Today's Political Headlines

Sen. Paul Hornback contemplating run for Agriculture Commissioner in 2015; Says Daily Show appearance 'distorted'

08/14/2014 10:17 PM

State Sen. Paul Hornback, R-Shelbyville, said it will take a family meeting to decide if he will leave the family farm and spend a possible year pursuing the office of Agriculture Commissioner on the campaign trail. Hornback was elected to the Senate in 2011 and he says he has kept up with his farming as a legislator — something he has been doing for 37 years growing tobacco, soy beans, corn and fruit on a couple thousand acres. That full-time... Read more 

Comer sees 'positive' in latest 2015 poll; Answers questions on relationship with Churchill Downs

08/14/2014 06:27 PM

Agriculture Commissioner James Comer, who will soon file to run for governor in the Republican primary, says the latest polling from Public Policy Polling is “positive” adding that he will increase his name id after he files and starts to run a race in September. Comer also answered criticisms on his working relationship with Brett Hale a former Vice President of Churchill Downs — the company which recently donated six-figures to a PAC which will play a role in the... Read more 

As tensions rise in Missouri, Kentucky politicians speak out on unrest

08/14/2014 04:53 PM

A clash between residents of a Missouri community and police officers following the death of an 18-year-old boy has Kentucky lawmakers talking about the problem with the militarization of police forces. Police officers are using an amount of force that some are finding questionable against demonstrators of a community outside St. Louis after Michael Brown, a young resident of Ferguson, Missouri, was fatally shot by a police officer. In an op-ed on the issue on TIME Magazine’s website, Kentucky U.S. Senator Rand... Read more 

Grimes responds to Chao's role on board

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has some explaining for his wife's role as a board member of an organization that has spent $50 million to close coal-fired power plants, his…Click to Continue » [...]

Thu, Aug 14, 2014 9:56:00 PM, Continue reading at the source

In tight Senate race, McConnell talks religion

Sen. Mitch McConnell talked about abortion, gay marriage and the persecution of Christians in Iraq with three well-known evangelical leaders Thursday, a rare discussion of social and religious issues for…Click to Continue » [...]

Thu, Aug 14, 2014 8:20:00 PM, Continue reading at the source

In Wake of Ferguson Unrest, Kentucky Lawmakers Speak Out Against Police Militarization
from Phillip M. Bailey

A pair of Kentucky lawmakers on opposite sides of the aisle Thursday spoke out against a suburban St. Louis police department's use of force amid civic unrest.Both Republican Sen. Rand Paul and Democratic Congressman John Yarmuth offered their first comments on violence in Ferguson, Mo., where demonstrators and police have clashed over four days in reaction to the shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown, who is African-American. [...]

Thu, Aug 14, 2014 7:00:00 PM, Continue reading at the source

Louisville Councilman Dan Johnson Twice Wrote City Hot Checks for Metro Cell Phone
from Phillip M. Bailey

Louisville Metro Councilman Dan Johnson wrote the city two bad checks in the past month to pay off costs associated with personal use of his city-issued cell phone. [...]

Thu, Aug 14, 2014 6:34:00 PM, Continue reading at the source

Today's Political Headlines

Neal sees additional provisions to felon voting restoration efforts as 'knife' to the heart of the bill

08/13/2014 05:50 PM

State Sen. Gerald Neal, D-Louisville, says “poison pills” added to the heart of felon voting restoration legislation last session corrupted the merit of the bill, and this upcoming session Neal will bring an unadorned version of the legislation. A rematch of will is already at play as a major Republican in the House has also filed legislation with the additional provisions added to the bill from the session. Neal has already prefiled his version of the bill which... Read more 

The Chatter: Democratic lawmakers weigh in on Chao coal controversy, new poll shows McConnell ahead

