BluegrassReport.org

Part 2 -- Fletcher & Crooks -- Like Pigs At The Trough Until The Bitter End

I've gotten some interesting e-mails over the weekend about Friday's post concerning the unapproved election eve black-topping quickly done in Clark County, without even a contract or bidding.

Seems that Clark County wasn't the only place in Kentucky that saw unplanned, unapproved black-topping in the 48 hours before the election.

From a Jessamine County reader:

Mark,

They did the same in Jessamine County the last weekend as well. On Friday before the election, Judge Cassity received a call from the Allen Company telling him they were holding a letter signed by the Secretary to pave some $500,000 in roads. Cassity told them he did not have any contract and that they would be at their own risk. They paved roads on Saturday, Sunday and Monday before Tuesday’s election.

I suspect that when December 11th comes around, there will not even be dust in the cupboard for the Beshear administration and will have a difficult time even keeping the lights on.

And this from a Democratic county judge-executive from a Northern Kentucky county:

It seems as though Gov. Fletcher had funds left over from last year’s discretionary bond fund. Please note last year’s fund. I had learned there was about $7 million unspent and I officially ask for some additional funds. Of course I did not receive these funds, heck I never received a confirmation from the Transportation Cabinet that I had ask for the assistance. This was all apart of Sec. Nighbert’s program of treating everyone fairly, no matter whether you were a D or R. So I feel very safe to say that is where the money came from so quickly. If someone checks they still might find some of this borrowed money still unspent. My county only got $350,000 out of $75 million in bonded funds, but that was clearly due to my support of Beshear and Chandler, 4 years ago.

Crooks to the very end.

Fletcher & Crooks -- Like Pigs At The Trough Until The Bitter End

A reader writes:

Where did Ernie Fletcher get the $770,000 he passed out for road construction in Clark County just days before the election? Why did a paving crew start work, even before the money is in the Clark County budget, and no contract was bid? Why are county officials telling said paving company they are on their own, regarding payment?

What is the reader referring to?

Well, here's a story in yesterday's Winchester Sun that might explain it:

The Clark County Fiscal Court approved an agreement with the state Transportation Cabinet on Wednesday to accept nearly $770,000 of surprise funding for local road resurfacing.

Gov. Ernie Fletcher announced last week that Clark County would receive the money when he stopped in Winchester during a campaign bus tour of the region.

County Judge-Executive Henry Branham said he was unaware of the earmark, which was drawn from the cabinet's discretionary fund, until the day of the announcement. Court members indicated Wednesday that they were uncertain that the county would actually receive the funds.

...Since the announcement, the Allen Company of Winchester has already performed $300,000 of work on the roads without a payment contract.

Clark County Road Supervisor Kevin Wilson said the Allen Company began work on the roads against his and Branham's advice, and the Fiscal Court would not be held responsible to pay for the work if the state funding fell through. County officials should know by Monday if Nighbert signs the agreement, he said.

County Attorney Brian Thomas said he doesn't think the county would be exposed to any payment liability since the Allen Company was specifically told to hold off on work. But he said the "unjust enrichment" theory in contract law could be used as grounds for a suit.

"Do I think we have created a contract? - no," he said.

Hmmm. First they sloppily posted the Ten Commandments in the Capitol on the day before the election, when polls showed Fletcher trailing by 20 points. Now we learn of unauthorized black-top laid in Clark County in the week before.

I thought these crooks were opposed to public financing of campaigns?

Good riddance.

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.

Why Has Governor Fletcher (R) Allowed Transportation Cabinet To Design And Launch New Logo, While Discarding "Unbridled Spirit", Which State Spent Millions To Create?

I want to revisit an item that I wrote about two weeks ago because after some further research I was stunned by how outrageous it was.

As we all know too well, in 2004 Governor Fletcher (R) launched an exhaustive effort to re-brand the state. After spending millions of dollars, the "Unbridled Spirit" brand and logo was announced with great fanfare. A website (www.KentuckyUnbridledSpirit.com) was developed and guidelines on how to utilize the logo was prepared. In fact, Fletcher can't talk about his "accomplishments" without mentioning the new brand.

