BluegrassReport.org

Some Republicans Saw It Coming (Ronnie Ellis)

Ronnie Ellis has an interesting political column today on the Republican post-election reaction:

Early on Tuesday, I got an earful from a distraught Republican. She couldn’t believe Republicans found themselves in the position they faced in this election, only four years after the Kentucky GOP stood atop the political mountain and looked into what appeared to be a very bright future. But Fletcher and company blew their chance.

“How hard should it have been to govern without arrogance, without retribution, and with honesty?” she asked. “Ernie Fletcher and those around him never understood 2003 wasn’t about them. It was about change and that people were tired of being embarrassed by their elected officials.

“All they wanted was someone to be proud of and to know they would do what they promised. Instead, we got secret doors, cuff-link kids, arrogance, planes with no transponders, teachers marching on the capitol and moral superiority.”

I'll never understand how everyone realized this, except Fletcher. How can anyone be so clueless as to lose their political compass so quickly after being swept into office on the singular platform of cleaning-up the mess in Frankfort.

Was it simply arrogance + incompetence?

A Victim Of His Own Political Lunacy (Keeling, Herald-Leader)

Larry Dale Keeling has a terrific column in today's Herald-Leader on Governor Fletcher's (R) downfall. I think he's absolutely spot-on and I really encourage you to read the entire piece.

Here's how Keeling sums it up:

All he accomplished with the variety of tactics he employed over the course of the 18-month investigation was to make himself look desperate to keep the truth hidden. And such desperation creates the perception of guilt.

Simply put, the course of actions Fletcher and his advisers came up with in response to the investigation bordered on political lunacy. Through his own ineptitude and that of his staff, he took what should have been a two-week story and turned it into his personal political obituary.

Amen.

This is a textbook tale of what happens when you give Dumb (Fletcher) and Dumber (his advisers) a little bit of political power.

A Week To Go And Fletcher Still Lies About His Administration's Corruption And Law-Breaking

You'd think that with a week until the elections and polls showing him down 23 and 24 points, that Governor Fletcher (R) might try to salvage a molecule of integrity (if any remain) and stop lying about his administration's corruption and law-breaking, especially those parts of it that have been well-documented by evidence.

But then if Fletcher thought that way, he might not be looking a record-breaking loss on Tuesday.

Fletcher's Comment On 'Hit List' Promotions Wrong, Records Show
By Tom Loftus, The Courier-Journal

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- During a debate Monday night, Gov. Ernie Fletcher said the so-called "hit list" that surfaced during the investigation of his administration's hiring practices was actually "more of a promotion list."

"More people were promoted that were on the list," said Fletcher, a Republican. But a review of state personnel records shows that's not so.

The list, drawn up inside the Transportation Cabinet on April 18, 2005, named 23 individuals to be fired or transferred. Three were fired; a fourth was removed from a non-merit-system post but was able to revert to a merit-system job. Three were promoted.

Among the others, nine retired or resigned, and seven remain in state government but have not received promotions.

[...]

It listed the names of nine people who had already been fired or transferred, and then the 23 "pending actions."

Along with each name is the person's Democratic credentials, including any contributions made to Fletcher's 2003 opponent, Ben Chandler, now 6th District congressman.

The list recommends that nine on the list be fired, and that others be transferred.

Hundreds Of Fletcher's 2003 Donors Now Backing Beshear

The Herald-Leader has a story on how hundreds of Governor Fletcher's (R) 2003 donors are now backing Steve Beshear (D). Gotta wonder how many are non-merit workers hoping to keep their jobs...

More than 250 campaign donors who helped fund Ernie Fletcher's successful 2003 campaign have defected to write checks to the governor's Democratic opponent, Steve Beshear, according to a Herald-Leader analysis.

About 95 other contributors to Fletcher's 2003 campaign have given money to both Fletcher and Beshear during this fall's general election.

In all, Beshear has received roughly $300,000 from Fletcher's 2003 donors, including $80,000 from the 95 who are hedging their bets by writing checks to the governor and his Democratic challenger, according to the review of campaign finance reports.

