BluegrassReport.org

Fletcher Becomes Patton

Recall Governor Fletcher's (R) anger in 2003 when -- in the weeks before leaving office -- then Governor Patton (D) appointed new members to the Kentucky Racing Commission. So furious was Fletcher that he immediately disbanded the commission upon taking office and replaced it with the Kentucky Racing Authority with new members which he appointed.

Listen to how they whined:

Republicans and their incoming governor, Ernie Fletcher, are crying foul. Although Patton has the authority to pack seats with anyone he chooses until Dec. 9, that-doesn't mean he should, they said. Fletcher is urging recent Patton appointees to decline to serve.

"Any additional appointments will be disappointing as Kentuckians overwhelmingly gave us a mandate to bring-real change to state government, and that includes boards and commissions," said Daniel Groves, Fletcher's chief of staff.

[...]

Yesterday, several Senate leaders came out fighting and accused the lame-duck governor of unseemly arrogance.

"I actually admired Paul Patton and even considered him a friend until last week, when he decided to push for keno and make all these appointments, all at the last minute," said Sen. Charlie Borders, R-Russell, the Republican caucus chair.

"It's like he's somehow more important than the commonwealth," Borders said. "It's like his ego is more important than allowing the next administration to start finding its voice."

So, aside from helping to force the scary Jon Draud (R) down the throats of Kentuckians as the new state school commissioner, we now see Fletcher's cronies quickly trying to hand out the final racing license before he leaves office -- knowing that such a license probably means a gaming license if expanded gaming is enacted:

The Kentucky Horse Racing Authority could decide before the end of the year whether to grant the state's last racetrack license to Sprint Racing Partners' proposed quarter-horse facility near London.

Authority Executive Director Lisa Underwood said one of its committees is scheduling a hearing for Dec. 10, but she doesn't know whether the application will be on the agenda for the Dec. 17 authority meeting.

...The timing of granting a license also could play a role in whether the track would be eligible for a casino, assuming the legislature places a constitutional amendment allowing gaming on the ballot and voters approve it. Bills to govern the awarding of casinos have limited some of them to tracks licensed by a certain date.

Apparently, it's okay if Fletcher does the very thing he criticized Patton for doing. A shameless hypocrite until the end.

I guess Governor Beshear (D) could always disband the Racing Authority if he so chose -- exactly like Fletcher did -- but that's just my two cents.

Fletcher's Campaign Admits They Lied About Anti-Gaming Issue

Not that we didn't already know that Governor Fletcher (R) was lying through teeth during the campaign, but it's good to see they acknowledge it.

Here what Fletcher said in the final week of the general election on his flip-flop on the gaming issue:

Bishop, who campaigned with Fletcher in his successful 2003 governor's race and who later accepted a position as mansion director, said the governor couldn't ignore the gambling issue.

"Fletcher believes in his heart that this would not be good for Kentucky," Bishop said, "and he felt it was his responsibility as governor to take a stand."

Fletcher said Bishop is right.

"This is not about strategy," Fletcher said. "I don't think people understand that."

And here's what his campaign told the Herald-Leader in a story that came yesterday as they looked back on the election:

The campaign's first internal poll taken in early June tested possible negative messages about Democratic challenger Steve Beshear -- he favored casinos, once lobbied for the payday loan industry and worked on the liquidation of Kentucky Central Life Insurance Co. The poll respondents were then read a list of Fletcher's accomplishments and were asked to pick between the two candidates.

Even after laying out the best-case scenario for Fletcher, "we still couldn't get over 44 percent," said Marty Ryall, Fletcher's campaign manager.

[...]

What the Fletcher campaign did next was a bit unorthodox and more than a little controversial, especially among some of the governor's staunchest allies. The strategy was to change the subject, specifically to the issue of casinos upon which Beshear proudly built his Democratic primary platform.

"If we could make it a referendum on casinos instead of a referendum on the governor, we might have a chance," Ryall said. "We knew it was a long shot."

...After the campaign's June poll results came back, Fletcher's key advisers agreed on one of their weekly Wednesday conference calls that opposing casinos was the best option because the numbers showed that socially conservative voters might respond to such a message.

Convincing Fletcher, however, was the first task.

"We acknowledged that it was unconventional; it was kind of a Hail Mary," said Bill Kenyon, political director for Fletcher's media consulting firm Strategic Perception, Inc., in a phone interview from his Texas home. "Like most political figures given their preference, he would have rather talked about his achievements. That just wasn't going to put us over the goal line."

Fletcher said last month that he and first lady Glenna Fletcher looked at all the data -- poll numbers and statistics about the effect casinos have on communities --and signed off on the approach.

By late June, Fletcher had altered his public stance on the issue from staying neutral to declaring, "No casinos."

Contrary to Fletcher's assertion more than a week ago that "this is not about strategy" it seems it was all about strategy. Unfortunately, yesterday's Herald-Leader story doesn't point out how brazenly dishonest Fletcher was on this issue.