At the time the brand was released, Fletcher stated:

I’m pleased to introduce the Commonwealth’s new brand, “Kentucky Unbridled Spirit.”

For the first time in history, all branches of Kentucky government will speak with the same unified voice. I also encourage every local and regional governmental agency, state-supported institution and private corporation and business to join in this effort.

This is not simply state government’s brand. This is Kentucky’s brand. It was created as the result of an unprecedented research effort and was selected by Kentuckians themselves via a statewide vote.

The brand is more than just a logo and slogan. It is a new way of thinking about Kentucky.

Fletcher also made clear that all parts of state government would be using this logo:

Example #1:

Governor Fletcher said the brand is about Kentucky's future.  "It stands for who we are and who we want to be," he said.  "The more the brand is shown and talked about, the more people outside this state will realize that Kentucky is something special.  That is why we will have it on our advertising, our signs, our stationery, our brochures, our Web site and virtually everything that comes from the Commonwealth of Kentucky."

The branding process is also saving the state money.  Kentucky had been spending $12 million to $14 million per year for all advertising and marketing.  As much as $2.5 million of that had been agency fees and commissions to more than a dozen different advertising agencies used by various cabinets within state government.

Example #2:

Q:  How is “Kentucky Unbridled Spirit” being used?

A:  The brand is being incorporated into everything the state creates – from license plates, state Web sites and advertising to state signage, brochures, stationery, and other materials.  As advertising messages are developed, “Unbridled Spirit” is the underlying theme.  If we’re using photography, the images used graphically portray “Kentucky Unbridled Spirit.” In short, everything we do acts to reinforce the look and meaning of our brand.  It provides a consistency and an expectation of quality to have all state information having a common appearance.

In addition, hundreds of Kentucky cities, counties, tourism and economic development organizations also have adopted the brand on their materials.  That includes road signs, stationery, web sites – even posters on their walls.

Seems perfectly clear that Unbridled Spirit was to be the ubiquitous brand for the state, particularly state government.

So why in the hell did the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet move forward this summer with a new logo design???

(click image below for larger version)

This runs completely counter to everything Fletcher has been saying about Unbridled Spirit -- not to mention the millions spent in creating that brand.  As I wrote two weeks ago, it seems that the brainchild of the new logo idea was Crystal Ducker, the unimaginably unqualified Deputy Secretary who's only relevant experience was to have served as the personal assistant to Chief of Staff Stan Cave and then Fletcher.

The reason I raise this now is that I couldn't help but notice that this new Transportation logo is on the over-sized checks that Fletcher has been handing out lately -- click here, here, and here.

This is just amazing and there are so many questions that need to be asked:

• Who approved dumping the Unbridled Spirit logo from the Transportation Cabinet and replacing it with a new one?
• How much state money was spent designing a new logo?
• How much money was spent to promote Unbridled Spirit that has now been undermined by a logo for the state's largest cabinet?
• How does Fletcher explain this decision?
• How come the media isn't all over this unbelievable episode of waste, fraud and abuse?
• How was Crystal Ducker allowed to serve as the #2 person in the state's largest cabinet with no relevant experience?

I encourage you to get on the phone and your e-mail and contact members of the media and implore them to examine this latest Fletcher boondoggle. What a waste of public money, once again...

GOP Districts Got Disproportionate Share Of Road Bond (Loftus, Courier-Journal)

Pay-to-play rears its ugly head once again with Fletcher & Crooks.

Though, this certainly isn't the first time there have been suggestions that Fletcher and his Transportation Cabinet have been rewarding counties where their leadership is supporting their corrupt ways. Recall this Madisonville Messenger story from last November, not to mention similar allegations made by former U.S. Rep. Anne Northup (R) during this year's gubernatorial primary. And don't forget Ryan Alessi's story earlier this year about the $13.9 million in local development funds were doled out to just those counties with strong supporters.

Shameless crooks.

GOP Districts Got Disproportionate Share Of Road Bond
Defenders: It offset decades of neglect
By Tom Loftus, The Courier-Journal

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- The districts of Republican state legislators got a disproportionate share of the $311 million generated by a 2005 road bond issue.

