Forgy Kerr says anti-slots vote cost nephew his state job
By Jack Brammer – jbrammer@herald-leader.com
State Sen. Alice Forgy Kerr, R-Lexington
FRANKFORT — A state senator claims her nephew is losing his job as general counsel of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission because she voted against a bill backed by Gov. Steve Beshear to allow slot machines at Kentucky horse racetracks.
“My nephew was a hostage in this situation,” said Sen. Alice Forgy Kerr, R-Lexington. “He’s losing his job in retaliation for my vote against predatory gambling in this state.”
Kerr is the aunt of John L. Forgy, who submitted his resignation Wednesday as attorney for the horse racing commission, effective July 31.
Forgy did not return phone calls seeking comment about his departure from the commission. He did not state a reason for leaving in his one-sentence resignation letter obtained by the Herald-Leader.
Forgy has been in the $76,478-a-year post since October 2008 and has been an attorney in state government since June 2004. He was a Phi Beta Kappa student at Georgetown University and received his law degree from the University of Kentucky.
Forgy also is the son of Lexington attorney Larry Forgy, a Republican who narrowly lost the 1995 race for governor to Democrat Paul Patton.
Lisa Underwood, executive director of the horse racing commission, declined to comment on John Fogy’s resignation letter.
“I don’t comment on personnel matters,” she said.
Dick Brown, a spokesman for the Public Protection Cabinet, which oversees the racing commission, said he didn’t know why Forgy resigned.
“You’d have to ask him,” Brown said. “I don’t know if he was asked to resign.”
Asked what proof she had that her nephew’s departure from the racing commission was linked to her anti-slots vote, Kerr responded that “this just didn’t come as a bolt out of the blue to me.
“Any person who can figure out two plus two can figure this out,” she said.
She provided no specifics.
Kerr said her nephew has “an exemplary record as a state employee and has had no problems on the job.”
“I am outraged,” the senator said. “I’m very disappointed that my own family is taking a toll on this issue of expanded gambling.”
Kerr voted against the slots bill last month in the Senate budget committee after the House approved it during a special legislative session called by Beshear.
Beshear and other supporters of the bill said the proposal was needed to allow state tracks to compete with those in neighboring states that use revenue from slots machines to fatten their racing purses.
The Senate panel rejected the proposal on a 10-5 vote, killing it for the session.
Kerr said at the time it was a tough vote because she represents a community blessed with horse farms and Keeneland, but she has deep concerns about the social ills of expanded gambling.
On Thursday, Kerr called herself “a friend of horse racing.”
She said the horse industry should back a plan sponsored by Senate President David Williams, R-Burkesville, that would raise $85.6 million for Kentucky racing purses and breeder incentives by taxing lottery tickets and out-of-state race betting without expanded gambling.
Opponents of Williams’ plan have expressed concern that it would hurt the scholarships created from lottery proceeds.
Kerr said she unsuccessfully “pleaded” with the Democratic governor in the last days of the special session to consider Williams’ plan.
She also said she never discussed her nephew with the governor.
About the Author: John Stamper is the accountability editor for the Lexington Herald-Leader. A native of Monticello, Ky., he has been with the Herald-Leader in a variety of roles since graduating from Western Kentucky University in 2000. Reach him at jstamper@herald-leader.com
daniel | Jul 2, 2009 | Reply
Get over it– This is a democrat administration and your nephew needs to go. With out without Slots. Fletcher fired Dems. more often that this.
melhardy1970 | Jul 2, 2009 | Reply
First of all he resigned and was not “fired” that means he left and they accepted his resignation. And secondly from everything i have seen from the Forgy family if they are involved it is a mess. Ask Ernie Fetcher how politically savy they are.
Barren Piker | Jul 2, 2009 | Reply
The Forgys did very very well by one term Ern. Still, Beshear’s record on playing tough guy on gambling is lousy. Just ask Brereton’s pal Senator Newberry down in Glasgow.
ryehill | Jul 2, 2009 | Reply
Good. She’s next..
J | Jul 2, 2009 | Reply
This would not surprise me. This administration is chasing qualified people out of positions like crazy and replacing them with incompetent cronies. This is happening with Democrats as well as Republicans.
Tom Bowne | Jul 2, 2009 | Reply
The guy resigned, right? He quit. Was he forced out? That would thicken the plot. But there is no indication of that in this report.
LouLou | Jul 2, 2009 | Reply
Airhead loser. She’s a blank check for David Williams, never questioning anything, just following orders. Has no business being in the legislature to begin with. Joke.
Lemon Aide | Jul 2, 2009 | Reply
Frank Shoop’s daughter in law still has her Commission job so all’s right with the world. Frank’s all about good government.
Jason | Jul 2, 2009 | Reply
Senator, what about the people in the horse industry who lost their job because of your vote? Far more of them than your rich little nephew. You discuss me. By the way, your nephew resigned. Now go fetch Senator Williams another favor. Because of you, I now have to go throw-up
LouLou | Jul 2, 2009 | Reply
While she’s in the Senate doing David Williams’ bidding, her mentally disturbed brother, “Larry the Ernie Guy,” is on the board of Crime Victims’ Comp and Board of Claims getting paid from state coffers, and her nephew, Mr. Phi Beta Kappa, is apparently so incapable of making it in the real world of legal practice, that he is sucking $78 grand a year from the state. What a clan!
So What | Jul 2, 2009 | Reply
The General Counsel of any agency is a non-merit, appointed employee. A general counsel serves at the pleasure of the Governor and can be discharged at any time, for any reason. Every non-merit employee knows they have a short shelf life. So what.