Speaking of non-merit workers...back in 2003, Fletcher railed about the effort by past administrations to bury non-merit workers into merit jobs before an election (it's called "burrowing"). One has to wonder how much burrowing is now under way by the Fletcher crooks? Let's hope state employees are keeping track...

Payback's A Bitch (Or, What Comes Around Goes Around...)

I found this amusing nugget in a question and answer story that John Cheves of the Herald-Leader did with then candidate Ernie Fletcher (R) in October 2003 (and which I'll discuss in greater detail in a little bit):

[Cheves] Q: What's the worst trouble you got into as a kid?

[Fletcher] A: I don't know if this is self-incrimination. Should I answer this? I was quite a rowdy kid in school. In the first grade, I remember -- and this still sticks in my memory very vividly -- I remember somebody walking down the aisle, and me sticking my foot out and tripping them. Miss Irene took me before the whole class and paddled me. That left an impression. I haven't tripped anybody since.

It sure does seem like the Kentucky Republican establishment stuck out its collective foot and tripped Fletcher as he was grappling with indictments, pardons and the 5th Amendment, doesn't it? Or maybe Doug Doerting was the kid Fletcher tripped (remember, they were classmates at Lafayette High School) and after 50 years he got his payback, with interest?

Either way, there is much to love about Fletcher's 2003 answer...

Fletcher Failed To Tar Beshear (Crowley, Kentucky Enquirer)

The best political story/column of the weekend, by far, was Pat Crowley's. It's a must-read, but here are a few excerpts:

Fletcher Failed To Tar Beshear
Pat Crowley, Kentucky Enquirer

The scandal-plagued governor is looking for a scandal.

Republican Ernie Fletcher, the GOP infrastructure and legions of his supporters have spent the past week trying to get smoke out of the smokeless gun that turned out to be the Kentucky Central Insurance scandal.

What was billed by party operatives as "Kentucky's Enron" was anything but.

...But when all was said and done, there was nothing there.

Even the Lexington Herald-Leader, which broke many of the stories and led the coverage, editorialized that Fletcher's claim that Beshear brought the company down was ludicrous.

"Politicians are given a good bit of latitude to exaggerate in their advertising," the paper opined. "But Fletcher's insistence that Beshear did in Kentucky Central speaks ill of the governor's grasp on reality."

[...]

Fletcher continues to be dogged by his scandal, the hiring investigation where cronies were given jobs over more qualified applicants.

Did the Dems do the same darn thing during their days in charge? Yep.

But Fletcher's dilemma came from pardons, indictments and his own decision to take the Fifth and cut a deal with prosecutors. He should have fired those involved, pardoned no one, vigorously admitted mistakes and just as forcefully showed how he cleaned house.

[...]

Fletcher made much of his own bed with how he handled the hiring scandal. He tried to lay the same rap on Beshear, but it's just not sticking.

Demoted Worker Due 10% Raise And Apology In Settlement Of Case (Glasser, State-Journal)

The chickens are coming home to roost for the Fletcher criminals, and not a moment too soon:

Demoted Worker Due 10% Raise And Apology In Settlement Of Case
By PAUL GLASSER, State-Journal

A highway district manager will receive a letter of apology and a 10 percent pay raise as part of a settlement in a personnel case related to the Merit System investigation.

Terry McKinney, of Kuttawa, said he was forced to take an involuntary transfer and demotion in February 2005 because of alleged political discrimination. According to his appeal, McKinney said superiors questioned him about his political activity in July and August of 2004.

McKinney said he had not attended any partisan events or donated to any candidates in 2003 or 2004. In February 2005, McKinney said a personnel administrator told him the new Republican administration of Gov. Ernie Fletcher wanted to put "their own people" in state jobs.

McKinney said he was pressured into taking the demotion although his annual salary of $76,800 was not affected.

"I felt I had no option," McKinney wrote. "The involuntary transfer was obtained by use of fraud, duress and coercion in the pursuit of an illegal purpose, that being to punish me for my political views."

He is a Democrat and former Lyon County judge-executive. The transfer moved him 85 miles from Madisonville to Paducah. The vacant position was never filled. 

