Beshear staff stands by firing

By Ryan Alessi
RALESSI@HERALD-LEADER.COM

FRANKFORT -- Gov. Steve Beshear's administration is standing by its firing of an Air National Guard member who served as an aide to the previous governor, saying he failed to attend appointments or provide a resume as requested.

The administration fired Eric Landis, a former advance staffer to Gov. Ernie Fletcher, on Jan. 18 with a letter saying his "services are no longer needed."

Now the administration is updating paperwork to provide a reason for the termination, said Dan Egbers, general counsel for the Personnel Cabinet.

But Landis, who returned to the Capitol in December after three months of basic training, has complained that Beshear's administration violated his rights and broke the law by failing to offer him a position as required by state and federal law.

Employees who have served on active military duty are protected from being fired without cause for 180 days by federal laws, and up to a year under state law.

Dick Brown, Beshear's communications director, said Landis' failure to provide his resume or show up for meetings has given the governor's office cause to fire him.

CONTINUE READING STORY

Comments

[personnel employee]

seriously? Egbers says they are "updating paperwork"? you mean like Jonathan Miller "updated paperwork"? Dan Egbers appears to be a political whore. Now, come on folks and defend it. When you criticized Fletcher for personnel violations were you interested in the law, fairness, and justice as you stated for two years in blogs, letters and conversation or were you just a hypocritical liar interestd in furthering yourself and your party? Think everyone knows the answer. If it was wrong for Republicans then it's wrong for Democrats as well. It's no wonder Kentucky is 50th in all things good and 1st in all things bad...we have entirely too many self-serving, sell-your-soul to whoever will pay you types like Dan Egbers, Mark York, and others remaining on the state payroll who are facilitated by their cabinet secretary bosses who are clueless and are led around by their _ by these same people. Absolutely disgusting!

[Egbers falsifies Personnel Files AGAIN]

Why am I not surprise that Beshear appointee Dan Egbers is falsifying MORE personnel documents. HELLO FEDERAL BOYS!!!!!

This Governor is so effin corrupt I can't even believe what I read in the paper about the military-hating governor, Beshear!

Seems that Egber's has only appointed, and paid by the taxpayers, to master the art of FALSIFYING PERSONNEL DOCUMENTS.

Hey Ryan, If Egber's falsifies these documents and sends Landis a copy of the documents, could the Feds investigate Egber's for mail fraud? Sending falsified government documents through the US Mail is a FELONY.

Ah, but NOW, Landis can also sue this Governor, Beshear, for CONSPIRACY to falsify personnel documents. CONSPIRACY to publicly humilate a service man. I think there are some punitive in there too. Like pain & suffering FROM the CONSPIRED public humilation.

[recyle]

Typical politics.....its not that you are a Dem or Rep just so you are a Dem...firing a guy for serving his country..unbelievable

[recyle]

typical Ky politics....I thought they said it didnt matter if its Dem or Rep....must be just so its a Dem.....firing a person for serving his country...unbelievable

[How much lower can Beshear get]

Yesterday, Beshear & sycophants were blathering that the term "active duty" is vague.

SHEEEIIT ... once us stupid bloggers started posting how clearly defined active duty is Beshear sent little Jennifer Moore on this blog posed as Jill to tell us how wrong we are. That ploy didn't work

..... soooooo

Dan Egbers - personnel document falsifier -to the rescue.

Today, unlike yesterday, the story is so different.

Yesterday the HL reported that Landis was so stunned on January 18 when he got a letter in the mail saying his services were no longer needed that Landis e-mailed Elridge to find out whether there had been a mistake.

Beshear's Executive Assistant Colmon Elridge III, wrote Landis back on Jan. 25 and wrote, "I did not know anything about this until this morning but unfortunately it is true," Elridge wrote in a Jan. 25 e-mail. "I am so sorry for the way in which this turned out, however, you know as we all do how we serve at the pleasure of our Governor!"

Hey all you lawyers out there who want to take this case on. How do you fact. On January 25 Elridge III did NOT write back and say "man, you were fired because you didn't bring your resume in one day."

No, Elridge, who had looked into the matter and replied with "we serve at the pleasure of the Governor." DING!! NO "CAUSE" for firing just 'we serve at the pleasure of the gov."

Man, Beshear will be so caught in his lies & Egbers will be sooooo caught in falsifying a SERVICE MAN'S PERSONNEL FILE.

How low can this group get????

[JW]

Wouldn't Landis' personnel files have his original application and resume? Your stretching Steve and the credibility is gone.

