Wednesday, 6 August 2008
Has Beshear Reached The Bottom Of the Barrel Yet?
« Will Oil Be A Game Changer? | Main | Great Taste Of The Midwest »Last week, Gov Beshear decided his administration didn't have enough cronies. So he decided to bring in Danny Ross to be a policy adviser in the Labor cabinet.
Gov. Steve Beshear has appointed Danny Ross, who was charged with felony campaign-finance violations during Gov. Paul Patton's administration, to a $60,000-a-year job as policy adviser to Labor Secretary J.R. Gray.
Those issues are in the past. We've moved forward,\u201c Beshear spokesman Jay Blanton said Thursday.
In 1998, a grand jury under the direction of then-Attorney General Ben Chandler indicted Ross and several other Patton allies, including two Louisville Teamsters and the governor's chief of staff, Andrew "Skipper" Martin.
They were accused of steering labor union funds to Patton's 1995 Democratic gubernatorial campaign in excess of fund-raising limits. Patton narrowly defeated Larry Forgy, his Republican opponent, and almost immediately, questions were raised about the legality of some union activities in Louisville.
Ross, a former union steward, is half-brother to House Speaker Pro Tem Larry Clark, D-Louisville.
In a highly controversial move, Patton pardoned all four defendants toward the end of his term in 2003 before a trial could be scheduled, after many appeals and delays.
I don't know how to respond to this story. It is surreal to me that Beshear would bring in one of those involved in the votes buying scheme from the Forgy / Patton election in 1995. The only reason this guy isn't in jail is because Patton pardoned him.
Instead of making the obvious scornful remarks about our most ethical and bi-partisan governor ever, I have decided to look at the positive behind the appointment. Maybe this means he is at the bottom of the barrel of old partisan Democratic cronies to appoint. If there are no more cronies, he will be forced to bring in fresh faces to state government or heaven forbid maybe even a Republican. We can only hope!
I never expected him to appoint any Republicans. I just find it funny that during the campaign he talked about being a new kind of democrat. A "post partisan" Democrat.
Since he has been elected he has proven to be nothing but an old time Democrat and a pure partisan. I guess that was a campaign promise that was just too hard to keep.
I didn't really either, it was obvious from Day 1 of his campaign, that he would bring back the old style politics. I have repeatedly attempted to comment on political articles on WYMT's stories and WKYT's, and VERY few of my comments makes it through the approvals. This Clueless Guv is simply leading the Frankfort Lemmings off the cliff, and the MSM falls right in line most of the time.
The only way he will bring in
Republicans is if they are
converted Dems or RINO's.
This is how he will stack his
board and committee appts.
to appear as if he is comply-
ing with the rules. Or maybe
I am worried way too much
because they sure haven't
shown that kind of smarts yet.