Coal lobbyist faces criminal charge
By John Cheves – jcheves@herald-leader.com
Kentucky Coal Association President Bill Caylor
Bill Caylor, longtime lobbyist and spokesman for Kentucky’s coal industry, will appear in Fayette District Court on Friday on a misdemeanor charge of violating an emergency protective order filed by his wife.
Caylor, 60, is paid about $140,000 a year as president of the Kentucky Coal Association, the industry’s chief advocate in state politics. He faces up to a year in jail if convicted, but his lawyer is asking to have the charge diverted for now.
“I don’t know what I can say about this,” Caylor said Thursday. “If you all want to rake me over the coals, go ahead.”
Lexington police arrested Caylor on May 10 at his home on Turkey Foot Road in Lexington. His wife, Geaunita Caylor, had taken out a protective order against him, which required him to not communicate with her or come within 1,000 yards of her. But Bill Caylor repeatedly left phone messages with his wife and went to their house to try to talk to her through the door, despite knowing that it violated the court order, according to the arrest report.
Bill Caylor at the Lexington-Fayette Detention Center on May 10, 2009.
Caylor was released from the Fayette County jail into the custody of his brother.
The reason for the protective order was not listed in court records Thursday. Geaunita Caylor declined to comment. She is paid $45,781 a year at the University of Kentucky to coordinate coal-related conferences, including some that feature her husband.
Bill Caylor declined to explain the reason for the protective order, but he said his attorney will ask the judge Friday to place him in a diversion program that would expunge the criminal charge from his record if he does not get into further trouble. In exchange, Caylor said, he will use his engineer’s training to teach math to students in a G.E.D. program.
Caylor said he informed his employers at the Kentucky Coal Association about his arrest. But the chairman of the association’s board of directors said Thursday that Caylor’s criminal prosecution was news to him.
“I knew that there were family issues of some sort, but we had heard none of the details,” said Charles Wesley, executive vice president of Alliance Coal. “I think it’s most unfortunate for all involved, but that’s all I have to say about it for now.”
Filed Under: KY Courts • State Government
About the Author: 
They will do as he asked, he has got pull through his pal Lawson and his ilk.
How do their salaries relate to this story?
I’m sorry to hear that this would happen to anyone. Relationships take lots of time and energy to build and maintain, and I can only imagine how hard it is when they are falling apart. But please take time to care for yourself Bill.
We may not agree on many things but I don’t enjoy hearing about anyone suffering.
Barry, great question. Is there news in Lexington aside from the public/quasi public sectors sleazy dealings? Can we get some stories that are will enrich life as opposed to depress HL readers?
I’m not surprised that Caylor, who makes money pushing energy policies that hurt the environment and exploit workers, would have these kinds of problems. It’s horrible that we live in a society where folks have to get protective orders against their spouses. I hope that Geaunita is able to get some peace from the situation.
The person all readers should be worried about is Geaunita Caylor … too many of these women wind up murder victims, way too many. Diversion is inappropriate in these kinds of cases. It’s good that he wants to volunteer to use his professional skills to teach young’uns, although you gotta wonder why he ain’t done it before if he believes in it so much. Still, Ms Caylor and the public’s good are best-served if he’s spending his nights and weekends at the jail, but let him out during the day to try to make a living, under some kinda work release. Good Lord it sends the wrong message to let this guy walk away from this. He’s got a mental problem. Anybody who does this with a protective order against him is dangerous. Confine him, and treat him, but make him pay the costs of it. Maybe he could get a job in the mines, but go back to the jail at night when the shift changes.
This does not surprise me.
These coal fiends have no respect for the rights of others.
It reminds me of blankenship throwing his egg mcmuffin at his poor maid because it was made wrong.
I agree with Brad on this.
They think because they are with coal they can do anything without paying the price.
Mr. Caylor is wound way too tight, as this situation indicates. He should take this opportunity to think things through and make some changes for the better.
Kentucky law states:
“403.740 Emergency protective order.
(1) If, upon review of the petition, as provided for in KRS 403.735, the court determines that the allegations contained therein indicate the presence of an immediate and present danger of domestic violence and abuse, the court shall issue, upon proper motion, ex parte, an emergency protective order.”
Jeez,
Is this really a news story for the newspaper?
Domestic disputes must hinge on how much money someone makes. Story should never have appeared. Not news . . . private affair and no feloby was committed.
Give me a break.
The coal guys are no good. If he was a gay bicycle rider this wouldn’t be so bad.
If this story was about Hank Graddy or Tom FitzGerald or Doug Doerrfield (sp?) or any of the other anti-coal activists, it wouldn’t even be a story. But because it’s Caylor and coal, it’s front page stuff. How many people will the H-L have to lay off when the electricity bill at Main & Midland doubles because of the policies the paper promotes on its idiotorial pages?