Monday, 28 August 2006
Why Did Stumbo Settle Now?
Over the weekend we were treated to a story in the Courier Journal claiming that Stumbo worked the deal even though they thought they hadn't seen all of the evidence.
Kentucky Attorney General Greg Stumbo and his top deputy said yesterday they agreed to dismiss political patronage charges against Gov. Ernie Fletcher before they were sure they had seen all the evidence....
"When the possibility of trial is removed, the impetus for that fight is removed," Whites said in an interview.
"And at that point, the office of the attorney general made a determination we could accomplish a lot of good, protect merit workers, and protect the public's right to know ultimately through a grand jury report -- if a grand jury chooses to issue one -- by entering into this agreed order," Whites said.
Why would Stumbo end the "investigation" before all of the "evidence" is collected? It seems other have the same question.
Jefferson County Commonwealth's Attorney Dave Stengel, a Democrat, said he could not comment on Stumbo's decision to end the investigation. But he said that he generally does not drop cases while evidence is outstanding.
"As long as there was a possibility of getting that evidence, that's part of your job," Stengel said.
So why settle? Well, we learned today that the settlement was part of Stumbo's "sweetly executed move".
But perhaps just as important, the deal came as more Republicans were forming a chorus to urge Fletcher -- for the good of the party -- to throw in the towel on a re-election bid next year.
Should that growing movement prevail, the Republicans would select a new nominee, most likely one with less political baggage than Fletcher.
"It's like Greg Stumbo gave enough oxygen to Fletcher to stay in the race. It's either a fresh-faced, unindicted nobody with a clean record or a wounded governor," said Jim Cauley, a national Democratic campaign consultant and Pikeville native.
"At the end of the day, you have to say this is masterful," he added.
Wait a second. Stop the presses. If this was a brilliant move by Stumbo to leave intact a "wounded" sitting governor for the next election, then that means Stumbo's motive for ending the case was completely political. If ending the case was political it only seams to reason that the case was started for political reasons. Maybe Stumbo needing to wound Fletcher to have any chance at winning the Governorship.
I am sure Stumbo will file to run soon. Heck he has already floated the "gambling" trial balloon as a "major" issue for the next election. Once he does he will have completed the gambit. And in doing so will prove once and for all that this prosecution was nothing more than a political hit. One that was duplicitously trumpeted by those with FDS (Fletcher Derangement Syndrome) in the drive by media.