If the spending were charted using Senate districts, about 75 percent went to those represented by Republicans, though they control only 55 percent of the 38 seats in the Senate.
   
Charted by House districts, 55 percent went to those held by GOP lawmakers, though they hold only 44 percent of the chamber's 100 seats.

The Courier-Journal examined records detailing the projects after former state Highway Engineer Sam Beverage made allegations that politics influenced how the 2005 bond money was spent.

In a statement given last year to investigators, Beverage charged that Gov. Ernie Fletcher, a Republican, had used the bond-funded road projects to reward senators who voted for his legislative agenda.

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.

Only In The Magical World Of The Fletcher Administration

Following the August 1st bridge collapse in Minneapolis, Kentucky Transportation Secretary Bill Nighbert made the following comment on August 6th:

"Governor Fletcher has directed us to take the additional steps we feel are necessary to ensure safety, and that's what we will do," said KYTC Secretary Bill Nighbert. "These proactive measures measures are designed to give us further assurance of the safety of bridges across the state."

Proactive?

Five days after a major bridge over the Mississippi River collapsed they call their efforts to make none of the 1,362 structurally deficient bridges in the state won't collapse, "proactive"?

Good to know these guys are on top of things...

Kentucky Bridges Much More Dangerous During Fletcher's Term

Before Governor Fletcher (R) can start deceiving voters that he's been some champion of bridge safety during his abysmal term, let's all be sure to know the facts which show a significant deterioration in bridge safety in Kentucky since Fletcher took office in December 2003.

According to the Federal Highway Administration:

• In December 2003, 1,175 (8.7%) of Kentucky's 13,523 bridges were designated "structurally deficient" and other 2,872 (21.2%) were designated "functionally obsolete;"
              
• In December 2006, 1,362 (10.0%) of Kentucky's 13,637 bridges were designated "structurally deficient" and other 2,927 (21.5%) were designated "functionally obsolete."

So, in Fletcher's first three years, Kentucky has seen a significant growth in both structurally deficient and functionally obsolete bridges. Sadly, this serious infrastructure problem came at the same time that Fletcher solidified himself as one of the most prominent big government governors in the state's history, as we witnessed an explosion in state spending in his four budgets (see link).

Of course, Fletcher wants to the General Assembly to meet in special session -- not to address these dire infrastructure needs -- but to provide hundreds of millions of dollars in corporate welfare to wealthy coal companies and campaign donors.

Priorities, I guess.

(Note: If you remove the 15% of the state's bridges that are designated National Highway System (where the federal government is primarily responsible), and only focus on just state/county bridges, those statistics are even worse for Fletcher.)

Black & White

When Transportation Secretary Bill Nighbert was indicted for threatening to punch a female employee, Governor Fletcher (R) promoted him.

In contrast, here's how the Kentucky Democratic Party responded to yesterday's revelations that its nominee for Agriculture Commissioner (David Lynn Williams) was arrested last week for "menacing and harassing" conduct:

Jonathan Miller, chairman of the Kentucky Democratic Party, said he wants to see the results of the judicial process before forming a conclusion about the charges against Williams. But if the charges are proven, Miller said, Williams' actions are unacceptable.

"We believe you are innocent until proven guilty," Miller said. "But if the charges are proven true, they are absolutely unacceptable for a Democratic candidate."

Need I say more?

The Never-Ending Political Incompetence Of Governor Fletcher (R)

Considering that Governor Fletcher (R) had no problems with the audacity of pardoning his entire administration (and beyond) to cover-up his criminal conduct, it's hard to believe that the one guy he refused to pardon may very well land Fletcher back in the middle of another criminal mess.

The political incompetence of Fletcher and his goons is astounding.

From Tom Loftus' story in today's Courier-Journal:

Former state highway engineer Sam Beverage offered what seemed to be a credible insider's account of how political contributions affect road-contracting decisions in the administration of Gov. Ernie Fletcher, a prosecutor said yesterday.

