinance Monday, but tabled it until an Aug. 10 meeting after nearly an hour of discussion. The ordinance would provide incentives to developers who build mixed-income housing in Louisville. Developers would be granted points depending on the development’s ratio of housing that was affordable to low-income residents. More points mean the developers could exceed density limits, which means more units and, ultimately, more return on [...]
Mon, Jul 27, 2015 11:36:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
Stumbo: Former lawmaker, former LRC head made payments to settle harassment lawsuits
from jbrammer@herald-leader.com (Jack Brammer)
A former lawmaker accused of sexual harassment and the former head of the Legislative Research Commission both made cash payments to settle sexual harassment and hostile workplace lawsuits filed by…Click to Continue » [...]
Mon, Jul 27, 2015 7:21:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
Libertarian donors put up $6 million for Rand Paul GOP bid
Deep-pocketed libertarians are giving big to help Rand Paul win the Republican presidential primary.Click to Continue » [...]
Mon, Jul 27, 2015 6:58:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
Religious group threatens lawsuit over Kentucky policy banning anti-gay comments at juvenile jails
from jcheves@herald-leader.com (John Cheves)
A religious group is threatening to sue the state of Kentucky over a year-old policy that prohibits anti-gay comments to youths at the state's juvenile detention centers.Click to Continue » [...]
Mon, Jul 27, 2015 3:24:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
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Monday, July 27, 2015

Today's Political Headlines

National KIDS COUNT report card shows improvements and setbacks for Ky. kids

07/26/2015 09:33 AM
The latest national KIDS COUNT data shows children in the state are getting healthier, but the state has persistent problems in areas of economic well-being, which is impacting some base line education metrics like reading and math scores. On Tuesday, the Annie E. Casey Foundation released its yearly review of data coming from states on an index of 16 indicators, a sort of “national report card for kids,” said Terry Brooks, the director for Kentucky Youth Advocates. The report uses... Read more 

Americans for Prosperity says Jack Conway would lead Kentucky in wrong direction in pre-Fancy Farm Web ad, mailer

07/25/2015 01:37 PM
The Kentucky chapter of the conservative 501(c )(4) Americans for Prosperity has launched a digital and direct-mail campaign ahead of this year’s Fancy Farm festivities, hoping to connect Democratic Attorney General Jack Conway with President Barack Obama in the minds of voters. AFP released a digital ad titled “You’re Going The Wrong Way, Jack Conway” on Friday, depicting Conway as a supporter of cap-and-trade legislation, the Affordable Care Act and high-dollar government spending. Julia Crigler, AFP Kentucky state director, said the... Read more 

Confederate group unfurls battle flags, criticisms of state's potential removal of Jefferson Davis statue from Capitol

07/24/2015 07:27 PM
FRANKFORT — Dozens of Confederate flags flew on the Capitol grounds Friday as more than 100 demonstrators protested the potential removal of Confederate President Jefferson Davis’ 15-foot marble statue from the Capitol Rotunda. Organizers urged the crowd to sign letters against taking Davis’ statue from the Capitol as well as statements condemning the use of the Confederate flag as a symbol of hate. The state’s Historic Properties Advisory Commission is set to reconsider the panel’s guidelines on rotunda statues at an Aug.... Read more 

Bevin adds $1k from McConnell PAC in latest fundraising report; Conway still holds major cash advantage