08/13/2014 12:13 PM

UPDATED: Democratic state lawmakers want former Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, the wife of Kentucky U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, to immediately resign from her position on the board of Bloomberg Philanthropies after reports of the group’s anti-coal agenda. Coal Association President Bill Bissett received a letter requesting him to denounce the groups actions and demand Chao step down from her position on the board, according to a Yahoo! News report . The letter came from eight Democratic state lawmakers, including: House Speaker... Read more 

Forum Examines What's at Stake in Kentucky House Races
from Phillip M. Bailey

Two state House members outlined the Democratic and Republican parties' differences on a wide range of topics Wednesday during a Louisville Forum on Kentucky's fall legislative races. Democrats hold the majority in the Kentucky legislature's lower chamber, but Republicans are once again making a push to take it back for the first time since 1921.[...]

Thu, Aug 14, 2014 12:03:00 PM, Continue reading at the source

McConnell: Wife won't resign from board of charity seeking to close coal-fired power plants
from syoungman@herald-leader.com (Sam Youngman)

With U.S. Sen. Rand Paul at his side, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell took his coal bus tour to Western Kentucky Wednesday, railing against the Obama administration and defending his…Click to Continue » [...]

Wed, Aug 13, 2014 10:38:00 PM, Continue reading at the source

PolitiFact: McConnell ad about violence against women ‘mostly false’
from Jack Brammer

By Jack Brammer jbrammer@herald-leader.com FRANKFORT — U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell’s re-election campaign ad that says he supported a “stronger” Violence Against Women Act than President Obama is “mostly false,” a fact-checking news agency said Wednesday. The ad, released Aug. 5, features McConnell’s wife, former Labor Secretary Elaine Chao. “Have you ever noticed how some liberals feel entitled to speak on behalf of all women? As if every woman agrees with Barack Obama," Chao says. A narrator then adds: “Mitch McConnell co-sponsored the original Violence Against Women Act – he’s always supported its purpose. Mitch voted for even stronger protections than Obama’s agenda will allow.” PolitiFact, [...]

Wed, Aug 13, 2014 9:06:00 PM, Continue reading at the source

U.S. Sen. Rand Paul plays word association game on political figures
from Jack Brammer

By Jack Brammer jbrammer@herald-leader.com FRANKFORT — U.S. Sen. Rand Paul mostly used short words and phrases in playing a word association game in a recent interview on Kentucky Educational Television but his answers said a lot. Paul, being interviewed Sunday by Bill Goodman on KET’s “One to One” program, was asked what first came to his mind when he heard certain names. Several of them turned out to be potential rivals in the 2016 race for president. When asked about New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Paul simply replied, “Bridges,” and chuckled. That was a reference to the controversy in which former aides and appointees of Christie [...]

Wed, Aug 13, 2014 8:08:00 PM, Continue reading at the source

Rand Paul heading to Guatemala to do eye surgeries

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., is just back from barnstorming Iowa, home of the earliest presidential caucus, and he’s heading next to eat barbecue in South Carolina, the first voting state…Click to Continue » [...]

Wed, Aug 13, 2014 7:08:00 PM, Continue reading at the source

Ky Congressional delegation split on U.S. airstrikes in Iraq

"The President is taking necessary steps to protect American personnel and interests from direct threats of terrorist violence in Iraq," Yarmuth said in a statement to WHAS11, "and to prevent an act of genocide by ISIL against the Yazidi people." [...]

Thu, Aug 14, 2014 1:29:00 PM, Continue reading at the source

Paul not first ensnared in Mideast policy in Iowa

Republican Sen. Rand Paul says he's never proposed ending U.S. aid payments to Israel, and is immediately confronted by his own budget proposal from 2011 to end such payments to all nations, including Israel. [...]

Thu, Aug 14, 2014 1:29:00 PM, Continue reading at the source

Powers That Be 8-9-14

Political Editor Joe Arnold takes a look back at the speeches at Kentucky's biggest political picnic, Fancy Farm. [...]