In closed-door testimony Monday, Beverage "was saying basically that people that contributed to the campaigns got road work, got construction work and contracts," Franklin County Commonwealth's Attorney Larry Cleveland said. "I think Sam Beverage has some credibility. I think he knows everything."

[...]

Cleveland said he will give the case -- including a videotape of Beverage's testimony -- to Attorney General Greg Stumbo today.

He said Beverage talked about how politics affected both road construction and engineering contracts.

"You get the impression that they (administration officials) can pick and choose and put these projects wherever they want to put them and use whoever they wanted to use," he said.

He added, "What was kind of surprising to me was how unsophisticated it was."

Beverage Pleads and Talks (Stotelmyer, WTVQ-36)

As you all know by now, former Fletcher administration official Sam Beverage reached a plea agreement with the prosecutor on perjury charges against him stemming from his testimony during the hiring scandal that engulfed the Fletcher administration.

But there's quite a twist.

It seems that Beverage, a former state highway engineer, has some useful information concerning how state highway contracts were steered to political supporters. Given that a special prosecutor is handling this matter (Franklin County Commonwealth's Attorney Larry Cleveland), not Attorney General Stumbo's office, it's going to be even harder for Fletcher to continue to beat the drum that this is the extension of the political witch hunt by Stumbo's office that he's claimed for months (notwithstanding Fletcher's own admission in his plea agreement that the investigation "were necessary and proper").

Here are some excerpts:

Beverage Pleads and Talks
By Greg Stotelmyer, WTVQ-36 TV (Lexington)

...Cleveland says Beverage, in a written statement and answers to questions, gave him "all sorts of interesting things."  When pressed, Cleveland said the information was about possible legal violations involving bid contracts for highway projects.  "I'm not real well versed in the legalities of awarding state contracts, but it seemed to be improper to me," said Cleveland.  He says Beverage provided information alleging the Fletcher administration guided state road contracts to political supporters.  Cleveland says Beverage mentioned Transportation Cabinet secretary Bill Nighbert and his top assistant, Marc Williams by name.  Cleveland stopped short of saying Beverage implicated the officials in any alleged illegal activities.  Cleveland says Beverage also talked about the governor a lot.

[...]

Cleveland says it could turn into a larger probe.  "He clearly knows a lot, he seemed to me, the statements he made were with good foundation."  Cleveland does not believe Beverage provided the information because he had an ax to grind against the Fletcher administration.  "I wouldn't consider them vengeful or retaliatory in any way."

Also, Pol Watchers has this nugget:

McCoy said he first sought a pardon for Beverage, but Fletcher's Louisville-based attorney, R. Kent Westberry never returned his call about the administration's interest in issuing such a pardon.

The Courier-Journal has this contribution:

As part of the plea agreement, Beverage provided an hour of "open and frank discussion" about matters he was involved in at the Transportation Cabinet, Cleveland said yesterday.

He said Beverage provided a written statement and discussed, during a videotaped session, the steering of state road contracts to political supporters.

"Oh, we got information about contracts and hiring, all sorts of interesting things," Cleveland said.

Asked if Beverage's testimony indicated possible legal violations, Cleveland said, "Oh, yeah."

But what's noteworthy is that while the Fletcher administration trashes Beverage, it doesn't deny the charge:

Speaking on behalf of Nighbert and Williams, Transportation Cabinet spokesman Doug Hogan said the fact that Beverage had been charged with perjury, and then pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of official misconduct, "calls into question the person's credibility."

"I think that puts this story into a little better context," Hogan said.

Ironically, what really puts "this story into a little better context" is Fletcher's invoking of the Fifth Amendment, his refusal to ever provide the 'unvarnished truth', his pardoning of the his entire administration, and the public comments made by his lieutenant governor Steve Pence (R) over how this entire matter was handled in the first place. That is what puts this story into better context. Beverage's actions are simply the natural extension of the criminal culture of the Fletcher administration.

Seems that Fletcher's criminality will continue to be an issue all the way to his drubbing in the November election.

More Fletcher Lies

Remember during the first Republican gubernatorial debate on KET when Governor Fletcher (R) defended all the road projects that were coincidentally approved of late in Republican counties by alleging that primary election politics had nothing to do with it and it was all about highway safety?

