Grimes declines to take questions about Frankfort sexual harassment case
from syoungman@herald-leader.com (Sam Youngman)
from syoungman@herald-leader.com (Sam Youngman)
Likely Democratic Senate nominee Alison Lundergan Grimes told about 150 Fayette County Democrats Tuesday night that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has “yesterday’s view of women.” Then she declined to…Click to Continue » [...]
Wed, Apr 09, 2014 3:28:00 AM, Continue reading at the source
By Sam Youngman syoungman@herald-leader.com Likely Democratic Senate nominee Alison Lundergan Grimes told about 150 Fayette County Democrats Tuesday night that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has "yesterday's view of women." Then she declined to answer questions about a former Democratic lawmaker accused of sexual harassment. After her speech, Grimes worked the crowd at the downtown Hilton and left, refusing to speak with reporters about a decision made hours earlier by the Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission to not punish former state Rep. John Arnold of Sturgis. Three legislative aides have accused Arnold of sexual harassment, saying that he touched them inappropriately. The deciding vote against [...]
Wed, Apr 09, 2014 3:21:00 AM, Continue reading at the source
President Obama penned a pair of executive actions on Tuesday to "Equal Pay Day" which is an especially important issue for Kentucky women of all races and ethnicities.The wage rates along gender lines overall are telling. [...]
Wed, Apr 09, 2014 12:36:00 AM, Continue reading at the source
Former Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson to resign from position at Harvard
from kward1@herald-leader.com (Karla Ward)
from kward1@herald-leader.com (Karla Ward)
Former Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson said Tuesday that he is resigning from his position at Harvard University effective June 30, the end of the academic year, for reasons…Click to Continue » [...]
Tue, Apr 08, 2014 11:26:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
Lexington mayor's 2015 budget proposal asks for $40 million in debt for Rupp renovation
from bmusgrave@herald-leader.com (Beth Musgrave)
from bmusgrave@herald-leader.com (Beth Musgrave)
Mayor Jim Gray proposed Tuesday that the city authorize $40 million in debt for a $310 million renovation of Rupp Arena and adjacent convention center as part of his 2015…Click to Continue » [...]
Tue, Apr 08, 2014 10:27:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
By Sam Youngman syoungman@herald-leader.com Former Louisville Metro councilman Hal Heiner, the only announced candidate in the 2015 governor's race, gave his campaign $200,000 of his own money in the first fundraising quarter of 2014. After officially announcing his run at the beginning of March with Lexingtonian KC Crosbie as his running mate, Heiner raised just more than $86,000 in the first fundraising quarter. After giving his campaign $200,000, Heiner started the second quarter with a little more than $191,000 in cash on hand. "Hal and KC are thrilled with the level of support the campaign has received in the first few weeks since announcing their [...]
Tue, Apr 08, 2014 5:40:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
Grimes and Jensen join national Democrats in pushing for Paycheck Fairness Act
from Accountability Editor
from Accountability Editor
By Sam Youngman syoungman@herald-leader.com Kentucky Democratic candidates Alison Lundergan Grimes and Elisabeth Jensen joined national Democrats Tuesday in calling for passage of the Paycheck Fairness Act, blasting their male opponents as outdated and committed to discriminatory pay practices. Grimes is running to defeat Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Jensen hopes to unseat U.S. Rep. Andy Barr in Central Kentucky's 6th Congressional District. "Today, thousands will make their voices heard and call for action," Grimes said in an email to supporters. "One voice you will not hear in this chorus is Mitch McConnell's. For nearly 30 years, people in Kentucky and across the country [...]
Tue, Apr 08, 2014 5:18:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
Tired of Mitch McConnell's Attacks, Matt Bevin Supporters Believe Upset Possible
from Phillip M. Bailey
from Phillip M. Bailey
With the Kentucky primary election six weeks away supporters of Republican Matt Bevin believe the tea party-backed challenger to Mitch McConnell still has a chance to pull off an upset. McConnell leads Bevin by double-digits in every poll and has brutalized his challenger in attack ads, calling him a "con man" and "fraud" in campaign materials. A Wenzel Strategies survey shows McConnell's negative attacks are working. [...]