07/24/2015 01:00 PM
The political action committee of Matt Bevin’s former political rival — U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell — provided the lone new donation in the last month for the Republican gubernatorial nominee. The $1,000 check from McConnell’s Bluegrass Committee leadership PAC brings Bevin’s campaign coffers to $2,954.64 in cash-on-hand, according to a 60-day post-primary report filed with the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance. McConnell’s PAC also sent $1,000 donations to the other GOP candidates running for Constitutional offices. In late August... Read more 
Public Comments on Jefferson Davis Statue In Kentucky Capitol Close This Week
from Ryland Barton
The chance for the public to comment on whether the state should keep a statue of Confederate President Jefferson Davis in the state Capitol rotunda closes on Wednesday. Members of the Historic Properties Advisory Commission will then discuss findings at a special meeting held on Aug. 5. The statue’s presence in the Capitol building has come under criticism in the wake of a mass shooting last month in a historically African American church in Charleston. Dylann Roof, the man accused in the shooting, was depicted holding a Confederate flag in photos posted online. Prominent Kentucky officials including Gov. Steve Beshear, U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell, [...]
Mon, Jul 27, 2015 10:59:00 AM, Continue reading at the source
Political Paddock: Jack Conway has a good hand, but Matt Bevin may have a Trump card
Republican gubernatorial candidate Matt Bevin could well be holding a trump card of his own if a summer of social change becomes an autumn of angry conservative defiance. The "Obama"Click to Continue » [...]
Sun, Jul 26, 2015 8:37:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
Rand Paul 'pretty happy where we are,' despite lackluster fundraising reports,
from syoungman@herald-leader.com (Sam Youngman)
Though he lamented all the attention rival Republican Donald Trump has been receiving from extensive media coverage, Kentucky junior U.S. Sen. Rand Paul said Sunday he feels good about the…Click to Continue » [...]
Sun, Jul 26, 2015 5:52:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
What Would 2-Way Downtown Louisville Streets Mean For Walkers, Cyclists and Bus Riders?
from Jacob Ryan
The idea of converting downtown Louisville’s one-way streets to two-ways has support from business proponents, but motor vehicles aren’t the only way to get around the city. Would two-way streets downtown be good for people who rely on bikes, public transit or good old-fashioned walking to get from place to place? Proponents for those modes of transportation say, potentially, yes. Related StoryOmni Hotel Developers Want a Two-Way Third Street—and They're Not AlonePortions of Jefferson, Liberty, Chestnut, Shelby, Campbell, Main, Eighth, Seventh and Third streets are all being considered for conversion, said Rebecca Matheny, executive director of the Louisville Downtown Partnership. And with the help [...]
Sun, Jul 26, 2015 11:00:00 AM, Continue reading at the source
Strange Fruit: News Round-Up with Marriage Equality Attorney Joe Dunman
from Laura Ellis
Remember that whole Supreme Court marriage equality thing a couple weeks ago? It was kind of a big deal? Well one of the attorneys, Joe Dunman, joins us this week for a news round-up, and to give us the latest information on two Kentucky county clerks who have refused to issue marriage licenses. Dunman, who is a civil rights attorney and co-host of the Parade of Horribles legal podcast, also weighs in on the death of Sandra Bland in police custody, and how police interactions are different for white people. We also talk about the case of local prosecutor Karl Price, who [...]
Sat, Jul 25, 2015 12:00:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
Dozens rally at Kentucky Capitol in support of Confederate symbols
from jcheves@herald-leader.com (John Cheves)
Kentucky's state government should not turn its back on Confederate symbols, including the Confederate battle flag and native son Jefferson Davis, speakers told more than a hundred people Friday at…Click to Continue » [...]
Fri, Jul 24, 2015 6:05:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
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Friday, July 24, 2015

Today's Political Headlines


LRC ponies up $400K to settle sexual harassment lawsuits by current, former employees

07/23/2015 07:56 PM
Three women who sued the Legislative Research Commission after a wide-ranging sexual harassment scandal have received $400,000 in an agreed settlement, their attorney announced Thursday. Louisville lawyer Thomas Clay said he had not yet received the check, which also includes attorneys’ fees, or the agreement itself pending signatures from the involved parties. “This amount of money was determined as a result of a long mediation,” Clay said in a phone interview with Pure Politics. “I think the mediation went 13 hours, so... Read more 

Conway, Bevin bare knuckles in second public gubernatorial forum at Kentucky Farm Bureau

07/23/2015 07:12 PM
Gubernatorial candidates Matt Bevin and Jack Conway traded barbs and accused one another of spreading mistruths during Thursday’s “Measure the Candidates” forum hosted by the Kentucky Farm Bureau. In their second public appearance as their parties’ nominees, the pair touched on topics such as tax exemptions, tort reform, health care and rural infrastructure, with Conway continually seeking to present contradictory stances from his opponent while Bevin repeatedly urged the audience in the KFB boardroom and watching online to visit his website... Read more 

Treatment pilot program shows improvements 5-years in, but dollars are biggest set back