In fact, Fletcher went on to falsely assert that 2006 highway fatalities were the lowest ever (not even close). The reality is that fatalities soared during Fletcher's first few years and only dropped in 2006 after the legislature passed the primary seat-belt law.

Well, as I driving to Louisville on Friday, I noticed on the electronic sign as you enter Jefferson County on I-64 that there have been more fatalities in 2007 than 2006, despite all of Fletcher's bluster. According to the updated statistics on the Transportation Cabinet website, there have been 285 highway fatalities so far in 2007, compared 279 during the same time last year.

So much for Fletcher's argument. You chalk that up to another shameless Fletcher lie...

Leave It To Indiana To Give Us The Real Truth About Kentucky

I heard this referenced on Friday's Comment on Kentucky.

Seems that while Governor Fletcher (R) tries to tell us that all is well, and all the various bridge projects are proceeding according to plan, we hear from our neighbors in Indiana that we're the ones holding up one key project:

Madison Mayor: Kentucky Doesn't Have Funds For Bridge
InsideIndianaBusiness.com Report
5/11/2007 12:25:11 PM

Madison Mayor Al Huntington says he and other local officials were told this week that Kentucky does not have $500 million to pay for its share of replacement costs for the Madison-Milton bridge.

Huntington says the bridge is an economic lifeline for the community.

Kentucky is in the process of trying to build four bridges in the state and officials say there is a lack of federal transportation dollars to make it happen. Huntington says Indiana has its share of the funds due to Major Moves.

Source: Personnel Board To Reinstate Mike Duncan

A very reliable source has just informed me that later today the Personnel Board will issue a ruling reinstating previously fired Transportation official Mike Duncan and instructing him to report to work on Monday.

Seems like the wheels are coming off the Fletcher-Rudolph cart with just 11 days until the election.

Update (4:40 pm): A media source tells me:

fyi: he will not report to work on monday, according to his attorney. they must first wait for the board's final written order, due next week, and then the transportation cabinet has 30 days to appeal, which they have indicated they would. transportation will likely ask judge to decide whether duncan should go to work during the appeals process.

Update #2 (4:45 pm): AP has a quick story:

A former state employee who alleged he was fired for political reasons will be reinstated with back pay, the state personnel board ruled Friday.

Mike Duncan, a former deputy inspector general of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, was fired in 2005.

A hearing officer for the personnel board recommended in March that Duncan be reinstated after finding that his firing by Transportation Secretary Bill Nighbert "resulted not from his work performance, but due to a consensus that he must go due to his political beliefs and activities."

More Shameless Fletcher Lies

Governor Fletcher (R) offered so many flat-out lies in last night's gubernatorial debate that it will take weeks to sort them all out with back-up, but I want to start with one that he offered over and over last night. It had to do with highway safety.

Clearly on the defensive over allegations that he was laying new roads in Republican counties in the past year in his desperation to save his political career, Fletcher kept justifying his pandering by talking about safety and how highway safety had greatly improved during his administration. At one point, he even utter the insanely false comment that highway fatalities in 2006 were the lowest ever.

But here's the latest report from the Kentucky State Police on highway safety statistics:

In 2006, traffic fatalities dropped to 913, the lowest since 2001, but hardly the lowest ever. Of course, 2006 was also the year that the General Assembly passed a primary seatbelt law, which any reasonable person would attribute to the drop in fatalities, not anything that Fletcher did.

Nevertheless, until the primary seat belt law passed, highway fatalities grew each year during Fletcher's term.

He's such shameless liar.

Personnel Officer Recommends Reinstating Fired Merit Employee Mike Duncan

Ryan Alessi has this explosive development this morning:

A hearing officer for the state Personnel Board recommended today that Gov. Ernie Fletcher's administration reverse the firing of Mike Duncan, a former staff assistant in the Transportation Cabinet's inspector general's office.

The board's hearing officer, John C. Ryan, issued a 54-page recommendation that concluded that Duncan's firing was "excessive, erroneous and improper under the circumstances." Under the terms of the order, Duncan is to be returned to his previous position with the same pay and back pay.