TheGovernor | Jul 2, 2009 | Reply
Somebody call the whaaambulance. This just in: politics gets political.
special delivery | Jul 2, 2009 | Reply
whine, she is like her brother Larry. The Forgy family are the biggest crybabies in Lexington. Her nephew resigned. Perhaps she will resign next. He was a non merit employee. Little Ernie is out and little Larry is out of the political loop. Even the republican party has little to do with Larry.
Time to clean house | Jul 2, 2009 | Reply
The black helicopters are circling Ms. Senator. You voted against much of the money in your district and you might want to start looking for another job because this term will be your last…thank God!
Sooner | Jul 2, 2009 | Reply
RIGHT ON LOU LOU
mmiball | Jul 2, 2009 | Reply
So….. He got his job because his Aunt is a politician? Is Beshear getting fired, too? Let’s hope so. VOTE THEM ALL OUT!!!
Jennifer | Jul 2, 2009 | Reply
AMEN!
Dick | Jul 2, 2009 | Reply
Maybe next time she will vote the right way.
He was a non-merit attorney, who are a dime a dozen. I am sure he didn’t know anything about the horse industry and the truth be told was lucky even to be held over from Fletcher. Consider yourself lucky….
Why is this even a news story????????????
amused | Jul 2, 2009 | Reply
funny how things happen isn’t it. most of the posts here are praising it saying he’s non-merit, beshear should have fired him, blah, blah, etc. but you were the same people crying saying oh my god fletcher is being political…he’s firing democrats…well, apparently, the truth is out…and for the record, fletcher kept many, many democrats in key positions and many republicans know that those democrats helped cost fletcher his next election too. truth is that it’s ok if it benefits democrats but by god never benefit a conservative. oh yeh, one more thing, beshear is on tape at 2 different debates saying I’m not going to go in and just fire everybody, I’m not going to go in and fire all the republicans. well, where are they now?
Bob | Jul 3, 2009 | Reply
While there will be people who will rightfully and forcefully lose their jobs because of their role in killing the horse business, John Forgy was not one of them.
Now, elected representatives who ignore the best interests of thousands of their constituents? Yep, they will lose their jobs, and Alice Forgy Kerr is at the top of that list.
bobby | Jul 3, 2009 | Reply
John was a really good felony prosecutor and a very good trial attorney.
gadflyinlex | Jul 3, 2009 | Reply
Oh, but her son still has a job over at Kentucky League of Cities! Maybe Sylvia Lovely can replace that useless Juett with little Forgy.
lextraffic | Jul 3, 2009 | Reply
wait till u run again ur going to lose a lot of votes including mine
james | Jul 3, 2009 | Reply
Ah, the Forgys and the Kerrs, the Republican gifts that keep on giving. Isn’t it time to dump this Kentucky version of Sarah Palin.
keith | Jul 3, 2009 | Reply
i wish what republicans that remain would get fired. they are the ones that got this state and country in the mess they are in
Yin-Yang | Jul 3, 2009 | Reply
Live by the sword, die by the sword… He probably got his job because of her anyway… Just shows how two-faced she and Williams are anyway….
BULLY BULLY BULLY, Williams and Kerr!!!
Dick | Jul 3, 2009 | Reply
To Amused:
The big difference is this guy is non-merit and works at the will of the Governor. Fletcher was trying to fire merit employees who do not work at the will of the Governor. Legally, that is a BIG difference.
Jim Anderson Stivers | Jul 3, 2009 | Reply
Well, the first shot has been fired.
I read the blog complaints about Alice Forgy Kerr and they all say pretty much the same. “VENGIANCE IS MINE SAYETH THE GOVERNOR.”
A person making 78K per year does not willing give up that job. I know exactly how this works, been there, been part of that. ON the GO HOME END. If the Governor wants to participate in some retaliation toward Senator Kerr then he should face her and tell her why. Not send someone else to deliver his message.
While I a not a Forgy Kerr fan, this woman did what she felt was right. And sometimes that cost you, your job. Not hers, cause the administration can not fire her, it is up to the voters. But family members, well that hurts worse.
Shame on the Administration for being so narrow minded and vengeful. It has been rumored many times. STEVE BESHEAR HAS A VERY VENGFUL part of his personality.
Now we see it.
ringer | Jul 3, 2009 | Reply
Bye bye Alice. that right wing crap ain’t gonna cut it in Lex.
Cap Mayce | Jul 3, 2009 | Reply
Democrat money bag fat cat Frank Shoop’s daughter in law worked at the commission under Fletcher. I wonder where Ernie got his car and if he got as good a deal as Lee Todd? Except for the Forgys Republicans didn’t do as well by Fletcher as many think.
special delivery | Jul 3, 2009 | Reply
If Jr. is so impressive as an attorney why in God’s name was he working for the state.The Forgy’s play this political game all time, they just always lose.
david | Jul 3, 2009 | Reply
Have no clue if Mr. Forgy was good at his job or not. But what I do know is, no person should be hired or fired because of the actions of another, especially when he has no supervision over them. Bad call governor.
HorsesSuck | Jul 3, 2009 | Reply
Breshear will get his next.
Just concerned | Jul 4, 2009 | Reply
Senator,
Sounds to me like you’re unhappy because your nephew resigned, and you want to blame it on your vote.
All you senators should be ashamed on your vote in not allowing the issue to be debated in the full senate. Who do you think you are? And you are supposed to be representing the people, especially the equine people in your district, and you refuse to vote on their behalf.
I hope you will voted out of office in the next election. Good ridance to bad politicians!
zed | Jul 4, 2009 | Reply
Now he’s free to get a job with Don Ball turning horse farms into crappy subdivisions.