The Fraud Of Ernie Fletcher -- 4 Years Ago Today

On October 3, 2003 -- four years ago today -- then candidate Ernie Fletcher (R) released his 54-page campaign plan entitled "Prescription for Kentucky" where he laid-out in fine detail what Kentuckians could expect from a Fletcher-Pence Administration.

The booklet became the centerpiece of the Fletcher-Pence campaign during the final month and was rolled-out during a fly-around of the state. Here's what ran in the Bowling Green Daily News the following day:

Congressman and gubernatorial candidate Ernie Fletcher was in town Friday to unveil his "Prescription for Kentucky."

The campaign booklet features sections dealing with economic development, health care, education, criminal justice, regionalism, agriculture, transportation and the horse industry and sets out Fletcher's plan to improve Kentuckians' way of life if elected, the Lexington Republican said.

"We wanted to put our campaign's ideas into a form where people can order it and really understand what we're all about," Fletcher said, speaking to a group of about 50 supporters at Bowling Green-Warren County Regional Airport.

It begins with a letter from Fletcher to the voters:

Dear Fellow Kentuckian:

I am running for governor to end the bygone era of good old boy politics that has held our great Commonwealth back for too long. Kentuckians are hungry for change in Frankfort. We need new leaders of rocksolid values and integrity in Frankfort to end wasteful spending and fiscal irresponsibility. It’s time to change the culture of state government so that our leaders are focused on solutions that benefit all Kentuckians, and not just a few political insiders.

...For too long, Kentuckians have seen the same faces in Frankfort; that must change. It’s been a revolving door for the same insiders who have been a part of the problem, rather than part of the solution. Kentuckians want and deserve more than backroom deals, political paybacks and countless scandals. In order for our state to reach its full potential, we must have new, innovative leadership that finds proactive solutions for dealing with the problems that face our great state. If we are going to clean up the mess in Frankfort, we must have real change that will work for not just a few political insiders—but for every Kentuckian from all parts of our Commonwealth. I ask for your vote on November 4th so that my running mate, Steve Pence and I can work together with you to ‘Restore Hope’ and opportunity to our great Commonwealth.

Sincerely,
Ernie

And for the next 50+ pages, Fletcher made countless pledges and promises that have been broken, ignored, or efforts that have simply failed. I urge you to click here and read the pie-in-sky that Fletcher offered the state and think about just how few of the substantive proposals ever came to light.

This is the true indictment of the Fletcher Administration and why he trails by 20 points with just 34 days to go.

It ends with this graphic:

What an utter failure Fletcher turned out to be...

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.

Yes Virginia, Another Terrible Miscalculation By Governor Fletcher (R)

If the anti-gaming theme wasn't enough of an awful strategic move by Governor Fletcher (R) and the B-Team advising him, here's one more item that terribly undercuts another Fletcher theme: that he was simply the victim of a political witch-hunt by an opportunistic attorney general:

A large plurality of Kentuckians approve of the job Attorney General Greg Stumbo has done in office, according to the latest Courier-Journal Bluegrass Poll.

The poll found that 47 percent of those surveyed approve of Stumbo’s performance, while 26 percent disapprove. More than 27 percent said they had no opinion.

Seems that the public isn't buying Fletcher's efforts to paint Stumbo as the bad guy. They've come to realize that Fletcher is simply a corrupt governor and he's trying to find a scapegoat instead of accepting responsibility for his criminal conduct.

Stated another way, 74% of Kentuckians expressed no problem with Stumbo's performance.

Delusion Sets In For The Fletcher Criminals

The sense of desperation and delusion coming from the Fletcher peons is getting amusing. Here's what the man who topped the list of unindicted co-conspirators -- Chief of Staff Stan Cave -- had to say in today's State Journal story:

Although several polls show Beshear with a significant lead over Fletcher, Cave said the dark days are over. Cave blamed the adversity the governor has faced on political enemies who are opposed to change and fomented "political shenanigans."

"We feel the excitement building," Cave said. "We need to finish what we started and change the state for the better for the foreseeable future."