Fletcher Tries To Weasel His Way Out Of Those Pesky Pro-Amnesty Votes He Cast In 2002

It's one thing for Governor Fletcher (R) to constantly flip-flop on issues, but he should at least have the courage of admitting it when he does so.

Case in point: Recall yesterday's latest shameless Fletcher flip-flop where Fletcher's desperation now has him jumping on the illegal immigration bandwagon, despite his 2002 support of amnesty for some illegal immigrants. Instead of acknowledging that his position has changed, Fletcher instead sends out his mouthpiece to simply lie to the voters on his behalf and claim he didn't vote for amnesty.

Unfortunately for Fletcher, this thingee called the Internet allows us to look at what really happened -- not simply accept his dishonest spin. You see, there are a number of organizations that track immigration-related legislation in Congress and how members of Congress vote on the issue. Here's one of the many that tracked then Congressman Fletcher's immigration positions and votes.

And here's an image from the site on Fletcher and his amnesty votes:

Governor, why must you lie all the time? Don't you know that the voters don't like lying hypocrites?

How Does Fletcher Keep Track Of All His Shameless Flip-Flops?

Ernie Fletcher Version 2007 is such a joke. If he's not blatantly and pathetically flip-flopping on issues like expanded gaming or whether universities should be allowed to provide domestic partner benefits, he takes yet another hard-right flip-flop -- this time on immigration.

Today, our good governor went nuts on some illegal immigration issue that the City of Lexington is dealing with. But the interesting thing is how Fletcher voted on issues of illegal immigration in Congress as recently as 2002.

Thanks to a find by conservative blogger Steve Manning, turns out that Fletcher supported (and voted for) legislation that would have provided real amnesty for some illegal aliens. I'm dead serious. It was legislation that was opposed by both Rep. Ed Whitfield (R) and Rep. Ron Lewis (R).

Here's part of what Manning reported:

Governor Wasn't Tough On Illegals In 2002
Rep. Ernie Fletcher voted on the floor of the House IN FAVOR OF a motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 1885, a four-month extension of Section 245(i), which is a de facto amnesty in that current federal policy did not deport illegal aliens once they applied for Section 245(i) and allowed them to remain in the U.S. for years until they were allowed to become official immigrants...

In fact, at the time, one of the leading conservative groups -- Eagle Forum -- blasted the legislation:

On Tuesday, March 12, the House of Representatives will vote on the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act (H.R. 1885). While this bill contains important border security measures, it includes an extension of Section 245(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which permits illegal aliens to remain in the United States. Because the bill is being brought to the floor under suspension of the rules, there will be no opportunity for amendment. Therefore, the entire bill should be rejected.

After the legislation passed the House, with Fletcher's support, Eagle Forum declared:

MARCH 12, 2002: House passes H.R. 1885 by 275 to 137.
11 million illegal aliens are in the U.S. It is wrong, un-American, and unjust to amnesty them ahead of all the people who are waiting in line for legal admission. In the most important vote of the 107th Congress, only 137 Members were willing to Stand Up for America and the Rule of Law.

Fletcher 2002 is a very different man than Fletcher 2007, now that he's headed for an embarrassing landslide defeat after just one miserable term as governor.

Desperation has quite a hold over him, doesn't it?

UPDATE (5:55 PM): The Beshear camp apparently also has a problem with Fletcher's policy re-invention. Here's a portion of their response to the latest flip-flop:

The need for the Mayor of Lexington to form a commission advising him and city officials of how to deal with the influx of illegal immigrants in his city underscores the importance of why we need a national response to address the issue of illegal immigration.

Those, like Ernie Fletcher, who served in Congress for years and did not provide a solution to the problem have no business preaching reform. In fact, as a Congressman, Ernie Fletcher voted for legislation that would have provided amnesty for some illegal aliens. We need the federal government to address these issues and stop dumping the burden on states or, in this case, our cities. 

Nice work, Steve Manning.

Danville Advocate-Messenger's Brock Takes Fletcher to Woodshed

Herb Brock doesn't mince words in his Danville Advocate-Messenger political column when it comes to the phony double-talk and flip-flopping coming from the desperate mouth of the great one-termer, Governor Fletcher (R):

These commercials would be even more effective if we believed our Republican governor is sincere. But that's a difficult conclusion to reach. The reason for the believability problem is the fact that, until just a few months ago when the campaign season started and it was clear his Democratic opponent, Steve Beshear, was going to make casino gambling a big item in his platform, Fletcher said he favored putting the matter on the ballot and letting voters decide if they wanted to legalize casinos.

While Fletcher didn't state whether he would vote for or against casinos if the issue were on the ballot, he certainly never made any statements that would come close to the moral outrage and indignation that mark his current anti-casino campaign.

There's quite a bit of separation from his kind laid-back, laissez-faire original position of letting Kentuckians make the decision whether there is casino gambling to his new hell-fire and brimstone position that has him playing an angry, Ten Commandments-toting Moses atop a mountain and casting verbal stones down on his fellow Jews as they engaged in depravity and debauchery while he was trying to lead them to the promised land.