The Courier-Journal has this:

The firing of Mike Duncan as deputy inspector general by Transportation Secretary Bill Nighbert “resulted not from his work performance, but due to a consensus that he must go due to his political beliefs and activities,” according to a report issued today.

UPDATE (2:08 pm): There's been a slight change to Alessi's story that has been corrected and I corrected as well. Turns out that the document was not the Personnel Board's decision, but instead the recommendation to the board by the hearing officer. So, it's a significant development but not the final action. The cabinet can still appeal to the board.

Can Governor Fletcher (R) Ever Tell The Truth?

Remember last week's controversy over Governor Fletcher's (R) appearance in taxpayer-funded public service announcements in the middle of his primary campaign? Finally, his campaign agreed that Fletcher would no longer appear in the ads because:

"The governor wants to be beyond reproach on these things," said Marty Ryall, Fletcher's campaign manager.

However, last night I received this from a reader:

I was listening to the pre-game show for UK/FL...I then hear Fletcher doing a buckle-up KY ad paid for by the Transportation Cabinet. Not only did I hear it once in the pre-game show but heard it again during the game. They may have taken him off of the tourism ads but they have not done so on the buckle up ads. And having it air across the state during the biggest game of the year is absurd.

So much for being "beyond reproach." Though, I don't think many of us ever believed that in the first place...

Virginia Judge Orders Druen To Appear At Beverage Perjury Trial

This is big news because it puts Governor Fletcher (R) is a serious bind about how to deal with the upcoming trial right in the middle of a hotly contested primary battle. Dan Druen has been one former aide who's been willing to point the finger directly at Fletcher and his testimony is certain to make front-page news across the commonwealth and remind everyone, once again, of the biggest reason why Fletcher remains at a 31% job-approval rating and ought not be re-nominated or re-elected.

So, what will damage Fletcher more: Beverage on trial, and Druen testifying, or pardoning Beverage and deal with the obvious perception that Fletcher is trying to extinguish any last hope that the public will get the "unvarnished truth"? They are both awful options for this administration.

Either way, Fletcher is toast.

Judge Orders Merit-Hiring Figure To Testify In Beverage Perjury Trial
By Janet Patton, Herald-Leader

RICHMOND, Va. - A Virginia judge ordered a former Kentucky Transportation Cabinet official Wednesday to testify in a Frankfort perjury trial that could again implicate Gov. Ernie Fletcher in his administration's hiring scandal.

Former cabinet commissioner Dan Druen, the keeper of a "hit list" of state employees to be replaced by political hires friendly to Fletcher, must return to Frankfort for the Feb. 19 perjury trial of former chief state highway engineer Sam Beverage, according to Richmond City Circuit Judge Walter W. Stout III.

Stout said a subpoena will be issued for Druen as a material witness, but he would not be taken into custody.

Druen's testimony could be the first public statements under oath about Fletcher's involvement.

In December, Druen told the Herald-Leader that his supervisors, including Fletcher, ordered specific hirings, firings and demotions based on political affiliation.

[...]

Under questioning from Alex Taylor, an assistant commonwealth's attorney for the city of Richmond acting on behalf of Kentucky Attorney General Greg Stumbo, Druen said that he had given Stumbo's office a multitude of documents and they might include some that could shed light on Beverage's case.

The judge agreed.

"Mr. Druen asserts that he knows nothing about the perjury. Perjury involves a statement that is untrue. So while he may not have specifics of the perjury, he may have facts about the truth of the case. He has testified that he has some notes, some writing about hirings," Stout said. "The statements do not convince the court that he does not have relevance."

Louisville Bridges Project

Blockbuster story in today's Courier-Journal that the costs for the Louisville bridge project has soared nearly 60% from the previous estimate to $3.9 billion -- of which Kentucky is responsible for $2.77 billion and Indiana $1.13 billion:

It will cost $3.9 billion -- nearly 60 percent more than previously expected -- to build two Ohio River bridges and untangle Spaghetti Junction, a Kentucky report shows.

...Kentucky Transportation Cabinet officials primarily blame inflation for the increase. But they say the project remains affordable, as long as the political will exists to follow through.