And then Cave reveals his true idiocy:

Cave suggested Beshear's role in the collapse of Kentucky Central Life Insurance could provide additional ammunition for the campaign. Beshear's law firm represented both the company during bankruptcy protection hearings in 1993 and a Louisville bank that was involved in the settlement, raising allegations of a conflict of interest.

"If I had that kind of baggage I wouldn't run for governor," Cave said.

"That kind of baggage"? From the man who counseled one of the more corrupt governors in Kentucky history, who pardoned his entire administration, took the 5th Amendment, appointed campaign contributors to the Supreme Court to hear his own case, and then signed a document acknowledging wrongdoing. Astounding.

Meanwhile, lawyers representing the state are now trying to block to release of the Kentucky Central report that Fletcer/Cave tout as evidence of something (we don't really know what they're alleging because their attacks no longer make any sense).

Noteworthy is that Cave said this at a Franklin County Republican Party gathering and this is what he heard in return...from his own peeps:

Campaign volunteer Brenda Rice said polls indicate the message is not connecting with voters. After talking with campaign staffers, she said they promised to attack Beshear on other issues.

[...]

Despite the adversity, Cave said Fletcher is a man of integrity. However, Ida Palmer-Ball said she was offended by a piece of campaign literature that included a digitally altered photo of Beshear. Beshear's head appeared on the body of a Las Vegas gambler holding an alcoholic beverage.

"I was ashamed to be a Republican," Palmer-Ball said.

Cave said the photo was produced by the Republican Party of Kentucky and was intended to be funny.

Even stalwart Republicans aren't buying what Fletcher and Cave are trying to sell.

And how pathetic is it that after four years in office they don't have a record to run on and are asking how to "attack Beshear on other issues" as discussed in the story? They've got nothing left other than smears. Nothing.

What a bunch of delusional fools.

Good riddance to them and their criminality.

P.S. -- For old times' sake, click jump-link below...

Bluegrass Poll: Only 11% Of KY Voters Say Fletcher Has "Cleaned-Up The Mess In Frankfort"

I could write 1,000 words on just the fascinating cross-tabs of today's Courier-Journal Bluegrass Poll, but one statistic stood out for me:

Q. In nearly 4 years as governor, has Ernie Fletcher 'cleaned-up the mess in Frankfort'?

Yes -- 11.3%, No -- 70.6%

Even better is the breakdown by congressional district:

CD1: Yes -- 10.5%, No -- 67.9%
CD2: Yes -- 10.0%, No -- 70.9%
CD3: Yes -- 7.6%, No -- 78.3%
CD4: Yes -- 7.0%, No -- 72.7%
CD5: Yes -- 19.5%, No -- 64.7%
CD6: Yes -- 12.8%, No -- 69.4%

There's your ball game, folks. Nothing more needs to be said about this election...

P.S. -- By the way, only 18.8% of fellow Republicans think Fletcher has cleaned-up the mess versus 59.7% who say he hasn't. Now that's an indictment of the Fletcher administration. Barely 1 in 6 Republicans think he's succeeded. Those are scary numbers.

One Example Of Why Kentucky Republicans Can't Recruit New Voters Like They Used To

Maybe the reason new voters aren't flocking to the Kentucky Republican Party like they used to is because its current leadership insults the intelligence of new voters with preposterous statements like this one:

"the Fletcher Administration has the best personnel record of any administration in the past 24 years"

Are they really so stupid that they think any voters -- not already on their side -- are buying such unadulterated nonsense from this corrupt administration?

What we're seeing is the product of a B-Team governor, a B-Team campaign, and a B-Team Republican Party.

Bluegrass Freedom Launches 2nd Television Ad On Governor Fletcher's (R) Ethics (Or Lack Thereof)

Another excellent ad from the Bluegrass Freedom Fund on Governor Fletcher's (R) ethics. These are terrific, fact-driven ads and not the over-the-top attacks that the public has come to loathe during an election season (and from which we're seeing from the Republican Governors Association).

UPDATE (10:29 AM):  Click here if you'd like to see the formal back-up documentation for this ad.

