Archive for September, 2011

Campaign Watchdog: Claims about Williams’ spending, pension are half true

By John Cheves
jcheves@herald-leader.com

The Herald-Leader will fact-check claims made by the candidates and their surrogates leading up to the Nov. 8 election.

The statement: “For 26 years in Frankfort, David Williams has spent millions in taxpayer dollars on office renovations and perks for himself … and repeatedly voted to increase his own taxpayer-funded pension, now worth over $1 million, while trying to cut the pensions of other state workers.”

— Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear in a television ad this week attacking David Williams, his Republican challenger.

The ruling: Half true.

The facts: David Williams, the state Senate president, oversaw an expansion of legislative offices at the Capitol Annex in Frankfort over the past decade. Williams and other legislative leaders approved $1.7 million in 2003 to acquire additional space and $639,000 in 2006 for further improvements to Senate offices, including Williams’, such as new woodwork, furniture and electronics.

‘Comment’ schedules 3 veteran journalists

Joining host Ferrell Wellman on this weekend’s “Comment on Kentucky,” a public affairs show of the Kentucky Educational Television network, will be Jamie Lucke, editorial writer for the Lexington Herald-Leader; Jere Downs, business reporter for The Courier-Journal; and Al Cross, director of the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues at the University of Kentucky.

The show will air live Friday at 8 p.m. EDT on KET1.

–Jack Brammer

Claim that Beshear supports EPA’s coal regulations false

By Jack Brammer
jbrammer@herald-leader.com

The Herald-Leader will fact-check claims made by the candidates for governor and their surrogates leading up to the Nov. 8 election.

The statement: “Beshear supports Obama’s EPA plans that will drive out our coal jobs by driving up our energy costs.”

— Restoring America, a group supporting Republican gubernatorial candidate David Williams, in a television ad this week attacking Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear.

The ruling: False

The facts: Throughout this fall’s campaign for governor, Republican nominee David Williams has tried to tie Gov. Steve Beshear with Democratic President Obama, who is unpopular in the state.

Some of the jobs Gov. Beshear boasts about creating don’t exist

By John Cheves
jcheves@herald-leader.com

Gov. Steve Beshear frequently credits himself with creating or retaining more than 19,500 Kentucky jobs, but some of those jobs don’t exist.

Hundreds of specific jobs that the Democratic governor identifies on his campaign Web site actually have not been created since the initial press releases went out, or they were partially offset by subsequent layoffs at the same companies, or they were announced under Ernie Fletcher, Beshear’s Republican predecessor.

For example, the Web site says “Steve Beshear worked with Worldcolor to create 135 new jobs” in Simpson County. It cites a 2010 state press release as its source. But the jobs never came to Worldcolor, a printer later bought by Quad/Graphics.

“The jobs pretty much have been put on hold,” plant manager Todd Ramsey said in a recent interview.

More than 100,000 ‘In God We Trust’ plates sold

FRANKFORT – Kentuckians have bought more than 100,000 licens plates with the national motto, “In God We Trust,” since they were made available in Januray, the state Transportation Cabinet said Wednesday.

Claim that Beshear took money from utility companies false

The Herald-Leader will fact-check claims made by the candidates for governor and their surrogates leading up to the Nov. 8 election.

The statement: Gov. Steve “Beshear has mastered the art of the payoff, pocketing hundreds of thousands in campaign contributions from energy and utility companies. Yet Beshear appoints public service commissioners who set our utility rates.”

— Restoring America, a group supporting Republican gubernatorial candidate David Williams, in a television ad this week attacking Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear.

The ruling: False

The facts: Restoring America, an independent political expenditure group based in Ohio, is accusing Beshear of breaking the law in its latest ad, but there’s no proof to substantiate the claim.

Conway files third lawsuit in ongoing investigation of for-profit colleges

By Jack Brammer jbrammer@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT – Attorney General Jack Conway sued National College of Kentucky Tuesday, alleging that the for-profit school misrepresented job placement numbers for its students.

The lawsuit filed in Fayette Circuit Court is the third Conway has filed as part of his ongoing investigation of for-profit colleges in Kentucky.

The three-count lawsuit against National College alleges that it violated the state Consumer Protection Act by making false, misleading and deceptive disclosures regarding the rate at which its students were able to find jobs in their field of study.

National College enrolled about 5,000 students in 2010 in campuses in Lexington, Louisville, Florence, Pikeville, Richmond and Danville.

“This type of deception must stop,” Conway said at a news conference in his Capitol office.

Williams, Galbraith bash absent governor at KET education debate

By Beth Musgrave
bmusgrave@herald-leader.com

Two candidates for the state’s top office criticized incumbent Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear for being a no-show in the first televised debate of the governor’s race.

Republican David Williams and independent Gatewood Galbraith appeared Monday on KET’s Kentucky Tonight to discuss education. Beshear, who is leading in most polls by more than 20 points and has amassed millions in campaign donations, declined the invitation to attend.

Williams, who has been state Senate president for more than a decade, said that the “‘education governor’ won’t even come here tonight and talk about education.”

Williams said that besides pushing a measure that would increase the dropout age to 18 — which Williams opposes — Beshear has not made any significant changes in education during the past four years and has been an “obstructionist” when it comes to education. Williams said there was no data to show that raising the dropout age would improve education outcomes.

Galbraith questioned how Beshear got the nickname the “education governor.”

‘Comment’ will discuss Obama’s visit; ‘KY Tonight’ will feature 2 candidates for governor

President Barack Obama’s visit to Northern Kentucky and Ohio this week to tout his jobs bill will be one of several topics on this weekend’s “Comment on Kentucky,” a public affairs show of the Kentucky Educational Television network.

Joining host Ferrell Wellman will be three journalists: Amanda Van Benschoten, business reporter for The Kentucky Enquirer and The Cincinnati Enquirer; Kenny Colston, political reporter for CN/2; and Tom Loftus, Frankfort bureau chief for The Courier-Journal.

The 30-minute show airs live at 8 p.m. EDT Friday on KET1.

On Monday’s show of Kentucky Tonight at 8 p.m. EDT on KET and at www.ket.org/live, host Bill Goodman will talk about education with candidates for governor.

Scheduled guests are Republican David Williams and independent Gatewood Galbraith. Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear was invited but his campaign staff has indicated that he will not be participating, KET said.

Obama calls out McConnell on jobs bill from Ohio River bridge

By Jack Brammer and Kelsey Sheridan
jbrammer@herald-leader.com

CINCINNATI — Standing before an aging bridge that links the home turf of top Republicans in Congress, President Barack Obama touted his $447 billion jobs bill Thursday as a way to help repair the nation’s infrastructure.

Obama called out by name Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, and House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, as he spoke near the Brent Spence Bridge that carries I-75 and I-71 over the Ohio River.

“Mr. Boehner, Mr. McConnell, help us rebuild this bridge,” Obama said. “Help us rebuild America. Help us put this country back to work. Pass this jobs bill right away.”