However, lawmakers have already complained about the project's cost and its drain on the state's road projects.

[...]

Last winter, some Kentucky lawmakers complained that the project was consuming 10 percent of the state's $7.8 billion six-year road plan.

The new report predicts that the project will take up even more -- at least 18 percent of the road plan, on average, during the 11 years in which the two bridges are built.

The Transportation Cabinet declined to comment on the report yesterday. State officials plan to brief the Kentucky General Assembly during a transportation budget subcommittee hearing Dec. 14.

Couple of quick thoughts:

First, if you take a closer look at the actual report on why the costs have soared, you'll find this section on page 13:

Note that because of fuel cost increases, the inflation rate has actually been 10% during the past few years, instead the originally assessed 4%. So, what do they do? They increase expected inflation to 10% through 2007, and then drop it to 8% in 2008 and finally to 4% in 2009 and beyond.

Can someone explain why they think fuel costs will drop back to 4% by 2009? Or is this just to spare us what the likely real cost is going to be?

Secondly, the story acknowledges that legislators were already concerned by the previous cost estimate that ate up 10% of the state's road fund and this revision will ramp that level to an average of 18% over the next 11 years. 

Again, there's an interesting thing to notice in the new numbers. While they project that inflation will drop back to 4% annually by 2009 (from 10% now), they also project that growth in the state's road fund will increase by 5% annually from 2011 through 2024 (see page 22).

Anyone else thinking how convenient it is to low-ball inflation but be optimistic on revenue to try to hide how large of a percentage of the state's road fund will be needed? Or am I the only cynical one here?

Thirdly, noteworthy that the two officials to suggest tolls on the bridges were Republican State Rep. Melvin Henley (R-Murray) (who pre-filed such a bill) and Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels (R), who suggested it last year.

Funny, that two Republicans are the ones calling for new taxes here. Amazing how silent the wingnuts are on this one.

Finally, it's hard not to read that the bridges won't be built until as late as 2019 and recall that The Empire State Building took only one year and 45 days to build...

P.S. -- Since that enormous increase in fuel costs doesn't affect just road construction materials, I wonder how long before they level with us on the costs for the New Louisville Arena once the inflation rate is adjusted as well?

More Of The People With Rock-Solid Values That Governor Fletcher Promised Us?

What an absolutely damning news segment by WTVQ's Heather MacWilliams (Channel 36, Lexington) on the very shady actions by indicted Governor Fletcher's (R) appointed County Judge (Randy Thompson) in Knott County:

Hmmm....why does this sound so familiar???

Also, remember this Fletcher-Pence promise from 2003?:

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 rock solid 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.

Frauds.

More Scummy Kentucky Republican Tactics

So much for indicted Governor Fletcher (R) cleaning-up the good ol' boy system since he placed one of the biggest good ol' boys to head the Transportation Cabinet -- twice indicted Bill Nighbert -- and he's doing what he can to use road money to try to effect the outcome of next week's election, or so says the Madisonville Messenger:

Road Funds Promised Or Not Promised
By Don Perryman, Messenger Lead Reporter
Thursday, November 02, 2006

A Republican candidate for the state Senate has implied that funding for a road project in Hopkins County is being withheld because the incumbent is a Democrat. Dan McGary, who is opposing Sen. Jerry Rhoads in Tuesday’s general election, said he was assured by Transportation Cabinet Secretary Bill Nighbert that if McGary were elected, Nighbert would “make sure it gets on the fast track and gets done.”

[...]

McGary said he spoke to Nighbert three weeks ago. “I said, ‘I know, Secretary Nighbert, you’re tired of hearing about the Liberty Church Road project, but if I get elected to the Senate, what happens?’ He said, ‘It gets fixed.’”

Nighbert was unavailable for comment Wednesday due to a family illness. Doug Hogan, the cabinet’s director of public affairs, said he was “not in a position to comment on a conversation that may or may not have taken place.” Hogan said relationships with local authorities, including its legislative delegation, “are something we value.”

[...]