Thu, Aug 14, 2014 1:29:00 PM, Continue reading at the source

Today's Political Headlines

Legislators approve Seven Counties contracts amid optimism; Negotiation meeting days away

08/12/2014 06:39 PM

Lawmakers on the contract review committee approved state contracts with Seven Counties citing a new found optimism over talks with the mental health agency paying their liabilities to the pension system. Seven Counties Services has been talking with lawmakers who sit on the interim Government Contract Review Committee after the state dropped a contract with the mental health provider expressing frustration over a bankruptcy ruling allowing the Seven Counties to leave the shakily funded retirement system. Lawmakers want Seven Counties... Read more 

Students in Ft. Thomas to get more choices for lunch as district opts out of federal lunch program

08/12/2014 06:32 PM

FT. THOMAS – As fewer students are purchasing their lunch at schools around the United States because of federally mandated food options, one northern Kentucky school district is opting out of the regulations in the hopes that students will begin purchasing their lunch at school again. According to the National Nutrition Association, 1 million fewer students nationwide are buying school lunches which means less money for school districts. Many believe that federal restrictions placed on what types of foods that school districts... Read more 

Paul says president making a "mess" by going around Congress on big issues

08/12/2014 05:27 PM

Kentucky U.S. Senator Rand Paul is not completely against targeted airstrikes in Iraq ordered by President Barack Obama, but he strongly disagrees with the approach the president is taking with action in the region among other things. As tensions continue to rise in Iraq and the United States begins to get involved, the president has ordered targeted airstrikes in the region, as well as the dropping of supplies for Iraqis fighting militant forces. In a speech at the Greater Louisville Inc. luncheon... Read more 

Lexington acquiring garbage trucks and buses that run on compressed natural gas
from kward1@herald-leader.com (Karla Ward)

Compressed natural gas is touted as greener and cheaper than diesel fuel, and it's coming to Lexington in new garbage trucks, buses and fueling stations.Click to Continue » [...]

Tue, Aug 12, 2014 10:30:00 PM, Continue reading at the source

Sam Youngman: Forecast in U.S. Senate race calls for downpour of garbage

Keep those umbrellas close. It's about to start pouring garbage in Kentucky's U.S. Senate race. With 12 weeks to go, a race already largely devoid of meaningful and substantive policy…Click to Continue » [...]

Tue, Aug 12, 2014 8:38:00 PM, Continue reading at the source

McConnell urges reauthorizing law that helps catch rapists

Amid a re-election race that increasingly hinges on women's issues, Republican Mitch McConnell urged his U.S. Senate colleagues Tuesday to quickly reauthorize a federal law aimed at speeding up the…Click to Continue » [...]

Tue, Aug 12, 2014 8:15:00 PM, Continue reading at the source

Louisville Businessman Sues Councilman Dan Johnson Over Unpaid Debts
from Phillip M. Bailey

A local businessman who provides high-interest loans to people with bad credit is suing Louisville Metro Councilman Dan Johnson for lack of payment on a $15,000 debt.Gus Goldsmith, owner of Action Loan, wants repayment from Johnson on an $8,000 past due balance that the councilman has refused to pay, according the lawsuit filed Aug. 4 in Jefferson Circuit Court."I’ve asked him to repay and I even texted him," Goldsmith said in an interview with WFPL. "He said to please drop the case." [...]

Tue, Aug 12, 2014 4:33:00 PM, Continue reading at the source

Libertarian David Patterson files to run for U.S. Senate in Kentucky
from Jack Brammer

By Jack Brammer jbrammer@herald-leader.com FRANKFORT -- Harrodsburg police officer David Patterson will appear on the Nov. 4 ballot for U.S. Senate in Kentucky as a Libertarian. Patterson, 43, turned in more than 9,100 signatures Monday to the secretary of state's office in hopes of challenging Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Democratic nominee Alison Lundergan Grimes, who is Kentucky's secretary of state. At least 5,000 valid signatures of registered voters are needed to get on the Nov. 4 ballot. Grimes' office took about two hours Monday afternoon to determine that Patterson had provided an adequate number of valid signatures. The Libertarian Party in Kentucky has[...]