Mon, Apr 07, 2014 4:24:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
A television commercial to air during Friday night's Louisville vs. Kentucky NCAA basketball game will remind viewers in Kentucky's two largest media markets of a mistake in Mitch McConnell's latest campaign video. [...]
Wed, Apr 09, 2014 5:15:35 AM, Continue reading at the source
Ethics panel's decision on John Arnold shows 'war on women continues' in Frankfort, staffer says
04/08/2014 11:27 PM
One of the legislative staff members who first made public inappropriate behavior of former Democratic lawmaker John Arnold said Tuesday that she and the other aggrieved staffers were let down by the legislative ethics process. “Clearly there’s a war on women in Frankfort at the Capitol, and (I’m) just very saddened that it wasn’t in our favor today,” Yolanda Costner said Tuesday evening after the Legislative Ethics Commission failed to get five votes on the nine-member panel needed to levy... Read more 
With missing members, ethics panel passes on charging John Arnold
04/08/2014 07:54 PM
With only five members of the Legislative Ethics Commission present, the sexual harassment charges against former state Rep. John Arnold, D-Sturgis, were voted down. The commission fell short of the five votes needed on Tuesday when one of the members of the commission, Elmer George of Lebanon, voted no on charging Arnold, Jack Brammer of the Lexington Herald-Leader reported. George was just appointed to the commission in January 2014 by House Speaker Greg Stumbo. Stumbo said the following about Tuesday’s hearing: “We stand... Read more
Hopkins County conservative voice leaving House for potential judge-executive office
04/08/2014 06:02 PM
After just four years in the House of Representatives, 10th District Representative Ben Waide, R-Madisonville, has decided to forgo a third term in the House and run for judge-executive of Hopkins County. During his years in the House, Waide reflected conservative values and was a champion for less government involvement in the everyday lives of his constituents as well as local school districts. Waide is currently involved in a legal dispute with his partners at Liberty Rehabilitation after a complaint was filed... Read more
Of $286K Heiner raised in a month, $200K came from Heiner, $20 from 'Aqua Budda'
04/08/2014 11:18 AM
Since announcing their slate on March 4, Louisville developer Hal Heiner and former Lexington councilwoman K.C. Crosbie raised $286,350 in campaign contributions with $200,000 of that coming directly from Heiner himself. The campaign finance report also showed a $20 donation from “Aqua Budda” (sic) — an apparent reference to Aqua Buddha, which became Kentucky political legend in the 2010 U.S. Senate race. In fact, the mysterious donor, who listed “mystic” as his job title, used Jack Conway’s Louisville address on... Read more
Last-minute compromise possible on lifting land-line requirements for phone companies, senator says
04/08/2014 10:11 AM
For the third consecutive session, proponents of a bill to further deregulate telephone service for Kentucky’s urban areas are trying to reach a last-minute deal before the clock runs out on the legislative session. The sponsor of the legislation Sen. Paul Hornback, R-Shelbyville, said he spent the last few weeks working with the Kentucky Cable Association among other parties to negotiate over the bill, which would eliminate the requirement for phone companies to lay land lines to new developments in... Read more
Legislator known for his quiet confidence and steadiness wrapping up 12 year career in the Senate
04/07/2014 05:50 PM
State Senator Jerry Rhoads, D-Madisonville, was first elected to the Kentucky State Senate in 2002 and has served three terms representing Western Kentucky’s 6th district which is comprised of Butler, Hopkins, Muhlenberg and Ohio counties. Rhoads, who has been a practicing attorney since 1966, currently serves as the Democratic Minority Whip of the Senate. The General Assembly was not something new for the Rhoads family as his father served two terms in the Kentucky House of Representatives. Now, 12... Read more
Andy Beshear raises more than $1 million in race for Attorney General
04/07/2014 12:00 PM
Louisville lawyer Andy Beshear, the first and so far only Democrat to enter the race for Attorney General, announced Monday that he has raised more than $1.1 million so far in the campaign. A big name Democratic endorsement in the form of Wendell Ford accompanies the campaign report from Andy Beshear, who is the son of current Governor Steve Beshear. “I encouraged Andy to enter this race early and raise the necessary funds,” said Ford in a statement accompanying the release.... Read more