“All I’m saying,” McGary said, “is the funds haven’t come down and that has to do probably with the action taken to try to get it done. I was just told that if I’m the next state senator they’ll make sure it gets on the fast track and gets done. That’s called politics. I mean, that’s what happens.”

Pathetic stuff.

That Dog Won't Hunt...Any Longer

It's desperation time for the GOP and it seems they're reaching into their old bag of tricks of scare tactics to save their power:

GOP to Air Ad Warning of Terror Attacks
Associated Press

The Republican Party will begin airing a hard-hitting ad this weekend that warns of more cataclysmic terror attacks against the U.S. homeland.

The ad portrays Osama bin Laden and quotes his threats against America dating to February 1998. "These are the stakes," the ad concludes. "Vote November 7."

But something tells me that dog won't hunt any longer. Check out the latest polls released this month on the topic:

CNN Poll. 10/6-8. Adults nationwide. MoE 3% (9/22-24 results)
"Do you think the Republicans in Congress or the Democrats in Congress would do a better job of dealing with each of the following issues and problems. Terrorism."

Republicans 40 (47)
Democrats 45 (41)

Newsweek Poll. 10/5-6. Adults nationwide. MoE 3% (8/10-11 results)
"Please tell me which political party -- the Republicans or the Democrats -- you trust to do a better job handling each of the following. What about the war against terrorism at home and abroad? Which party do you trust to do a better job handling this issue?"

Republicans 37 (44)
Democrats 44 (39)

Not much left for the GOP, is there?

KY5: Even More Questions Being Raised About Rep. Hal Rogers (R) Steering Government Money To His Son's Employer

Anyone else getting the same impression as me that Rep. Hal Rogers (R) is as big of a crook as those in Congress now under investigation but that things either haven't yet floated to the surface -- or the feds aren't letting it be known...yet? I've had this feeling for a long time...

Here's another reason to be suspicious:

Rogers' Role In Tourism Contract Draws Scrutiny
Association sent money to firm employing son
By Deborah Yetter, The Courier-Journal

U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers' office steered $2.9 million in federal money through the state to a nonprofit tourism group in his district, which then sent part of it to a company that employs the Kentucky congressman's son.

One of Rogers' staff members is board vice president of the nonprofit group, according to a new state audit, which detailed the transaction.

The 2004 contract — awarded through the state Transportation Cabinet — did not appear to violate any Kentucky laws, according to a 100-page report that state Auditor Crit Luallen released yesterday.

But in an interview with The Courier-Journal, Luallen said the transaction stood out among the 57 sample contracts her office reviewed.

"This one pointed out some unique problems we didn't see elsewhere," Luallen said.

[...]

Steve Ellis, an official with Taxpayers for Common Sense, a nonpartisan watchdog group in Washington, said the contract reflects "shady dealings going on here that certainly deserve more scrutiny."

Ellis said he's concerned that Rogers had a staff member on the board of the group that received the money and part of it ended up with a company that employs Rogers' son.

[...]

State awards no-bid contract

In 2004, the Transportation Cabinet entered a "sole source" contract with the tourism group, meaning it did not seek bids because it had determined the work was specialized and another vendor would not be able to do it.

State contract documents said the sole source contract was necessary because the tourism group was already operating the center, and another group could not open a similar one without significant start-up costs, Luallen's audit said.

Once the $2.9million was awarded to the tourism group, it awarded a $1.2million subcontract to Senture, a London, Ky., call center company, to operate the information system, according to the audit and Luallen's staff. The company employs Rogers' son, John Rogers, as a computer systems administrator.

John Rogers could not be reached for comment yesterday. Senture officials did not return a call seeking comment.

[...]

The New York Times reported in May that Rogers helped arrange a $4million contract in 2004 with Senture. Rogers' son told the newspaper, "It had nothing to do with who my father is."

Luallen says the contract did NOT violate any state law, but it's whether Rogers' used his position of power on the Appropriations Committee to steer money to his son's company that is the potential problem here...

UPDATE: I mistakenly left out the crucial word "NOT" in the paragraph above when I first posted. It was a sloppy oversight. I knew that when I wrote this but omitted the word. Sorry.