Fletcher & Crooks Still Argue They Followed Merit System

It's remarkable that after all these years Governor Fletcher (R) and his top officials continue to deny that they ever did anything wrong or, if they did, so did previous administrations. Nevermind that Fletcher ran on the singular theme of doing things differently.

Governor's Job Actions Defended
By PAUL GLASSER, State Journal

Personnel Secretary Brian Crall presented information to the Personnel Board Friday that he says shows the administration of Gov. Ernie Fletcher has complied with the Merit System.

Crall distributed a fact sheet that compared personnel actions under the Fletcher administration to those under four recent Democratic governors, including Wallace Wilkinson, Brereton Jones, Martha Layne Collins and Paul Patton.

The report tabulated all personnel actions, including but not limited to hiring, firing, transfers and promotions, between 2004 and Aug. 1, 2007. Of the 38,500 personnel decisions, Crall said fewer than 30 were considered questionable. That amounted to less than one-tenth of one percent of all personnel actions since Fletcher was elected, Crall said.

"The Fletcher administration compares more favorably in almost every category for any administration of the previous 24 years," he said.

They still don't get it. Maybe the ass-kicking the voters are going to give them in just 50 days will overcome their present pathological denial.

Pence Warns Us About Fletcher

Lt. Governor Pence (R) reminds us that Governor Fletcher (R) -- his 2003 running mate -- promised to clean-up Frankfort and failed, and then tried to smear Anne Northup (R) on "moral values." Disgustingly, he's trying to do the same to Steve Beshear (D), but something tells me the public is going to reject this charlatan:

It's height of audacity for someone as corrupt, dishonest and deceitful as Fletcher to accuse anyone of lacking moral values. Our ordained-minister-turned-politician lost his moral footing long ago and seems prepared to end his political career with a devastatingly embarrassing loss.

Fletcher Administration Still Taking Care Of Their Cronies With Personal Service Contracts?

Remember the story back in June 2007 when Transportation Cabinet official Sam Beverage reached a deal with prosecutors on his perjury case related to the Merit System investigation? In exchange for pleading guilty to a lesser charge Beverage agreed to help shine light on road contracts steered to political supporters of Governor Fletcher (R). According to stories, Beverage apparently pointed the finger at two top Fletcher cronies: Transportation Secretary Bill Nighbert and Highway Commissioner Marc Williams.

Specifically, according to a story written at the time by the Courier-Journal's Stephenie Steitzer, Williams was under investigation by the feckless Executive Branch Ethics Commission for "allegedly trying to steer a state engineering contract" to a company later revealed to be DLZ Kentucky, Inc., (its president William May is a top Fletcher contributor).

Well, after browsing the state's Personal Service Contract List for September 2007, guess which firm managed to get the $100,000 personal service contract by the Transportation Cabinet (still run by Nighbert) to inspect the state's bridges (still run by Williams) in the aftermath of the Mississippi River bridge collapse?

(click image for larger version)

Fletcher would tell us this is just another coincidence, I'm sure...(the contract shows-up on page 6).

P.S. -- I encourage you to browse all the archived personal service contracts that are available for examination online. A treasure trove. Click here.

Fletcher Scandal Haunts Campaign (Alford, AP)

If you listen closely you can faintly hear former U.S. Rep. Anne Northup (R) telling Republicans "I told you so"...

Fletcher Scandal Haunts Campaign
By Roger Alford, Associated Press

FRANKFORT - A political scandal that plagued Gov. Ernie Fletcher for the past two years continues to haunt him in his bid for re-election.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Steve Beshear blasted Fletcher on Wednesday, charging that the first Republican governor in more than 30 years broke his promise to "clean up the mess" in Frankfort.

"Ernie Fletcher promised to clean up Frankfort and put an end to waste, fraud and abuse," Beshear said in one of his harshest campaign speeches yet, delivered in the Capitol. "Yet from almost day one, the governor and his administration have been plagued by allegations of scandal and corruption."

Fletcher countered during an appearance later in Louisville that he has been the target of a "political witch hunt." Fletcher said Beshear is raising the issue because he couldn't attack him on matters that are most important to Kentuckians.