Is this the same Moses who can't wait to get face time on the first Saturday in May on a national network at the end of the Kentucky Derby so he can promote horse-racing which, oh, by the way, generates millions of dollars in bets on Derby Day alone? Maybe that tablet he's carrying around is a stone version of the Racing Form.

The governor's transition from a mouse to a Moses on the subject of casino gambling clearly is a political conversion - a deathbed conversion given what polls indicate are slim chances his slick advertising campaign will pay off - notwithstanding the fact that Fletcher is an ordained Baptist minister.

Can I get an "amen"?

More Mindboggling Fletcher Hypocrisy

Another day, another discovery of more incredible shameless hypocrisy from our desperate Governor Fletcher (R) on his manufactured anti-gaming position.

Fletcher continues to allege that if Steve Beshear (D) is elected Governor we will see endless casino money flowing into the state. But as we learned a few months ago, Fletcher had no problems taking tens of thousands of dollars from those entities for himself and his party since he's been governor.

But it gets better. Much better.

As we also know, the Republican Governors Association (RGA) has spent several hundred thousand dollars in television ads in Kentucky unsuccessfully trying to prop-up Fletcher over the past few months. Well, I just took the time to review their last two campaign finance reports (filed in January and July 2007) and guess which entities contributed a total of $507,225 towards the RGA's efforts in the past year?

See for yourself (click image for larger version):

Funny, but I don't recall Fletcher ever objecting to casino-funded ads backing his re-election bid. Do you? What a pathetic and shameless man.

And don't forget that Fletcher's own media consultant -- Fred Davis -- is doing the RGA's independent ads in the Louisiana governor's race, as legally questionable as that is.

Click here and here to see the full reports.

The Lies Fletcher Told State Employees

A reader who is a state merit worker reminded me of the failed promises candidate Ernie Fletcher (R) made in 2003 to state workers, a block that largely believed the sincerity of his "clean-up the mess in Frankfort" mantra. Instead, we learned just how much contempt Fletcher has for state employees.

Here's part of a late October 2003 AP story from a Fletcher campaign event in Frankfort:

Republican Ernie Fletcher met with state workers Wednesday and promised as governor he would maintain a "strong and solvent" state retirement system and keep the state's merit system intact.

Fletcher met with supporters on the front steps of the Capitol, where he said he meant to assuage any concerns about his administration brought about by "scare tactics." Fletcher, the 6th District congressman, said as governor he would work to lower health care costs for state employees and vowed "vital state services" would not be privatized.

"Change is always something that provokes a little concern in any of us, and I want to assure them that should I have the deep honor and privilege of serving them as their governor, that I want to work with them in a team spirit," Fletcher said.

[...]

"The current merit system has been very effective in keeping politics out of the state government employees' business," Fletcher said. "I believe that it would be a mistake to do anything that would undermine the current merit system, and I strongly support a good, strong solid merit system."

His administration would "do all we can" to provide merit state employees with their promised 5 percent annual raises, Fletcher said.

"As we balance this budget, we will work to return to that as fast as we can," Fletcher said.

The reader noted:

After becoming Governor, Ernie violated the merit system like nobody before him, then recommended a blue ribbon panel (headed by Erwin Roberts) to change the merit system.

Also, Ernie went around the state passing out checks asking Kentuckians how to spend a $400+ million dollar surplus but never mentioned the 5% raise he promised to bring back.  Whether the people of this state think state workers should get a 5% raise or not, Ernie made the state workers that promise in order to get their vote.

So true. I can't wait for those same 33,000 state employees to have their say on November 6th.

The Man With Nothing Positive To Say

The most remarkable thing about this gubernatorial race has been how the Fletcher-Rudolph campaign has only offered attacks on Steve Beshear (D) and the singular theme of opposition to expanded gaming...and nothing else. Nothing positive. No issues. No discussion of their abysmal record. Nada.

Sadly, this desperate campaign -- and its equally desperate national party -- have launched another smear on Beshear, again doctoring photos to try to convince voters of their lies. (BlueGrassRoots has the scoop).

But what's so audacious about Fletcher's current desperate tactics is the 180 they've done since the primary when they blasted Anne Northup (R) for only attacking and not offering any substance -- just like they are doing now.

Here's a look back at the two-faced lectures from these crooks:

January 19:

Fletcher's campaign manager denied the allegations and said they set a dire mood for an election the campaign hoped would focus on ideas.

They are "unfounded," Marty Ryall said. "It would be nice if we could hear what her plans for the future are, what her vision for the future is."

"She's been in the race only 24 hours and already has the sound of a desperate candidate," he said.

March 5:

"Ann Northup has been on a negative rampage against Gov. Fletcher since entering this race," Ryall said in an e-mail. "She has no ideas or agenda other than to tear down our first Republican governor in 32 years.

March 12:

'The voters deserve better than what they're getting out of the Northup campaign,' Ryall said. 'All we've seen from them is attacks.'

