Fletcher's no-casino message fading

By Ryan Alessi
HERALD-LEADER POLITICAL WRITER

FRANKFORT -- The yard signs and bumper stickers that boldly declare "No casinos" now appear to be the last vestiges of the once omnipresent campaign theme of Gov. Ernie Fletcher's re-election bid.

Campaign finance reports filed last week reveal that Fletcher invested more than $1.4 million to produce and televise his anti-casino message in six commercials. That's two-thirds of what the governor's campaign has spent so far.

But after all that, Fletcher managed to swing the poll numbers just six percentage points, according to SurveyUSA. He trails Democratic challenger Steve Beshear 56 percent to 40 percent, according to the polling firm's Oct. 10 report. The poll of 571 probable voters conducted last week had a reported margin of error of 4.2 percentage points.

Fletcher defends his decision to build his re-election bid around railing against slot machines and blackjack tables.

It was an idea he and other advisers, such as Robbie Rudolph, his lieutenant governor candidate, had kicked around before.

But it wasn't until Beshear emerged as the Democratic challenger that Fletcher decided to roll the dice on that strategy. Beshear promised during the Democratic primary to push for a constitutional amendment to allow casinos if he is elected.

In the days after the May 22 primary, Fletcher and his wife, Glenna, made the call.

"After the primary we sat down in the back yard and I said, 'Glenna, we've got to,'" Fletcher said recently.

It's more than a campaign message, he said. "It's a responsibility of a governor who cares about the people of Kentucky and cares about the kids and cares about education and jobs to say this is what this guy is trying to sell you -- this is the snake oil he wants you to take for all your ills. And it's not good."

Beshear has argued that casinos could bring as much as $500 million in additional tax revenue to Kentucky. And he has said that, regardless of how Kentuckians feel about it, he wants to put on the ballot a constitutional amendment to allow casinos, so the people can vote it up or down once and for all.

Even though voters appear to be split on whether Kentucky should have casino gambling at racetracks, four out of five say they want to make the decision themselves, according to last month's Herald-Leader/Action News 36 poll.

For that reason, and because the governor's first few commercials on the subject didn't appear to make much of a dent in Beshear's lead, many of Fletcher's staunchest allies began urging the campaign to try something else.

"A lot of our supporters keep asking us to go ahead and keep promoting our accomplishments," Rudolph said. "And we appreciate that."

But, Rudolph said, the anti-casino approach was necessary, and it has worked.

"We had to educate everyone as to what casinos are. And of course we had to do that quick," he said.

And once news outlets began reporting on what the governor said about casinos -- their potential to increase bankruptcies or certain types of crimes -- then "it really took off," Rudolph added.

But now Fletcher mentions those topics only briefly, if at all, in his speeches.

In the last few weeks, the governor has tried out other messages: claiming Beshear is "out of step" with Kentuckians' values, criticizing his opponent for his legal work during the liquidation of Kentucky Central Life Insurance Co. and, finally, highlighting his own record.

It is, however, too late to change the signs and bumper stickers.

Where's the money?

A quick glance at Fletcher's campaign finance report filed last week with the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance shows that conditions are a lot different this year from when Fletcher was elected in 2003.

He is raising money at a slower pace, and many of the key officials who helped him win four years ago are nowhere to be found now.

Those include former campaign manager and chief of staff Daniel Groves, former deputy chief of staff Pamela Mattox and Mike Duncan, the Republican National Committee chairman who headed Fletcher's transition team. Of the 10 original members of Fletcher's cabinet, only four have contributed to the re-election fund. In fact, Rudolph, who started as Fletcher's finance and administration cabinet secretary, hasn't written a check yet.

Attorneys' political fees

Meanwhile, Beshear has raked in money at a pace similar to Fletcher's in 2003.

Among the biggest benefactors has been Beshear's former law firm, Stites & Harbison. Attorneys and employees there have made 164 donations totaling more than $80,000. During the spring primary, Beshear received 225 contributions from members of the firm, adding up to $120,000.

Comments

"Doerting Admits UNDER OATH That Fletcher Did NOT Break Merit Laws & Mark Sipek helped Doerting write the Petition Doerting Gave to AG. Stumbo."

Caution: These are undeniable FACTS the Mainstream Media is CENSORING.

2 weeks ago Doug Doerting was forced by a judge to testify in the Missy McCray's suit.

After that Mark Sipek, Executive Director of the Kentucky Personnel Cabinet, issued an order precluding the Transportation Cabinet attorneys from deposing Doerting in Doerting's OWN case before the Personnel board.

Why would Mark Sipek NOT want the Personnel Board to have Doerting testify, under oath, in Doerting's OWN case against the Department of Transportation? - Transportation Cabinet lawyers think it is their Constitutional (6th Amendment) right to cross examine Doerting - since the DOT is the accused and Doerting is the accuser.

So again, why would Mark Sipek NOT want to get the truth from Doerting UNDER OATH?

Key Facts from Doertings testimony in McCray's suit 2 weeks ago:
1. Doerting went to Mark Sipek in 2004 to request Sipek's help in preparing the Petition against the DOT which was the Petition that Stumbo dubbed the smoking gun.