Media Malpractice

(Note: You'll probably scream after you read this.)

In doing some research this week, I stumbled upon an August 20, 2005 Herald-Leader story by John Cheves which seems highly relevant to the recent decision by the Executive Branch Ethics Commission to terminate the ethics investigation into whether Governor Fletcher (R) violated state ethics "relating to the alleged hiring and firing of civil service workers for political reasons." As we now know, the matter was terminated without giving any reason or justification, nor did they exonerate Fletcher.

Sadly, in their reporting of the ethics board's decision, the media woefully failed to note Cheves story which identified two of the board's five members as having been either "county contacts" in Fletcher's merit scandal scheme or had weighed-in for Republicans seeking merit jobs (one of the primary ethics accusations against Fletcher) -- before Fletcher appointed them to the ethics board in the first place!

QUESTIONS:

1. How in the world was this overlooked in the media stories of the ethics board's termination of their investigation?
                  
2. How shameless is that neither Wesley nor Handy recused themselves from this case given their own personal involvement in the allegations against Fletcher -- not to mention their own campaign contributions to Fletcher's re-election campaign?

How infuriatingly disappointing. We should expect better of the state's press corps to properly and fully cover something so germane to this gubernatorial election. Shame, shame.

I find this omission pretty outrageous.

GOP Adviser Named To Ethics Panel
Ex-Legislator Critical Of Investigations
By John Cheves, Herald-Leader (August 20, 2005)

Gov. Ernie Fletcher has put another of his "county contacts" -- local Republican advisers -- on the Executive Branch Ethics Commission, which is investigating possible GOP political bias in his administration's hiring.

Yesterday, Fletcher named former state Rep. J. Quentin Wesley, R-Morganfield, to the five-member ethics panel. As one of Fletcher's two Union County contacts, Wesley occasionally was called by Fletcher aides for his opinion of state job applicants in his area, a controversial practice now under investigation.

Wesley is also a vocal critic of the several investigations into Fletcher's merit-system hiring, saying they are politically motivated by unhappy Democrats.

"If a Democrat and a Republican are equal, I say go with the Republican," Wesley said in a telephone interview yesterday.

In June, Fletcher named Laurel County contact Tom Handy, a major Republican Party fund-raiser, to the ethics panel, giving himself a 3-2 majority. Like Wesley, Handy offered his opinion of state job applicants, according to records released in the attorney general's hiring investigation.

[...]

The ethics commission, which meets Sept. 2, enforces the state ethics law on governors and their administrators.

Wesley, 75, said he can be an impartial member despite his strong loyalties to Fletcher and the Republican Party. He acknowledged that he made job recommendations when called by the governor's office, but added that he usually wasn't swayed by the applicants' political registration.

IN MEMORIAM: The 2nd Anniversary Of Governor Fletcher's (R) Desecration Of The Rule Of Law -- His Blanket Pardons (August 29, 2005)

While I've not seen any media stories about this so far, today is a very tragic anniversary. Two years ago this evening, Governor Fletcher (R) broke his solemn promise to the voters of Kentucky and railroaded an investigation into criminality at the highest levels of his administration by pre-emptively issuing a blanket pardon to his entire administration, as well as anyone else who may have been involved in the Merit System conspiracy, for which he was subsequently indicted.

Most agree this act was the beginning of the end of his administration as he went against every principle that he and Lt. Governor Steve Pence (R) ran on during the 2003 campaign. Back then, after Governor Paul Patton (D) pardoned members of his own staff who were under indictment for political corruption-related charges, Pence famously boasted, "Things like that are not going to happen in a Fletcher-Pence administration."

Sadly, and shamefully, they did much worse.

This afternoon, I want to focus on this fateful anniversary and shine a little light on Fletcher's hypocritical statements and actions (which are ongoing as he tries to overcome a 20-point deficit with 10 weeks until the election).