Mon, Aug 11, 2014 7:19:00 PM, Continue reading at the source

Cha-Ching! State begins new fiscal year on positive note
from Jack Brammer

By Jack Brammer jbrammer@herald-leader.com FRANKFORT — Kentucky’s new fiscal year is getting off to a positive start. State budget director Jane Driskell reported Monday that Kentucky’s General Fund, which pays for most programs, saw its receipts total $705.9 million in July, a 2.2 percent increase over the same month last year. July was the first month of the state’s new 2015 fiscal year. When the last fiscal year ended June 30, Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear had to plug a $91 million shortfall in the state’s $9.5 billion budget after a year of sluggish collections on state income taxes. He did that by dipping into budget accounts [...]

Mon, Aug 11, 2014 6:42:00 PM, Continue reading at the source

Libertarian David Patterson Files 9,100 Signatures To Get Onto Kentucky Ballot For Senate
from Phillip M. Bailey

Libertarian David Patterson filed over 9,100 raw signatures with the Kentucky secretary of state's office Monday in his bid to make the ballot for the U.S. Senate election.Patterson, a 42-year-old police officer who lives in Mercer County, seeks to join Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes and Republican incumbent Mitch McConnell on the November ballot.[...]

Mon, Aug 11, 2014 6:39:00 PM, Continue reading at the source

Miners' Union Chief Wants Mitch McConnell to Explain Wife's Role on Anti-Coal Group
from Phillip M. Bailey

The president of the United Mine Workers of America says Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell needs to explain why his wife joined the board of a group seeking to eliminate coal from the country's energy diet. [...]

Fri, Aug 08, 2014 8:20:00 PM, Continue reading at the source

Bevin blames voters for loss to McConnell
from admin

It wasn't that he praised bailouts, fudged his online résumé or even that he got caught appearing at a pro-cockfighting rally. No, according to Louisville businessman Matt Bevin, the blame for his loss in the May 20 Republican primary to U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell belongs squarely with the voters. "We have increasingly less courage in our country, and that's something we suffer from," Bevin told Politico. "It's disappointing to me not even as much as a candidate but as an American, how apathetic and timid we have become as a nation." Bevin, who is said to be considering a run for [...]

Fri, Aug 08, 2014 1:35:00 PM, Continue reading at the source

Ky Congressional delegation split on U.S. airstrikes in Iraq

"The President is taking necessary steps to protect American personnel and interests from direct threats of terrorist violence in Iraq," Yarmuth said in a statement to WHAS11, "and to prevent an act of genocide by ISIL against the Yazidi people." [...]

Wed, Aug 13, 2014 2:15:40 PM, Continue reading at the source

Paul not first ensnared in Mideast policy in Iowa

Republican Sen. Rand Paul says he's never proposed ending U.S. aid payments to Israel, and is immediately confronted by his own budget proposal from 2011 to end such payments to all nations, including Israel. [...]

Wed, Aug 13, 2014 2:15:40 PM, Continue reading at the source

VIDEO: Bill Clinton compliments Joe Arnold's tie

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WHAS11) -- During a Lexington campaign stop with Alison Lundergan Grimes, former President Bill Clinton compliments WHAS11 political editor Joe Arnold's tie. [...]

