Friday, 2 March 2007
Stumbo Shows His True Colors Again
« Funny News Story | Main | Pence Endorses Northup »Last week, it appears that Stumbo tried to shake down various labor union leaders after the unions came out vociferously against Lunsford.
Two Kentucky labor leaders said today that Attorney General Greg Stumbo threatened them and their members with retribution for refusing to consider endorsing him and his running mate Bruce Lunsford in the governor’s race.
Stumbo, who is running for lieutenant governor on a ticket with Lunsford in the May 22 Democratic primary, acknowledged making the calls but denied making any threats...The allegations were made by Steve Earle, a lobbyist for the United Mine Workers union, and Charles Wells, executive director of the Kentucky Association of State Employees.....
Earle said Stumbo called him Monday after the UMW sent out a press release announcing its decision not to consider endorsing the Lunsford-Stumbo ticket.
Earle said Stumbo told him, “You stabbed me in the back, and now I’m going to stick a knife in yours.”
Stumbo denied that.
“He is a pathetic liar,” he said.
Wells said he received a similar call Monday in which Stumbo said that “he would get even with our organization and any organization that took a similar position.”
Stumbo denied that as well.
One might be lying, two seems to be a pattern. And a pattern which fits with my theory that Stumbo stylizes himself as the "Don" of the Democratic party. Any disrespect and you will be "sleeping with the fishes" politically. While this type of mafia like behavior may work in Chicago, I doubt it will fly in Kentucky. Especially coming from a light weight such as Stumbo.
The reality is Stumbo has and always will be a party hack whose only claim to fame was his ability to "rough up" the current governor. Unfortunately for him, the days of the party bosses running the show in Kentucky are over. I for one will be glad to see him leave the political stage next January.
But in the mean time, I am going to continue to enjoy the antics of the Sugar Daddy / Whose Your Daddy campaign. They should continue to provide at least a few moments of light entertainment in what will assuredly be a dark and ugly primary. Especially on the Republican side.