Let me beginning by debunking one of the outrageous frauds that Fletcher's remaining backers (i.e., Larry Forgy, Brett Hall and Brian Goettl) try very hard to perpetuate: that the merit investigation and the tanking of public opinion was simply an effort by the liberal editorial boards of the Courier-Journal and Herald-Leader (along with help from Democrats like Attorney General Greg Stumbo) to take down Fletcher.

Sadly, these remaining defenders of the most incompetent and corrupt governors in recent Kentucky history are audaciously lying.

To show how dishonest they are, my posts today will not reference one editorial, op-ed, or story written by either the C-J or H-L, nor will I quote even one Democrat.

So, with that understanding, let me begin today's look back at one of the most shameless and cowardly acts that a governor could do to the public: the cover-up of crimes committed by him and his top officials.

This first post highlights the media reaction to Fletcher's pardons from the various newspapers across the state -- except for the top two:

SEE JUMP-PAGE BELOW

Tomorrow Is The 2nd Anniversary Of Governor Fletcher's (R) Pardoning Of His Entire Administration

Tomorrow is the second anniversary of Governor Fletcher's (R) pardoning of his entire administration -- and any other cronies involved in his crimes (like J. Marshall Hughes).

In memoriam of this defecation on the rule of law and our justice system, I'm working on an interactive and in-depth look at that fateful event, which all but sealed the end of the political career of our ordained-minister-turned-governor.

I encourage you to pass along ideas on how we should best tribute this most hypocritical and arrogant moment in the Fletcher Administration.

Tell Our Ordained-Minister-Turned-Governor To Stop Lying To Us

Today is the one-year anniversary of the deal Governor Fletcher (R) cut with Attorney General Stumbo (D) to have the criminal charges brought against him by a Frankfort grand jury dropped.

Tom Loftus reminds us what Fletcher agreed to in the deal, for which bears his own signature:

As part of the agreement, Fletcher:

- Acknowledged "the evidence strongly indicates wrongdoing by his administration with regard to personnel actions within the merit system."

- Accepted responsibility and expressed his regret for the "inappropriate" actions of his administration.

- Recognized the investigation and prosecution by the office of Attorney General Greg Stumbo as "necessary and proper exercises of his constitutional duty" which benefited the Commonwealth.

The governor also authorized a process in which his own appointees to the personnel Board would resign, and that he would replace them with candidates nominated by Stumbo.

While Fletcher will try to lie to the public and call it a political witch hunt, his signed agreement tells a very different story.

So shameful and deceitful.

And to this day, Fletcher has never told the public that he, himself, was sorry or apologized. Not once.

Put This In The "Waste, Fraud & Abuse" Pile

Just learned this additional bit of Fletcher insanity from a reader:

Transportation has announced in its latest newsletter that the agency is changing ALL of its logo products: highway and building signs, publications and business products, letterhead and other paper products, electronic media, etc. 

The current logo is only 6 years old and is now consistently and easily recognized across the state.  The cost of all these changes in the last three months of any administration makes no sense whatsoever.  We're talking tens of thousands of dollars, maybe more when the signage is done. 

This is a Fletcher trademark: establishing separate logos for the cabinets and departments, thereby making it more difficulty to identify the state vehicles, and increasing the costs by having each logo designed and produced on multiple products instead of just using the state seal. 

Talk about waste and abuse of taxpayer dollars...

Sure enough, click here for the cabinet's most recent newsletter. What a total waste of money.

And who is heading-up this further drain on taxpayer money? None other than wholly unqualified 20-something Fletcher-personal-assistant-turned-Deputy-Secretary Crystal Ducker. (click here for a refresher on her ridiculous appointment).

Though given that Ducker has no transportation experience, isn't an engineer, has no related background, and whose only job since college was apparently as assistants to Fletcher and Chief of Staff Stan Cave (before they moved her to Transportation), I guess having her oversee logo design is one of the few things she might be qualified to do...

Waste, fraud and abuse...Fletcher-style. Amazing stuff.

More Disturbing Fletcher Connections On Ethics Panel That Stopped Investigating Him (UPDATED)

I sure hope the Kentucky media intends to follow-up on the very disturbing connections between the four Fletcher-appointed members of the Executive Branch Ethics Commission and the tens of thousands of dollars they've contributed to his own campaigns, as discussed below. Be sure to e-mail the reporters and editors you know and encourage them to look into the facts and history.