[WHA]

This whole story reeks of a trap.
Timeline:
November 2005 - Ky Bench & Bar article by Andy Cocker (which I just reviewed) talks about issues of citizen soldier/public servants getting their jobs back when they return.
Sometime around summer of 2007 - someone finally gets wise in Fletcher's administration and sees a potential loophole in the law and either encourages Landis to or finds he as joined the Guard.
September 2007 - Landis leaves for BT
December 2007 (conveniently a week after Beshear takes office) - Landis "reports back to duty" after BT
January 2008 - Tony Robinson, A FLETCHER leftover, that the new admin. kept on, dismisses Landis.

I'll admit this is impossible to prove, but it sure reeks of a conspiracy to me. The problem is that whoever thought it up didn't do their homework on two points.
Cocker's article made clear that when denied reemployment, the former employee simply must file a petition with the personnel board. It's an easy process. Landis hasn't done that. He's gone the public, DRAG IT OUT IN THE MEDIA route. He has a course of action for redress which he has not followed.
The second point they missed, probably because Cocker skipped over it, is that KRS § 61.373(2)(b) clearly states that if, as here, "[f]or any reason it is not feasible for such person to be restored to employment," the PERSONNEL BOARD is required to find a suitable job for which Landis is qualified, etc.

If anybody's done anything wrong, it was Robinson. Assuming Landis had properly filed with the Personnel Board, it would have been the Board's duty to find him a replacement job, not the governor's office.

Seems more like a question that would appear on a law school/Bar exam than a situation that would ever occur in real life. A legal mind thought this thing up.

[Beshear provides boost to economy]

When are all of these Feds coming to town? Everyone keeps saying they are coming. Do we have enough hotel rooms for them? I hope it is not around Derby time, because everything is booked then. I hope they send a whole boatload, because as we know (under Bush), they spend well. They won't find any wrongdoing, but it will take them 6 months to figure that out.

What a plan! Extra revenue coming in to help the budget.

[Beshear is worst governor EVER]

This story has more twists than a tornado.

September 07 - "The difference is that I'm going to obey the law," Beshear said in September.

Nov. 2007 - Beshear Transition Team: Were told during transition that Landis would be returning back from active duty training on Dec 18.

Dec. 18 - after reporting to work at the governor's office on Dec. 18, Landis said he was told to extend his vacation until they could find a place for him.

The next week, Landis was introduced to the governor as the advance team staff member who had just returned from military service. Landis met with several of Beshear's top aides, including executive assistant Colmon Elridge III.

Jan. 11 - Vicki Glass, Beshear's spokeswoman, told the Herald-Leader on Jan. 11 that Landis' situation caught the new administration by surprise. [oh really]

Jan 11 - Vicki Glass told the HL "During the transition, the Fletcher administration never revealed Eric's situation to us -- that he was away on basic training," she said. "We are working on trying to determine where to place him. We thought it would be unfair to let him go." [oh really - not that it matters because Beshear still is compelled to follow federal laws no matter when he learned about Landis]

Jan. 11 - Vicki Glass said at the time that the administration had no plans to keep Landis on a paid leave for a year and had set up a job interview in the Kentucky National Guard office for Jan. 14. [oh really - if that's true that in and of itself is a violation of federal law, USERRA]

Jan. 18 - two more weeks of an uncertain future, the termination letter dated Jan. 18 from Troy Robinson, director of the division of human resources in the state Finance Cabinet. received

Jan. 18 - same day, Landis e-mailed Elridge to find out whether there had been a mistake.

Jan. 23 - Landis received a three-sentence letter on Jan. 23 telling him "effective January 31, 2008, your services are no longer needed as Administrative Assistant in the Office of the Governor." Robinson added that Landis' last day of pay would be Dec. 31, 2007.

Jan. 25 - Landis gets an email reply from Elridge III, "I did not know anything about this until this morning but unfortunately it is true," Elridge wrote in a Jan. 25 e-mail. "I am so sorry for the way in which this turned out, however, you know as we all do how we serve at the pleasure of our Governor!" [is that so Elridge .... not if you're a returning service man. If you're a returning service Landis "served at the pleasure of USERRA laws"]

Feb 6 - Andy Crocker, general counsel with the Kentucky Personnel Board, said they couldn't figure out the definition of "active duty."
Feb 6 - Dan Egbers can't be reached because he was traveling with the governor.

Feb 6 - Bloggers who are taxpayers of Kentucky become incensed that Beshear has violated federal & state laws by firing a returning service man. Bloggers find the definition of 'active duty' as clear and unambiguous. Bloggers ramble on about federal law superseding state laws and explain that Beshear has violated USERRA law.