March 23:

In response to questions today, he told reporters he wouldn't get involved in "the politics of destruction" and said "I'm not going to comment on my opponent".

You can almost smell the desperation, can't you?

Ernie 180

This is great. From the Bluegrass Freedom Fund, which looks like it's getting geared-up for communicating with Kentuckians. This is on You Tube for now, but I suspect they'll be on television and radio sooner rather than later.

Flip-Flop Fletcher Can't Keep His Rants Straight

Don't you love it when Governor Flip-Flop Fletcher (R) can't keep his politically-expedient rants straight?

Today, Attorney General Stumbo (D) threatened legal action against the Fletcher administration for violating state law in his appointment of trustees to the University of Kentucky and University of Louisville by disregarding the plain statutory language that the boards much reflect the political make-up of the state, to ensure that a governor could not stack the boards with members of his own party. (Click here for Stumbo's letter).

In response, Fletcher's office stated:

"Governor Fletcher is committed to appointing the best and brightest individuals to serve in these positions. The Governor has followed the law."

Of course, it was these very individuals that nearly unanimously voted to allow UofL and UK to offer domestic partner benefits, which Fletcher now believes (after some painful flip-flopping) is one of the biggest problems the state faces and which was worthy of calling the General Assembly into special session to address.

So, according to Fletcher, on some days these individuals are the "best and brightest" while on others they have such bad judgment as to worthy emergency legislative sessions to fix their actions. What a farce.

Flip, flop. Flip, flop. Flip, flop. Flip, flop. Flip, flop...

Of course, if Fletcher would just take State Rep. J.R. Gray's (D) advice from earlier this year, he could fix both problems at once. But that would require a governor who had core values, really cared about his rants on domestic partner benefits, and wanted to comply with the law.

But then we are talking about someone as disingenuous and corrupt as Fletcher...

Fletcher Campaign Lies To Media On His Solicitation Of Casino Contributions

Pat Crowley had an excellent piece in Saturday's Kentucky Enquirer on the brazen hypocrisy of Governor Fletcher (R) and his fellow Republicans for the tens of thousands of dollars that they took in casino contributions over the years.

What is particularly noteworthy is how Fletcher's campaign lied to Crowley when confronted with the contributions by stating that Fletcher "has never solicited contributions from those organizations."

As usual from these guys, they dare not speak the truth about their shameless hypocrisy.

As published here last week was a Las Vegas Review-Journal story from September 1999 which mentions Fletcher's fundraising solicitation letter to the American Gaming Association -- the lobbying group that "represents the commercial casino entertainment industry":

Rep. Ernie Fletcher, R-Kent., sent invites for a $1,000-a-person golfing fund raiser at the Peninsula Golf Resort in Lancaster, Ky.

Prizes were to be presented for a hole-in-one contest, the longest drive, coming closest to the pin.

No mention was made as to whether any specialized legislation would be a part of the prize package.

Hmmm, that seems like the textbook version of a lie to me.

Also, I just loved Mark Guifoyle's response to Fletcher's hypocrisy in Crowley's piece:

"The level of hypocrisy is breathtaking," Guilfoyle said. "The governor is taking contributions from gambling interests, putting out a proclamation on responsible gambling spearheaded by gambling interests, and his lieutenant governor has spent three years promoting expanded gaming.

"I guess we're supposed to forget all that," he said.

Crowley's story is definitely worth a read.

The Shameless Hypocrisy Of The GOP On Casinos...Isn't It Time For The Kentucky Media To Take A Critical Look?

Okay, let's get down to business and start peeling the rotten onion that Governor Fletcher (R) is trying to pass-off as his campaign platform.

This is pretty pathetic. As I said in my earlier post, an incumbent governor nearly four years into his failed term doesn't get to campaign on platitudes and his latest vision rooted firmly into yet another painful flip-flop. No, an incumbent governor has to run on his record. Fletcher would rather run from it and instead is trying to deceive the public on issues where he had a rather sudden (and shameless) metamorphosis just a few months ago: domestic partner benefits and gambling.

Let's leave the domestic partner flip-flop for another time. Instead, let's talk about gaming for a minute, and hope that the media in Kentucky consider asking Fletcher & Crooks to explain the disturbingly hypocritical facts behind their latest dishonest propaganda.

One of the latest babbling talking points coming from Fletcher, his Mini-Me (Robbie Rudolph) and the man hoping to be the state's first theocratic attorney general (Stan Lee) is that somehow Democrats are in the pockets of gaming industry. According to Fletcher:

Fletcher claimed Beshear, a Lexington attorney and former lieutenant governor, "would buy his way to get casinos in the state."

Asked after his speech what he meant by that, Fletcher said, "He will bring in a bunch of casino money.

"He has said he has to get it passed ... He will have the resources from Vegas to get it done."