But there's another item that I just recalled that is worth noting.

Recall when Governor Fletcher settled the criminal case against him, one of the things he had to do -- aside from acknowledging his administration's wrongdoing and the appropriateness of the investigation -- was to fire members of the Personnel Board he previously appointed.

One of those fired in August 2006 was E. Patrick Moores.

Four months later, Fletcher re-appointed Moores, his longtime campaign contributor, to the Executive Branch Ethics Commission.

STUMBO APPEAL GOES BEFORE NEW MEMBER
FLETCHER NAMED HIM TO ETHICS POST YESTERDAY
John Stamper and Ryan Alessi, Herald-Leader

FRANKFORT -- A recently ousted member of the state Personnel Board was appointed by Gov. Ernie Fletcher to the Executive Branch Ethics Commission yesterday, a day before that panel meets to decide whether it is a conflict of interest for Attorney General Greg Stumbo to run for governor.

Patrick Moores, a Nicholasville attorney, will replace Ray Altman, who resigned from the commission Monday.

After four months on the job, Moores was forced to resign from the Personnel Board in August, after Fletcher and Stumbo reached a deal to end a lengthy investigation by Stumbo's office of the Fletcher administration's hiring practices.

As part of the deal, four of Fletcher's appointees to the Personnel Board had to resign, to be replaced by Fletcher using lists of candidates provided by Stumbo.

Moores will now have the opportunity to vote on Stumbo's request to have the ethics commission reconsider its earlier ruling that said he could not run for governor without a "perceived or actual" conflict of interest.

Now Moores is part of the group that quietly terminated the ethics investigation against Fletcher without any explanation, reason, justification, or exoneration.

This decision smells so bad, especially coming from a group whose job is to deal with ETHICS. How offensive.

Update (4:07 pm): Interesting thing is that Moores recused himself when the ethics panel when it was deciding whether to proceed with the Dan Druen investigation (and I'm told he recused on the Stumbo vote as well). However, despite recusing himself in the past, why did he feel no obligation to do so regarding Fletcher, the man who appointed him and who he's supported for the past decade?

From a December 20, 2006 AP story:

Druen, who was fired after being pardoned, has been accused of authoring a "hit list" of state employees to be fired or demoted.

If found guilty, Druen could be fined $5,000 for each violation of the ethics code and issue a public reprimand.

Fletcher has appointed all but one member of the five-person ethics commission. Patrick Moores, who was appointed on Thursday, recused himself from the decision. Vice chair Cynthia Stone was appointed by former Democratic Gov. Paul Patton in 1996.

If Governor Fletcher (R) Wants To Rehash The Merit System Scandal...Let's Happily Oblige Him

While our desperate Governor Fletcher (R) tries to spin the actions of his appointed ethics commission as some sort of Pyrrhic victory, here's what John Steffen -- general counsel to the Executive Branch Ethics Commission -- had to say about what the commission did -- and didn't -- do:

The Ethics Commission's general counsel, John Steffan, told Local 12 Wednesday he was surprised the campaign would release the document, and said it only told half the story.

Steffan disagreed that the document "cleared" the governor, noting that the document only states the investigation was terminated. There was no language included in the document as to the reasons behind the end of the investigation.

In the letter to Gov. Fletcher, the commission included an advisory opinion which it said would "ensure your future compliance with the law." The commission asked the governor to "review this document closely to make yourself aware of actions related to personnel hiring procedures which may violate the Executive Branch Code of Ethics."

If Fletcher wants to rehash his criminal conduct and the disaster of the Merit Scandal, I think we should all happily oblige him. After all, this is his record.

You ready, governor? You have opened the door and invited us in...

Let's spend some time over the next week or two rehashing the highlights of the investigation starting with all the things that his Republican brethren publicly accused Fletcher of, beginning with Lt. Governor Steve Pence (R) and Jefferson County Republican Party Chairman Jack Richardson (R).

This should be very cathartic for us.