Feb 7 - Beshear is updating paperwork to provide a reason for the termination, said Dan Egbers, general counsel ..... Dan Egbers falsifies personnel documents AGAIN ....

Feb 7 - Dick Brown, Beshear's communications director, said Landis' failure to provide his resume or show up for meetings has given the governor's office cause to fire him.

Feb 7 - Dick Brown, "If the guy wanted a job when he reported to work, it sounded to me that they gave him every opportunity," he said. Brown said it's unlikely that the administration would be willing to find another post for Landis.

Feb 7 - Dick Brown, "In essence, he never reported to work despite our efforts to have him come in here to get a position that he was qualified for," Brown said. "According to the adjutant general's office, there's no record of him calling until Jan. 28. Again, he failed to do what we asked him to do." [can anyone say, Beshear is publicly humiliating a service man with a possibly LIE]

Feb 7 - Fred Peters, Lawyer for Landis said, "He was never directed to call General Tonini," Peters said. "They told him, 'Once we find out what we're going to do with you, we'll let you know.' They never let him know."

Fred Peter's story seems to jive with the quotes of Beshear's folks in the time line than does DICK Brown.

[WHA]

Here's something for all of you citing violations of USERRA:
A 6th Circuit case from Ohio, Curby v. Archon (216 F.3d 549 for those that want to look it up) held that:
"Employee must demonstrate that employer discriminated against him because of his military service in order to establish violation under Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) provision granting reemployment rights to employee following leave for military service."
And
"In enacting Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), Congress intended to lessen, but not eliminate, a veteran's obligation to show that employer's adverse decision was related to his or her service in the armed forces."

I think it's obvious that Landis' termination was not motivated by his service, but by the change of administration. He's got no federal claim.

[They'll be here count on it]

Hey Jill at 10:12 glad to see your back in the mix. How was the crow that Kelsey's old lady made for you last night?

Baby doll you are a complete idiot if you think the feds won't be coming on this one. And you're a bigger idiot if you think Beshear hasn't broken federal laws.

Now, with the doctored personnell file looks like Beshear & Egbers broke a lot of laws trying to cover up the original federal law Beshear broke.

Beshear has fired a service man and refuses to follow federal laws. ummm yeah, the feds will be here honey bell, count on it.

I have hunch Landis' parents wouldn't let Landis drop this even if he wanted to. Pretty hard core them trying to make this service man look so bad ... public humiliation ... Beshear is disgusting.

[Beshear smells bad]

I seriously doubt that the federal boys will take the falisying of a service man's personnel file lightly. HE%% NO!!! They will be Beshear and Egbers like smell on a gorilla.

[USERRA places burdon on Employer]

WHA you are so full of it. USERRA places the burdon of proof on the EMPLOYER not the employee. The employee only has to prove he/she was discriminated against, I think that's pretty clear that Beshear hates service men to the point of be willing to break federal laws to satisfy his prejudices.

[Egbers falsifies Personnel Files AGAIN]

WHA, Make sure your reading federal cases;

Federal courts have ruled on USERRA laws. Federal courts have upheld that the burden shifts to the employER to prove, by a preponderance of the evidence,

This is a different burden of proof standard than applied to most other types of cases where the burden always remains with the employee to show that the employer's stated reason for the employment action is actually pretext for some other, discriminatory reason.
attentio to the law, and is proceeding only after they feel they can support any decision.

[WHA]

Call me full of it if you want, I'm just citing the U.S. Court of Appeals.

Don't get me wrong though, the administration has fallen for this political trap game and it doesn't look good POLITICALLY. Landis has found an interesting way to burrow his way into Frankfort bureaucracy, and the administration is trying to block it.

[skyhawk]

Wouldn't Landis' personnel files have his original application and resume? Your stretching Steve and the credibility is gone.

Posted by: JW | February 08, 2008 at 09:45 AM

JW, I retired from Law Enforcement a few years ago and know first hand the BS you must go through with any government personal as far as getting a job or promotion. It doesn't matter if it's state or local. When you either apply or put in for a new job description you have to submit a new application no mater if has changed or not. I am not sure about the resume.

[Egbers falsifies Personnel Files AGAIN]

The story I've heard some of these Beshear-its use is that because Fletcher was down in the polls Fletcher knew he would loose the race in May (when Landis joined up) and was able to talk Landis into joining the armed forces so when Landis got back Steve Beshear would break federal laws.