Then lunatic Lee blasted Jack Conway (D) for taking a contribution from Harrah's in 2002:

Even though Harrah's Entertainment Inc, a Las Vegas, Nevada based corporation that owns Caesars Indiana, gave $1,000 to Jack Conway's 2002 Congressional campaign, I am now calling on him to do the right thing, and stand with me in opposition to Steve Beshear and his misguided plan to make Kentucky the next Nevada."

Tisk, tisk. So much for the 9th commandment about bearing false witness.

First, let's take a look at who else Harrah's has contributed money to in the past few years:

HARRAH'S ENTERTAINMENT IMPACTS PUBLIC POLICY

• Republican Party of Kentucky -- $2,500 (2006)
• Kentucky Republican State Senate Caucus -- $2,500 (2006)
• Rogers for Congress -- $1,000 (2006)
• Bluegrass Committee (McConnell) -- $1,000 (2004)
• Fletcher/Pence Inaugural Committee -- $5,000 (2004)
• HALPAC (H. Rogers) -- $5,000 (2004)
• Bunning for Senate -- $2,000 (2004)
• Whitfield for Congress -- $1,000 (2000)
• Northup for Congress -- $1,000 (2000)
• Whitfield for Congress -- $5,000 (1998)
• Northup for Congress -- $7,500 (1998)
• Bunning for Senate -- $7,000 (1998)

Got that? Harrah's may have given Conway $1,000 in 2002, but they gave Kentucky Republicans -- including Fletcher's own inaugural committee -- more than $40,000, much of it a lot more recently than 2002. (Note -- the Harrah's link above only lists federal contributions. Click here and here for the state contributions to RPK, Fletcher, and the KYGOP Senate Caucus).

Also, maybe someone should ask the RPK about its June 2005 expenditures for a trip Las Vegas (when they stayed at Wynn Las Vegas Resort), right at the same time the RPK and the Republican Senate Caucus scored $5,000 from Harrah's. Isn't that worth asking, seeing that Fletcher and Lee think casino contributions are so important. Who went to Vegas at RPK expense?

And that's just Harrah's. See below for the rest of the big gaming PACs (and I deliberately left-off Churchill Downs, to be generous to the GOP). The gaming PACs just love those Kentucky Republicans...

Also, aside from the tens of thousands in casino cash that Fletcher, Pence, RPK, David Williams Senate Caucus, McConnell, Bunning, Northup, and Whitfield have taken over the years...let's not forget the lobbyists for the interests that want casinos in Kentucky and who are paid to lobby the legislative and executive branches of Kentucky government:

CHURCHILL DOWNS: Among its lobbyists are John McCarthy (former Republican Party chairman), Jeff Speaks (former top Hal Rogers staffer),  Amy Wickliffe (former Chief of Staff to First Lady Glenna Fletcher), and Jason Bentley (former director of Fletcher Energy Policy office);

TURFWAY PARK:  Its sole paid lobbyist is Ellen Williams (former Republican party chair and former director of Fletcher's GOLD office);

ELLIS PARK: Its sole paid lobbyist is Kelley Abell (former executive director of the Republican Party).

In each case, the primary mission of these race track lobbyists was expanded gaming. In fact, check out this old post about a fundraising that U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz) hosted last year for the Republican State Senate Caucus and all of their names show up on the host committee. How perfect.

Of course, none of this includes the massive amounts of money that Fletcher and his Republican hypocrites have taken from Kentucky's top casino backers such as Jerry Carroll, Bob Elliston, Bill Yung, Bill Butler. Apparently, they don't count.

And beyond the aggressive efforts of current Lt. Governor Steve Pence (R), who traveled the Commonwealth (before he dropped off the ticket) evangelizing how important casinos were to Kentucky, was this little morsel that is the cherry on top of this sundae. It comes from a September 1999 story in the Las Vegas Review-Journal about all the fundraising invites that the American Gaming Association (see their KY GOP contributions below) had received from members of Congress that week:

Las Vegas Review-Journal (NV)
September 27, 1999   
Edition: FINAL EDITION

Pols reach out and put touch on gaming association
Author: Dave Berns

It was an average wave of solicitation cards and faxes that were received at American Gaming Association headquarters this past week in Washington, D.C.

Everyone from Rep. Steve Largent, R-Okla., an outspoken conservative who is close with gambling opponent James Dobson, to House Majority Whip Tom DeLay, R-Texas, who has ties to Venetian boss Sheldon Adelson, sought political donations from the casino industry's national lobbying arm. There were 25 invites in all.

For example:

-Donors giving $ 500 to $ 2,000 apiece were invited to an afternoon of 'tennis and camaraderie' with Largent, a rising star on the Republican right.

'Proceeds benefit Leadership for America's Future PAC (LEADPAC), a leadership PAC chaired by Congressman Steve Largent,' read a single-page invite. 'Contributions can be federal hard, nonfederal soft or individual.'

-Rep. Floyd Spence, R-S.C., chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, invited potential $ 500 donors to his annual South Carolina barbecue at the Capitol Hill Club.