Wed, Aug 13, 2014 2:15:40 PM, Continue reading at the source

Today's Political Headlines

Kentucky's early childhood education system leaves lots to be desired, but advocates say progress is being made

08/11/2014 10:07 PM

• by Nick Storm 
• •  Leave a comment

As children around the state go back to school educators will begin assessing how much remedial work is needed to begin teaching new skills, but for some Kindergarteners who start off behind the learning curve remedial education may be a constant. “The readiness results have come back showing that just under 50 percent of our entering Kindergarteners are well prepared for success in elementary school. So we have some work to do” said Brigette Ramsey, the associate executive director of... Read more 

General Fund finishes July up from last year, but lagging behind estimates

08/11/2014 03:27 PM

• by Nick Storm 
• •  Leave a comment

The state’s General Fund receipts are up 2.2 percent from last July, but official estimates predicted more growth which is raising the expectations and eyebrows for the rest of the fiscal year. The General Fund collected nearly $706 million in July which was a 2.2 percent increase from last July, but budget estimates in 2015 were relying on growth of 3.6 percent. The rest of the fiscal year will now need to increase 3.7 percent in each month of the year... Read more 

Democrat running for Agriculture Commissioner says Comer has done a 'good job'

08/10/2014 03:41 PM

• by Nick Storm 
• • 1 Comments

GILBERTSVILLE — Jean-Marie Lawson Spann, a Democratic candidate for Agriculture Commissioner, says current Republican head of the department, James Comer, who is running for governor — has done a “good job” and she wants to expand on his vision. “He has started many good programs, but now we, and me as commissioner, want to put together the best folks in Kentucky agriculture to help complete these programs,” Lawson Spann said adding that she would keep the current staff on... Read more 

Chatter: McConnell's wife linked to anti-coal group; Paul 'out-organizing' competition in Iowa

08/09/2014 12:05 AM

• by Nick Storm 
• • 13 Comments

A report published by Yahoo News on Friday is tying U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell’s wife, Elaine Chao, the former Labor Secretary under President George W. Bush, to an anti-coal outfit. For months McConnell has been hammering away at Democratic candidate Alison Lundergan Grimes in the U.S. Senate race as a secret ally for national Democrats and their agenda to end coal by linking her to President Barack Obama and U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nevada. Chao, who has been campaigning for... Read more 

Treatment center says high deductibles and lack of insurance coverage for education hampers heroin outreach

08/08/2014 09:00 AM

• by Nick Storm 
• • 1 Comments

LOUISVILLE — As overdose deaths attributable to heroin continue to rise policy leaders and candidates for office are saying the problems must be addressed. One of the areas where action is already taking place is in treatment centers, but one such center says progress is tempered by high insurance deductibles which can make treatment decisions difficult. Democratic Attorney General Candidate Andy Beshear, the son of Gov. Steve Beshear, spoke with Pure Politics about the heroin issue recently and he said the... Read more 

Louisville Businessman Sues Councilman Dan Johnson Over Unpaid Debts
from Phillip M. Bailey

A local businessman who provides high-interest loans to people with bad credit is suing Louisville Metro Councilman Dan Johnson for lack of payment on a $15,000 debt.Gus Goldsmith, owner of Action Loan, wants repayment from Johnson on an $8,000 past due balance that the councilman has refused to pay, according the lawsuit filed Aug. 4 in Jefferson County Court."I’ve asked him to repay and I even texted him," Goldsmith said in an interview with WFPL. "He said to please drop the case." [...]

Tue, Aug 12, 2014 4:33:00 PM, Continue reading at the source

Fayette coroner candidate files ethics complaint against incumbent
from bmusgrave@herald-leader.com (Beth Musgrave)

A Republican candidate for Fayette County Coroner has filed an ethics complaint against incumbent coroner Gary Ginn alleging that Ginn only works part time but receives a full-time salary.Click to Continue » [...]

Tue, Aug 12, 2014 4:26:00 PM, Continue reading at the source

Bill Clinton to headline Arkansas Democrats event

Former President Bill Clinton is headed back to Arkansas to raise money for the state Democratic Party.Click to Continue » [...]

