All Entries in the "Phil Moffett" Category

Holsclaw releases tax returns, urges opponents to do the same

By Jack Brammer
jbrammer@herald-leader.com

LOUISVILLE — Bobbie Holsclaw, whose Republican campaign for governor appears financially strapped, made public her income tax returns from 2003 to 2011 Friday and challenged her opponents to do likewise.

Holsclaw’s latest income tax return shows she earned $113,799 as Jefferson County Clerk in 2010 and $17,456 in Social Security benefits. She paid $20,355 in federal income tax for the year.

“It’s never a fun thing to do to release your personal business but people whose money you are going to be handling have a right to see how you have handled your life,” Holsclaw said during a news conference Friday in Louisville.

Holsclaw also said she will amend the campaign finance report she filed with the state on Wednesday that showed her campaign collecting just $7,240 during its first two full months. The campaign had $2,725 on hand for the May 17 primary election.

That compares to about $750,000 her GOP opponent, Senate President David Williams, reported in January and nearly $55,000 her other challenger, Louisville businessman Phil Moffett, reported at the time.

Democrats want Williams, Moffett to release tax returns

By Beth Musgrave and Jack Brammer
bmusgrave@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT — The Kentucky Democratic Party demanded Tuesday that Republican gubernatorial candidates David Williams and Phil Moffett release their income tax returns, noting that Williams has made similar demands of his political foes in the past.

At a news conference in Frankfort, KDP Chairman Dan Logsdon read quotes from Williams during the 1991 gubernatorial campaign. At the time, Williams was managing Republican Larry Hopkins’ campaign and called on his primary challenger, Larry Forgy, to release 10 years of tax returns.

Forgy’s failure to release only two years of tax returns “shows an arrogant, deliberate and almost desperate attempt to hide pertinent facts from the electorate,” Williams said in a 1991 interview with the Lexington Herald-Leader.

Logsdon said Tuesday that he hopes Williams, now the Senate president, will reverse his recent decision to keep his tax returns private once he is reminded of his 1991 statements.

“I feel certain the Sen. Williams has simply forgotten his previous statements, and once reminded of them, will follow his own advice and release his tax information,” Logsdon said.

Gubernatorial candidate’s backers face drug charges

By John Cheves – jcheves@herald-leader.com

Phil Moffett, a Republican candidate for governor, is calling on Kentucky to “nullify” the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration while he accepts campaign support from the owners of a Lexington store that police say sold illegal drugs.

Campaign manager David Adams said Friday that Moffett has specific concerns about the DEA’s interference in state sovereignty, but he does not back drug legalization or condone drug crimes. The campaign stands by its supporters because it believes they did nothing wrong, Adams said.

Lexington police on Feb. 10 raided The Botany Bay at 932 Winchester Road and seized a variety of illegal drugs, drug paraphernalia, several thousand dollars in cash and two loaded guns, according to court records. Police arrested six people in connection with the raid, including store employees, who face pending felony and misdemeanor drug charges.

Police later charged store owners Ginny and Scott Saville, who were not present, with misdemeanor counts of trafficking in synthetic marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. They have pleaded not guilty and are scheduled to appear next month in Fayette District Court.

Ginny Saville helped organize a Dec. 7 fund-raiser for Moffett and, with her husband, donated $2,000 to him. A large Moffett campaign poster hung in the store’s window Friday. When the raid happened, she and her husband were with the Moffett campaign at the Conservative Action Political Conference in Washington, D.C., according to Adams.

‘Phil Harmon’ gets endorsement for Phil Moffett

By John Cheves — jcheves@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT — Take Back Kentucky on Tuesday endorsed Republican gubernatorial candidate Phil Moffett — sort of.

Norm Davis, a member of the private property rights group, kicked off a press conference in the state Capitol by praising the conservative credentials of “Phil Harmon.” Unlike some politicians, “Mr. Harmon” takes the time to read materials and educate himself on important issues, Davis said.

“We need Phil Harmon,” Davis told a crowd of several dozen people. “I can’t think of anything we don’t agree on.”

David Adams, Moffett’s campaign manager, finally approached Davis at the lectern and whispered in his ear.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Moffett!” Davis corrected himself. “He has a running mate named Harmon.”

Kentucky GOP candidates for governor spar over budget, leadership

By Jack Brammer – jbrammer@herald-leader.com

LOUISVILLE — Senate President David Williams touted his record as a legislative leader Saturday night while his two challengers in this year’s Republican election for governor contended that Kentucky deserves more.