If you're unable to attend just check the box reading, 'I'm sorry. I will be unable to attend but am enclosing my check in the amount of $ '

-Rep. Ernie Fletcher, R-Kent., sent invites for a $ 1,000-a-person golfing fund raiser at the Peninsula Golf Resort in Lancaster, Ky.

Prizes were to be presented for a hole-in-one contest, the longest drive, coming closest to the pin.

No mention was made as to whether any specialized legislation would be a part of the prize package.

According to his federal campaign reports, it seems that Congressman Fletcher never did get any of the gaming money he sought with his fundraising invitation. But bless his little heart for trying.

We can disagree with whether casinos are good or not for the state. That's a legitimate debate. But we don't need a lecture about casino contributions from such a pack of shameless hypocritical Republicans who plainly see that their days in office are numbered. There is so much more to the gaming hypocrisy (including interesting tidbits about the casino preferences of high-rolling blow-hards like Senate President David Williams (R)), but I'll save those for another time.

Meanwhile, enjoy the list of all the Kentucky Republicans who have happily bathed in casino contributions over the years...

AMERICAN GAMING ASSOC

• HALPAC (H. Rogers) -- $2,500 (2006)
• Bunning for Senate -- $1,000 (2004)
• Bluegrass Committee (McConnell) -- $1,000 (indiv contrib, VP Sales) (2004)
• HALPAC (H. Rogers) -- $1,000 (2004)

BOYD GAMING

• Bunning for Senate -- $1,000 (2004)
• HALPAC (H. Rogers) -- $1,000 (2004)

CAESAR'S ENTERTAINMENT

• HALPAC (H. Rogers) -- $5,000 (2004)
• Northup for Congress -- $2,000 (2004)

HARRAH'S ENTERTAINMENT IMPACTS PUBLIC POLICY

• Republican Party of Kentucky -- $2,500 (2006)
• Kentucky Republican State Senate Caucus -- $2,500 (2006)
• Rogers for Congress -- $1,000 (2006)
• Bluegrass Committee (McConnell) -- $1,000 (2004)
• Fletcher/Pence Inaugural Committee -- $5,000 (2004)
• HALPAC (H. Rogers) -- $5,000 (2004)
• Bunning for Senate -- $2,000 (2004)
• Whitfield for Congress -- $1,000 (2000)
• Northup for Congress -- $1,000 (2000)
• Whitfield for Congress -- $5,000 (1998)
• Northup for Congress -- $7,500 (1998)
• Bunning for Senate -- $7,000 (1998)

MANDALAY RESORT GROUP

• Bunning for Senate -- $2,000 (2006)
• HALPAC (H. Rogers) -- $500 (2004)

MGM MIRAGE

• HALPAC (H. Rogers) -- $2,500 (2006)
• Northup for Congress -- $2,500 (2006)
• Bluegrass Committee (McConnell) -- $3,500 (2004)
• Whitfield for Congress -- $1,000 (2004)
• Northup for Congress -- $5,000 (2004)
• HALPAC (H. Rogers) -- $5,000 (2004)
• Bunning for Senate -- $3,000 (2004)

STATION CASINOS

• Bluegrass Committee (McConnell) -- $1,000 (2004)
• Bunning for Senate -- $1,000 (2004)
• HALPAC (H. Rogers) -- $2,500 (2004)

TROPICANO RESORT & CASINO

• Bluegrass Committee (McConnell) -- $2,000 (2004)
• Bunning for Senate -- $1,000 (2004)

P.S. -- It's good to be back...

The Fraud That Is Governor Ernie Fletcher (R)

When he first ran for Congress in 1996 (and lost), State Rep. Ernest Fletcher (R) (as he was known then) got a little worked-up over how he believed incumbent U.S. Rep. Scotty Baesler (D) wrongly spent taxpayer money.

Sound familiar?

Now the good Governor Ernest Lee Fletcher has wholly embraced taxpayer-funded re-election campaigns for incumbents only, which includes holiday trips to Manhattan replete with $489/night hotel suites, dinner at San Domenico, truffles, and jaunts to Bloomingdale's (all taxpayer-paid) while raising money for his campaign.

Seems that morphing from "Ernest" to "Ernie" wasn't the only re-invention that Fletcher has offered us over the years. Here's a look back at the outrage of Ernest the challenger. Notice any similarities?

Herald-Leader, Brammer (October 31, 1996):

U.S. Rep. Scotty Baesler lashed out yesterday at Republican challenger Ernest Fletcher for mailing to voters in Central Kentucky's 6th Congressional District a pamphlet that accuses Baesler of spending tax dollars on "sunny beaches and fine dining."

...Fletcher stood by the pamphlet. "I can document everything in my campaign materials," he said while campaigning in Sadieville in Scott County. "I take Baesler's reaction to indicate that he must be disappointed in his record..."