Tue, Aug 12, 2014 11:23:00 AM, Continue reading at the source

Libertarian David Patterson files to run for U.S. Senate in Kentucky
from Jack Brammer

By Jack Brammer jbrammer@herald-leader.com FRANKFORT -- Harrodsburg police officer David Patterson will appear on the Nov. 4 ballot for U.S. Senate in Kentucky as a Libertarian. Patterson, 43, turned in more than 9,100 signatures Monday to the secretary of state's office in hopes of challenging Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Democratic nominee Alison Lundergan Grimes, who is Kentucky's secretary of state. At least 5,000 valid signatures of registered voters are needed to get on the Nov. 4 ballot. Grimes' office took about two hours Monday afternoon to determine that Patterson had provided an adequate number of valid signatures. The Libertarian Party in Kentucky has[...]

Mon, Aug 11, 2014 7:19:00 PM, Continue reading at the source

Cha-Ching! State begins new fiscal year on positive note
from Jack Brammer

By Jack Brammer jbrammer@herald-leader.com FRANKFORT — Kentucky’s new fiscal year is getting off to a positive start. State budget director Jane Driskell reported Monday that Kentucky’s General Fund, which pays for most programs, saw its receipts total $705.9 million in July, a 2.2 percent increase over the same month last year. July was the first month of the state’s new 2015 fiscal year. When the last fiscal year ended June 30, Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear had to plug a $91 million shortfall in the state’s $9.5 billion budget after a year of sluggish collections on state income taxes. He did that by dipping into budget accounts [...]

Mon, Aug 11, 2014 6:42:00 PM, Continue reading at the source

Libertarian David Patterson Files 9,100 Signatures To Get Onto Kentucky Ballot For Senate
from Phillip M. Bailey

Libertarian David Patterson filed over 9,100 raw signatures with the Kentucky secretary of state's office Monday in his bid to make the ballot for the U.S. Senate election.Patterson, a 42-year-old police officer who lives in Mercer County, seeks to join Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes and Republican incumbent Mitch McConnell on the November ballot.[...]

Mon, Aug 11, 2014 6:39:00 PM, Continue reading at the source

Miners' Union Chief Wants Mitch McConnell to Explain Wife's Role on Anti-Coal Group
from Phillip M. Bailey

The president of the United Mine Workers of America says Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell needs to explain why his wife joined the board of a group seeking to eliminate coal from the country's energy diet. [...]

Fri, Aug 08, 2014 8:20:00 PM, Continue reading at the source

Bevin blames voters for loss to McConnell
from admin

It wasn't that he praised bailouts, fudged his online résumé or even that he got caught appearing at a pro-cockfighting rally. No, according to Louisville businessman Matt Bevin, the blame for his loss in the May 20 Republican primary to U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell belongs squarely with the voters. "We have increasingly less courage in our country, and that's something we suffer from," Bevin told Politico. "It's disappointing to me not even as much as a candidate but as an American, how apathetic and timid we have become as a nation." Bevin, who is said to be considering a run for [...]

Fri, Aug 08, 2014 1:35:00 PM, Continue reading at the source

Ky Congressional delegation split on U.S. airstrikes in Iraq

"The President is taking necessary steps to protect American personnel and interests from direct threats of terrorist violence in Iraq," Yarmuth said in a statement to WHAS11, "and to prevent an act of genocide by ISIL against the Yazidi people." [...]

Tue, Aug 12, 2014 4:56:37 PM, Continue reading at the source

Paul not first ensnared in Mideast policy in Iowa

Republican Sen. Rand Paul says he's never proposed ending U.S. aid payments to Israel, and is immediately confronted by his own budget proposal from 2011 to end such payments to all nations, including Israel. [...]

Tue, Aug 12, 2014 4:56:37 PM, Continue reading at the source

VIDEO: Bill Clinton compliments Joe Arnold's tie

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WHAS11) -- During a Lexington campaign stop with Alison Lundergan Grimes, former President Bill Clinton compliments WHAS11 political editor Joe Arnold's tie. [...]

Tue, Aug 12, 2014 4:56:37 PM, Continue reading at the source