Bluegrass Politics

‘Comment’ and ‘KY Tonight’ will focus on Tuesday elections

Tuesday’s primary elections will dominate discussions on this weekend’s “Comment on Kentucky” and Monday’s “Kentucky Tonight” on the Kentucky Educational Television networ. Guests for “Comment” with host Ferrell Wellman will be Joe Gerth, political reporter for The Courier-Journal; Donna Groves, news director of WKYX Radio in Paducah; and Scott Wartman, reporter for the Kentucky Enquirer. [...]

Voter turnout expected to be 10-12 percent Tuesday

By Jack Brammer
jbrammer@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT – Voter turnout in next Tuesday’s primary elections is expected to be only between 10 and 12 percent, Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes said Thursday.

Grimes said turnout should be a little higher — in the 4th Congressional District in northern Kentucky, where there are contested primaries for Republicans and Democrats to fill the seat of retiring U.S. Rep. Geoff Davis.

Minton elected to 2nd term as chief justice

FRANKFORT — Justices of the Kentucky Supreme Court have unanimously voted to elect Chief Justice John D. Minton Jr. of Bowling Green to a second term.

The four-year term begins June 27. Minton was sworn in as Kentucky’s fifth chief justice on June 27, 2008, after being elected to the Supreme Court in 2006.

New campaign launched Wednesday to eliminate child abuse

By Beth Musgrave

bmusgrave@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT — Kara Mellick kissed her fingers and placed them on her sleeping nine-month-old daughter’s head before she headed out the door in the summer of 2009.

Matt Vaughn, her house mate and long-time family friend, was going to watch Karlie that Sunday. Mellick had been called into work and Karlie’s daycare was closed.

But something went horribly wrong. Karlie was taken later that day to Kosair Children’s Hospital in Louisville with broken ribs, broken arms and severe head trauma. She died of those injuries four days later on June 11 2009.

Panel charges former Kentucky tourism chief with ethics violation

By Beth Musgrave
bmusgrave@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT — A state ethics panel issued charges Monday against former Tourism Commissioner Mike Cooper, alleging that he misused state resources for his own financial gain.

Cooper, who resigned in February after a series of articles by the Lexington Herald-Leader, allowed a state contractor to pay $735 for his meals, party tickets and other expenses in June 2011 during an unauthorized trip to London, England, according to documents obtained by the newspaper.

When questioned about the London trip by superiors at the Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet, Cooper said in an email that his trip was for personal reasons, according to the Executive Branch Ethics Commission. However, Cooper later authorized spending state money to repay the British public relations firm that had covered his expenses in London.

Eventually, Cooper was ordered to repay the money to Gosh P.R., which had a $179,900 a year contract to promote Kentucky tourism in the United Kingdom. Cooper helped award Gosh’s contract in 2008 and signed off on its monthly billing.

Two state boards begin review of Richie Farmer audit

By Jack Brammer
jbrammer@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT — Two state boards began considering on Monday a critical audit of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture under former state Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer.

The state Personnel Board unanimously voted to direct its staff to review seven findings that dealt with personnel issues in the audit released April 30 by state Auditor Adam Edelen. The board’s staff members are to report back to the board next month or as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, the audit was presented Monday to the Executive Branch Ethic Commission, but commission executive director John Steffen would neither confirm nor deny any investigation. He did say that allegations in the audit were “of a serious nature.”

The 151-page audit said “a toxic culture of entitlement” permeated the department under Farmer, a former basketball star at the University of Kentucky and a Republican candidate for lieutenant governor last year. He was agriculture commissioner for the last eight years.

The audit listed 41 findings dealing with misuse of state employees and resources, including pre-selection of candidates for state merit jobs, using state employees to take Farmer hunting and shopping and making a state worker field-dress a doe that Farmer shot illegally while in a state vehicle in Franklin County.

Coventry Cares will continue paying for addiction drug

By Beth Musgrave
bmusgrave@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT — Medicaid provider Coventry Cares has reversed itself and will continue paying for a costly medication that helps drug addicts, according to an addiction treatment company that had threatened to sue Coventry.

Anna Whites, a lawyer who represents SelfRefind, which operates addiction treatment centers throughout Kentucky, said she was notified by Coventry’s lawyers on Monday that it would continue to pay for Suboxone, a drug often given to opioid addicts who are dependent on drugs such as Oxycontin and Vicodin.

SelfRefind’s threat of a lawsuit came as the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, which oversees Medicaid, sent a letter to Coventry warning that its decision to drop coverage of Suboxone would violate the company’s contract with the state.

Coventry had sent letters to patients who receive Suboxone last week saying that it would not pay for the treatment after the patient’s current prescription expired. Coventry also said it would not pay for other drugs given to addicts, including drugs used in alcohol abuse treatment.

Beshear appoints Linda Breathitt to Public Service Commission

By Jack Brammer
jbrammer@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT — Gov. Steve Beshear appointed longtime energy regulator Linda Breathitt on Friday to the state Public Service Commission.

Breathitt, of Lexington, has worked in the energy sector for years in state and federal positions.

She replaces Charlie Borders, who resigned in December from the agency that oversees utilities in the state. Her term will begin May 21.

“Linda has a broad range of experience in the energy sector that few can match,” Beshear said in a statement. “Her vision and expertise in this field will serve our entire state well.”

Beshear departs Sunday for trip to Taiwan and Japan

FRANKFORT — Gov. Steve Beshear will leave Sunday for a seven-day economic development trip to Taiwan and Japan.

A news release from his office Friday morning said the visit will showcase Kentucky’s thriving Bourbon industry, celebrate Kentucky’s 30-year sister-state relationship with Taiwan and “further cultivate the economic development potential with both Taiwan and Japan.”

“I’m very excited for the opportunities this visit offers the Commonwealth, Taiwan, and Japan. Mutual goodwill, economic development, and prosperity are our common goals,” Beshear said.

‘Comment’ schedules guests; ‘KY Tonight’ will feature 4th CD candidates

Three journalists will join host Ferrell Wellman on this weekend’s “Comment on Kentucky,” a public affairs show of the Kentucky Educational Television network.

They are Russ Cassady, editor of the Appalachian News-Express in Pikeville; Bill Estep, Somerset Bureau reporter for the Herald-Leader; and Tom Loftus, Frankfort bureau chief for The Courier-Journal.

The show airs live at 8 p.m. Friday on KET1.

On the Monday, May 14, edition of Kentucky Tonight at 8 p.m. EDT on KET and at www.ket.org/live, host Bill Goodman will talk with candidates in the 4th Congressional District Republican primary.