Bright yellow pamphlets in voters' mail boxes this week show photos of a sandy beach, a couple dining and a jet plane on a runway. Paid for by the National Republican Congressional Committee and authorized by Fletcher's campaign, they claim that "liberal Democrat Scotty Baesler is wasting our tax dollars" by spending thousands of dollars for meals in Lexington, Florida and New Orleans and billing them to taxpayers.

Herald-Leader, Brammer (October 30, 1996):

At a campaign rally on the University of Kentucky campus with House Majority Leader Dick Armey of Texas, Fletcher told a crowd of about 200 in the Student Center Ballroom that Baesler, in his final days as Lexington mayor, used city workers on government time to load furniture at his private residence in Lexington for his move to Washington.

One of the workers was injured as Baesler was trying to help him lift a sofa, Fletcher said. Baesler ended up paying more than $30,000 to cover workers' compensation costs.

"That's not the kind of individual we want representing us," Fletcher said. "Character does matter."

Fletcher eventually won his congressional seat in 1998 after Baesler vacated it to run for the U.S. Senate, losing to Jim Bunning (R). In 2000, Baesler challenged Fletcher for his old seat and Fletcher made a federal case out of Baesler's work as a political appointee during the Patton Administration.

Associated Press (July 14, 2000):

Congressional candidate Scotty Baesler has a second contract with a state agency as a hearing officer besides a consulting job with the governor's office.

...Republican U.S. Rep. Ernie Fletcher said Thursday he is troubled by Baesler's contracts with state government, especially one Fletcher said is a lobbying job at $125 per hour.

"It actually shows a pattern of, I think, questionable propriety and abuse of taxpayer money," Fletcher said.

Isn't it sad that an ordained Baptist minister can so quickly morph into the hypocritical charlatan that Fletcher has become?

P.S. - One last thing. I couldn't help but notice this item on the San Domenico website about their annual White Truffle Gala. Get the state plane ready...

Best Known For...
SAN DOMENICO HAS GOT WHITE TRUFFLE FEVER! JOIN US FOR OUR ANNUAL WHITE TRUFFLE GALA DINNER ON NOVEMBER 15, $225 PER PERSON PLUS TAX AND TIP.

Write The Check, Ernie Fletcher

The Northup-Hoover campaign has come out swinging this morning on Governor Fletcher's (R) partial public financing of his campaign. I'll bet you thought the legislature had eliminated that.

“Write the check Ernie Fletcher”
Northup Campaign challenges Fletcher to give full accounting of misappropriated tax dollars

With the May primary less than three weeks away, the Northup campaign challenged Ernie Fletcher to provide a full accounting of every trip he has taken a state owned and operated plane, helicopter or automobile that was linked to a political event.

“Ernie Fletcher has been caught abusing the taxpayers’ money to travel around doing fundraisers,” said Barry Peel, Northup campaign spokesman.  “We challenge the Governor to give the public a full accounting of those trips and the cost he is planning to refund to taxpayers before the May 7th cut off for the next campaign finance report.”

The Fletcher campaign has lost all credibility on this issue and the voters have no way to trust them.

Initially, Fletcher’s campaign admitted they abused taxpayer money and responded they will not pay any of it back.   

Then they claim they will only pay back money they misappropriated since January 1st.

Finally under intense pressure from the Northup campaign, they decide to say they will review their schedule and pay back amounts going back an unspecified date.   

“After all the times they changed their tune, how can the public trust them?” asked Peel.  “The only thing that would satisfy the public is for them to throw open both Ernie Fletcher and Robbie Rudolph’s schedules and answer to the voters.”

“Republicans across Kentucky know what waste, fraud and abuse is and this is it,” concluded Peel.  “Give the voters an accounting and write the check Ernie Fletcher.”

Why does the term "waste, fraud and abuse" keep popping-up for me?

He Flips, He Flops, And Then He Flips Again...

Amazingly, Governor Fletcher (R) is now unsure whether he wants the General Assembly to deal with domestic partner benefits, at least per the Courier-Journal's 4:01 pm update.

But stay tuned folks, he might change his mind again tomorrow after checking with his pollster. It was probably a lot easier for Fletcher a few years ago when he could have just called Senator McConnell (R) for instruction. I guess Fletcher shouldn't have burned that bridge...

UPDATE (4/25, 8:08 AM): The Courier-Journal noted the same thing in this morning's editorial:

A year ago, he took the sensible stance that universities should determine their own policies. Then he reversed himself and opposed such benefits.

Now, he doesn't seem to know what he thinks, telling Courier-Journal reporter Joe Gerth that he may or may not include the issue on the list of subjects for a special session.

Hoover On Fletcher

In follow-up to the post about last night's Republican debate were these pointed and accurate comments by Jeff Hoover (R) regarding Governor Fletcher's (R) flip-flop on the domestic partner issue and how it's a perfect microcosm of all that's wrong with the Fletcher administration.

From Ronnie Ellis:

Hoover, the Republican Floor Leader in the House, said later no one in the administration has discussed with him placing that issue on a special session agenda. And in passing, he took another shot at the administration.