07/23/2015 02:55 PM
FRANKFORT – As Kentucky officials attempt to treat an expanding drug dependence problem in the commonwealth programs tasked with tackling the issue are quickly reaching their fiscal limits. The Sobriety Treatment and Recovery Teams (START) program, is serving approximately 300 families per year in Jefferson, Kenton, Boyd and Daviess counties with drug dependency issues, by pairing parents and parents-to-be, who are in long term recovery, with specially trained social workers to help them kick their habit. START, which began as a... Read more 

Armed "citizen guards" protect military recruiting center in Florence

07/23/2015 01:31 PM
FLORENCE — After the killing of five military members in Tennessee last week citizens in several states — including Kentucky are serving as aremed guards at military recruiting centers. Gov. Beshear issued an executive order on Wednesday directing Kentucky Adjutant General Edward Tonini to take any necessary steps to boost security at National Guard facilities, and reiterating a 2013 order allows service members to carry concealed weapons. Even so, Lawrenceburg, Indiana resident Jeff May stationed him outside the U.S. Armed... Read more 
Filmed on Kentucky Farms, ‘Runoff’ Opens in Louisville
from Tara Anderson
An independent film that was shot on working farms in Kentucky has its Louisville premiere this weekend. “Runoff” was written and directed by Louisville native Kimberly Levin. It tells the story of a farm couple facing both ecological and economic pressures. Levin studied directing at Actors Theatre of Louisville, and she also has a background in biochemistry. The script is partially inspired by biochemical research that she did in Kentucky. Filming locations included a hog farm, a turkey farm and a dairy farm. Levin enlisted the help of the farmers who hosted the crew in making the film more realistic. “I gave them the [...]
Fri, Jul 24, 2015 12:01:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
The History of Movie Theaters and Air Conditioning That Keeps Film Lovers Cool
from Henrietta Reily
On hot summer days, Louisvillians take refuge in air-conditioned homes and businesses. That wasn’t always an option. Before air conditioning became common, only one type of building was air conditioned: the movie theater. In the 1920s, people flocked to watch films in grand movie theaters. But business would drop off as the temperatures rose, said Nick Morgan, a principal at Kentucky engineering firm Shrout Tate Wilson. “The movie theater industry in particular basically had no attendance at all in the hot summer months,” he said. “Historically, if you look back at Willis Carrier who is, you know, known in our industry as the father of air [...]
Fri, Jul 24, 2015 11:00:00 AM, Continue reading at the source
Kentucky Government Pays $400,000 To Settle Sexual Harassment Lawsuit
from Ryland Barton
The state will pay $400,000 to settle two sexual harassment lawsuits against lawmakers and the state agency that runs administrative operations in the state Capitol. The payment is part of the settlement of two lawsuits filed in October 2013: one in which two Legislative Research Commission employees accused former Rep. John Arnold, a Democrat from Sturgis, of inappropriately touching them and also accused former LRC Director Bobby Sherman of not doing enough to address sexual harassment of staffers in the state agency. The allegations were made public in summer 2013 by the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting and WFPL News. Rep. Johnny Bell, [...]
Fri, Jul 24, 2015 1:17:00 AM, Continue reading at the source
Attorney: Kentucky legislature paying $400,000 to settle sexual harassment lawsuits
from jcheves@herald-leader.com (John Cheves)
The Kentucky legislature will pay $400,000 to settle sexual harassment and hostile workplace lawsuits filed in 2013 by three female employees, their lawyer said Thursday.Click to Continue » [...]
Thu, Jul 23, 2015 9:00:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
Sales of Confederate flags ending at Kentucky's state fair and state parks
from lblackford@herald-leader.com (Linda B. Blackford)
The Kentucky State Fair Board and Kentucky State Parks will stop selling Confederate flags in gift shops and at future events, officials said Thursday.Click to Continue » [...]
Thu, Jul 23, 2015 7:32:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
Sharp exchanges as Matt Bevin and Jack Conway face off at Farm Bureau forum
from syoungman@herald-leader.com (Sam Youngman)
In a preview of what promises to be a bitter fall campaign, Kentucky's two major party candidates for governor traded verbal blows as they faced off Thursday at the Kentucky…Click to Continue » [...]
Thu, Jul 23, 2015 6:43:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
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