2. Doerting further testified that Mark Sipek had helped in that process. [oh my ... Sipek helped Doerting prepare the Petition and NOW issues an ORDER to preclude Doerting from testifying under oath about that very Petition. - No wonder Sipek wants Doerting's testimony blocked.]

3. Doerting swore under oath that the "pre-selection" of candidates for positions with the Transportation Cabinet had been occurring during the Patton Administration.

4. Doerting also swore under oath that it took Fletcher's appointees a while to figure out what was happening. Once they found out about the process, Fletcher stopped it.

5. Doerting also testified that Fletcher put a stop to the practice before Stumbo ever went public with the allegations.

6. Doerting testified that the Transportation Cabinet "pre-selected" candidates for jobs under Patton when the Cabinet's hiring personnel wrote the name of the chosen person on the computer printout announcing the opening.

7. Missy McCray testified that those same people continued the 'pre-selected" practice after Fletcher took office according to Missy McCray.

8. Doerting testified that it took Fletcher's appointees a while to figure out "pre-selection" was happening. Once Fletcher found out about the process, Fletcher stopped it, as Doerting admitted.

Sipek's blocking of Doerting's testimony is a violation of the 6th. Amendment of the U.S. Constitution providing those accused of wrongdoing (DOT) have the right to cross-examine those persons making such allegations (Doerting).

This entire election has been all about the alleged abuse of the merit laws. We are now discovering Fletcher STOPPED what the Patton Administration was guilty of as soon as Fletcher's people realized what was happening.

Where are the big major media headlines on those FACTS that Doerting testified to UNDER OATH?

This is not only NEWS, it is important information the "people" deserve to know.

"The people's RIGHT TO KNOW is the foundation of DEMOCRACY."

If the media censors the news from the People there is NO democracy.

[Kentucky_Tomahawk]

Wait- an article NOT about a 14 year old bank failure; who wrote this...?

It's over.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/25/us/25kentucky.html

"Gov. Ernie Fletcher of Kentucky, who was indicted in May in connection with a hiring scandal, signed an agreement yesterday admitting wrongdoing by his administration and promising to reconstitute the state’s Personnel Board.

"Under the deal with the attorney general, all charges will be dropped.

" 'The governor acknowledges that the evidence strongly indicates wrongdoing by his administration with regard to personnel actions within the merit system,' the seven-page accord said, adding that he takes responsibility and that he 'hereby states that these actions were inappropriate.' "

I don't think the message is fading. Grandma in Western Ky told me that the churches were preaching yesterday that the path to heaven is not lined with slot machines.

Beshear needs to sing in some choirs down there. Those people aren't as concerned about the sizes of purses at Keeneland as they are that men don't carry purses.

The polls aren't accurate anymore since so many people use only mobile phones. Even Grandma uses an answering machine to screen her calls while she's canning pumpkin.

Ernie is going to WIN...Really, I mean, he just has to..Right? I mean, I want it to happen so bad..I can't really remember why except that he says he is a Conservative and a Christian....and if he says so it must be true. The fact that all of the decent people working for him have quit and all does not matter does it?

true believer

[Paul]

Within my own family, we have over 55 years service to the State of KY. Worked under nine governors, only two Republican. With every change of administration, a certain percentage of state employees retire, quit, or are simply replaced. It is the perogative of the Governor to place a certain number of employees with members of his own 'team.' Just the same as it is with a President or a CEO, etc. Someone needs to report the numbers on Gov. Fletcher. When he came into office, 98% of state employees were registered as Democrats. Some of those people may not really have been Dems, but they were registered as Dems -- to get or keep their jobs. At the present time, counting all the people who quit, retired, or have been replaced, the percentage of state workers who are Democrat is still 88%. I don't see how anyone can think that Gov. Fletcher was biased in favor of his own party. Please report on this.

Ernie himself, is fading into history.

[fessUP]

Paul: "Where's the Beef?"
"98% of state employees were registered as Democrats."
Where are you getting your stats? I say you made it up...

"It is the perogative of the Governor to place a certain number of employees with members of his own 'team.'"
You're right on that one - They are called non-merit appointments...

[HMMMM]

"Rudolph, who started as Fletcher's finance and administration cabinet secretary, hasn't written a check yet."
That brings up an interesting question for all of you political geniuses.
Since Rudolph is on the ticket is he limited on the amount he can contribute or can he wait until the last minute and “loan” a few million to the Fletcher campaign?

Beshear is pandering to the state workers, it is rediculous, he states he is going to protect state workers, yes just like he did when he was ag under JYB.

[Buck]

My girlfriend works in Governor Fletchers office and they were nice enough today to call all the employeees to a meeting and tell them that the chances of the Governor getting reelected were slim and to start hunting another job, immediately.

9:48: I sincerely doubt that happened.

"My girlfriend works in Governor Fletchers office and they were nice enough today to call all the employeees to a meeting and tell them that the chances of the Governor getting reelected were slim and to start hunting another job, immediately"

Proof???
As an educator I make my students prove all statements made. Can you please offer proof??

4:51, your numbers are wrong.

The totals were more like 73 percent D when he was hired and 71 percent D now after three years.

That info is available on the Personnel Cabinet's web site if you look for the Blue Ribbon Panel's report.