“If we’d had any leadership from the governor’s office during the regular session – if they hadn’t closed their door every day at 5 o’clock – it wouldn’t be necessary to place this on a special session,” Hoover said. Northup and Hoover have criticized Fletcher for not being engaged during the legislative session, spending too much time out in the state campaigning and doling out checks for projects.

[...]

Hoover said the campaign should be about leadership above all else.

”Leadership is what this campaign should be about,” Hoover concluded. “Not about grand jury indictments and pardons.”

Flip-Flop Fletcher -- The Governor With No Core Political Beliefs

One of the saddest things about the abysmal performance of Governor Fletcher (R) is how the man has no discernible core political beliefs. For him, decisions seem to be a simple calculation about how he can stay in office.

Despite my efforts, I've failed to discover any overarching political philosophy or guiding principles for Fletcher, other than doing or saying whatever he feels is necessary to retain political power (not very different from the current day Kentucky Democratic Party). On countless issues, he's shifted 180 degrees in a matter of weeks or months, and then claims credit for the outcome. We've seen it with the state pension fund, the level of debt in the budget, profligate government spending, etc.

You can domestic partner benefits to that list.

Here's what is being reported today:

The issue of whether state universities may offer domestic partner benefits may show up on a call for a special session.

...Rudolph said he and Fletcher have discussed putting the hot-button topic before lawmakers if the governor does call a special session before the legislature is scheduled to return in January. Rudolph spoke during a live debate Monday night on Kentucky Educational Television. He said he opposes domestic partner benefits for public university employees.

Of course, here's what Fletcher said two months ago:

Gov. Ernie Fletcher said earlier in the day that he thinks it is the responsibility of the board of trustees at each one of the universities to make those decisions.

What a rudderless, clueless, politically-expedient man we have as governor.

More Fletcher Flip-Flopping

Larry Dale Keeling makes an excellent point about our wimpy Governor Fletcher (R) who seems to govern without a compass, or even a strong sense of which direction he should head on any given day:

Fletcher's hasty switch from ordering up an in-depth study of a very real problem to urging lawmakers to slap an unvetted Band-Aid on it right now was a marvelous example of a politician executing one of the staples of that particular trade: the 180-degree flip-flop.

Fletcher Ad Fact Check

The Northup-Hoover campaign has just released a pretty compelling fact-check on Fletcher's wimp ad:

Northup News: Fletcher Ad Fact Check
Ernie Fletcher has premiered his first TV ad of the campaign, and continues to portray his record with only quick sound bytes because the facts do not back him up.

He claims the following accomplishments, but here are the facts:

“Booming Economy” & “Good Jobs”

-In 2003 when Ernie Fletcher took office, Kentucky ranked 37th in unemployment. Now Kentucky ranks 46th out of the 50 states in unemployment making our ranking the 4th worst in the nation.

-Kentucky is ranked 45th in New Economy growth, tracking entrepreneurship, workforce education, and high-tech capacity. We were ranked 42nd before Fletcher took office in 2002. (2007 State New Economy Index)

“Budget Surplus”

-In Fletcher’s 2007 State of the Commonwealth Address, he proposed a shopping list of $300 million worth of new spending for fiscal years 2007 and 2008. While the surplus dollars have yet to materialize, Governor Fletcher has already gone ahead and spent three fourths of the projected total. (SofC 2007)

“Tax Breaks”

-Fletcher actually raised taxes on small businesses with low profit margins, the most vulnerable sector of our economy, rather than gave them tax breaks. Over the next three years, the AMC will drag in $400 million, money that should be in the pockets of small business owners. (HB 88 Fiscal Note)

-Kentucky’s business “friendliness” ranks 39th worst in the nation, while our surrounding states enjoy rankings such as 12th (Indiana), 13th (Virginia), 15th (Missouri) and 18th (Tennessee). (Tax Foundation, 2007)

“Revitalized Schools”

-Kentucky is ranked 41st in the “chance for success” index measuring the likelihood of child born in Kentucky to have a prosperous adulthood. (Cradle to Career Report 2007)

-Kentucky’s 4th and 8th graders are well behind the national average in math achievement scores. (Cradle to Career Report 2007)

-While other states have overhauled their math and science curriculum and compete for the next generation of jobs, our schools have fallen behind because our governor has provided no leadership on this issue and has no plan.

You can’t make this stuff up!

The imagery in his ad is almost as ridiculous as his list of accomplishments, including when the ad shows Ernie Fletcher walking home from work. On June 28, 2006, the Associated Press ran a story that despite living in a mansion only 500 yards from his office, Fletcher routinely gets in his state paid car and is driven home. If you don’t believe it, read it for yourself.

Ernie Fletcher admits he is not a fighter. Over the last three years, Kentucky has seen this first hand. He has not fought for pension reform, medical malpractice reform, changes in the prevailing wage laws, lower taxes, smaller government or fiscal restraint.

Over the course of this campaign, you will continue to see Ernie Fletcher take credit for everything, but responsibility for nothing.

Kentucky can do better!