Neither Jefferson County Clerk Bobbie Holsclaw nor Louisville businessman Phil Moffett mentioned Williams by name in speaking to more than 300 at the Jefferson County Lincoln Day Dinner, but they said Frankfort has offered little progress in recent years.

Holsclaw said she is “a Reagan Republican” who puts “people before politics.” She claimed that “nothing ever gets done” in Frankfort.

“I truly believe we can do better,” she said, urging the crowd to vote for “a fiscally conservative Republican who has not raised your taxes.”

Moffett, making his first bid for public office, said he has “never spent a tax dollar and I’ve never raised your taxes.”

Senators split on meth bill, delay vote again

By John Cheves — jcheves@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT — For the second consecutive day, the Kentucky Senate on Friday did not take up a controversial bill that would require a doctor’s prescription to buy cold and allergy medicines containing ingredients used to make methamphetamines.

There are “serious disagreements” among senators on how to proceed with Senate Bill 45, said Senate President David Williams, R-Burkesville.

Some critics see it as an inconvenience to cold and allergy sufferers, and they don’t realize how children, police officers and others are put at risk by exposure to the combustible, toxic meth labs being uncovered across the state, Williams said.

“People with libertarian tendencies say the same thing: ‘Well, we don’t need to be making this more difficult for legitimate users,’” Williams told reporters after the Senate adjourned for the week.

After filing deadline, lineups are set for May 17 Kentucky primary election

By Beth Musgrave

FRANKFORT — Gov. Steve Beshear will not have an opponent in the May Democratic primary for governor, but Republican frontrunner and state Senate President David Williams will have two opponents.

Tuesday was the filing deadline to run for the state constitutional offices on the May 17 ballot.

In the Republican primary race, Williams and running mate Agricultural Commissioner Richie Farmer will face Jefferson County Clerk Barbara “Bobbie” Holsclaw and retired Navy officer and Jefferson County teacher Bill Vermillion Jr. Also on the Republican ticket is Phil Moffett, a Louisville businessman, who is running with state Rep. Mike Harmon of Danville.

Williams is the front-runner in both name recognition and fundraising. Williams and Farmer, a former University of Kentucky basketball player, have reportedly raised more than $753,196. Moffett has reported raising $53,000.

Candidates for governor spar over smoking ban

LOUISVILLE—Senate President David Williams said Friday he supports a statewide smoking ban, but two of his rivals in this year’s race for governor said the issue should be decided by property owners.

Louisville businessman Phil Moffett said government has no business making decisions regarding private property and that he thinks the effects of second-hand smoke have been “overblown.” Lexington attorney Gatewood Galbraith, running as an independent, said it’s the right of property owners to determine whether facilities should allow smoking.

The comments on such a ban and other issues came during a 90-minute forum at the winter convention of the Kentucky Press Association.

Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear declined to participate. His campaign staff said he was too busy being governor and there would be plenty of time after the May primary election to debate the issues.

Williams and Moffett will face each other in the May Republican primary. The only opposition Beshear has so far in the Democratic primary is Harlan County demolition contractor Otis “Bullman” Hensley, who is running a limited campaign.

Williams and Farmer officially file for state’s top offices

By Beth Musgrave – bmusgrave@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT — Senate President David Williams and Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer officially filed paperwork Tuesday to seek the Republican nomination for governor.

The two, along with their families, filed at the secretary of state’s office in the Capitol. Signing their papers with them were Rep. Jim DeCesare, R-Bowling Green, and Rep. Julie Raque Adams, R-Louisville.

“We will have an agenda, a pro-active agenda,” said Williams, who is from Burkesville. “The state is adrift.”

Beshear to skip Kentucky Press Association forum

By Jack Brammer – jbrammer@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT — Gov. Steve Beshear has declined to participate in a Kentucky Press Association forum for gubernatorial candidates, a move that has drawn criticism from his opponents.

KPA Executive Director David Thompson said Beshear’s campaign informed him that “he’ll be busy being governor and we think there will be plenty of time post-primary for these kinds of things.”

Thompson said he is disappointed that Beshear will not attend the Jan. 21 forum at the KPA’s winter convention at Louisville’s Hyatt Regency. The association represents 160 newspapers in the state, including the Herald-Leader.

Beshear’s campaign manager, Bill Hyers, said in an e-mail that Beshear “is concentrating on the upcoming legislative session, and will happy to appear with the Republican nominee after their primary.”

Thompson noted that three other gubernatorial candidates who were invited will attend. They are Republicans David Williams and Phil Moffett and independent Gatewood Galbraith.