HA HA HA HA HA HA

Here's the problem with your little BS your spreading.

Candidate Steve Beshear, son of a western Ky. preacher kept saying he would always follow the laws.

So, even if in May when Fletcher was behind in the polls - Even Fletcher must have believed Beshear as the candidate who will follow laws if Governor. So, there is no possible way Fletcher would have thought Steve Beshear would break federal laws & state laws by firing a service man.

..... Gee whiz, no one, not even Fletcher would have imagined that Governor Steve Beshear hates service men so much that he would break federal laws just to discriminate against the military.

So much for the BS Beshear's wanting his folks to spread. Guys, give it up it aint gonna stick to no walls.

[Egbers falsifies Personnel Files AGAIN]

The only burden Landis has is to show he has been discriminated against so he can get a trial.

Landis will have such an easy time proving that he was discriminated against because he was in the military.

It's so easy for one main reason, Dan Egbers if altering and falsifying personnel documents. Why else would Egbers be breaking laws to falsify those documents if it weren't for Steve Beshear wanting to publicly humiliate a military man, Landis.

Beshear is hoping that through the altered personnel file and through statements from his office implying that Landis is too lazy to show up for meetings and too stupid to follow a direction of bring a resume that all service men must be stupid & lazy like Landis.

Come on, that will be easy for Landis to prove to get this heard before a federal judge.

[Beshear discriminated against Landis]

Service man gets fired and is accused of violating his employer's Code of Business Conduct. In spite of that "cause" service man meets the burden of proving discrimination and gets a hearing in federal court.

In Velazquez-Garcia v. Horizon Lines, Velazquez claimed that his firing was discrimination due to his military service. His employer, Horizon alleged that the employee was fired because his side business of cashing checks for other employees for a fee violated Horizon's Code of Business Conduct.

The First Circuit determined that Velazquez had set forth sufficient evidence to make his initial showing that his military service was a motivating factor in his dismissal. However, even though the Court determined that Horizon's alleged reason for firing Velazquez "may well be a fireable offense" under Horizon's policies..." this was not enough for summary judgment. Instead, the Court stated that Horizon would have also needed to show that it would have fired the employee regardless of his military status.

The Court determined Horizon did NOT meet this burden and pointed to specific "questionable" factors that it deemed cast sufficient doubt as to whether Horizon would have fired Velazquez in the absence of his military service, including: Horizon's failure to administer warnings prior to termination; failure to give Velazquez a copy of the Code, not summarily firing other employees with similar code-violations, and the length of time in which Velazquez had been engaged in the check-cashing business in plain site of Horizon's place of business.

[WHA]

I agree that Landis is at least entitled to a hearing, but I don't see him teeing it up, and for good reason, I think.

[Fletcher messes up again]

Did you read the article closely? There was nothing in his file to indicate he was in the military. Did anyone in the Governor's Office even know it? Where is the accountability? Doesn't someone have to sign a time sheet or something?

This is Fletcher's fault. Had his office done the correct paperwork, maybe someone would have known about Landis.

Just another Fletcher flap that Beshear has to clean up.

[Landis will prove his case easy]

A federal judge will have a field day with this. Landis was clearly fired for NO CAUSE. Beshear clearly broke federal & state laws here. Heck, even my grandbaby would be able to prove this one.

Here's the evidence my 3 yo grandbaby would bring before a federal judge to prove NO CAUSE for termination and prove Beshear broke federal laws:

** This service man, Landis, got a letter on Jan. 18 saying "his services were no longer needed as Administrative Assistant."
...... NO CAUSE. Just no longer needed in your job. Violation of USERRA.

** Then, Landis thinks there's a mistake so he emails the Executive Assistant, Colman Eldridge III.

** Several days later, Eldrige emails him back and writes, "It is true ... you know as we all do how we serve at the pleasure of our Governor!"
....... NO CAUSE, just the Governor does not want you here because governor doesn't like military men/women.

Oh come on. NO CAUSE is so easy to prove here which means it will be easy to illustrate to a federal judge that Governor Steve Beshear broke federal laws and intentionally publicly humiliated this 25 year old military man.

[URM]

10:19 am timeline is correct.

I know for a fact Landis sent his resume to Beshear administration.

[Is Egbers SHREDDING Landis' personnel file]

with Egbers altering the personnel files I'm sure any and all federal judges would not find it hard to believe that certain portions of Landis' personnel file have been SHREDDED.

[Conspiracy to tamper, shred & alter personnel files]

Ah, Dan Egbers possibly shredding Landis' portions of Landis' personnel file, YEAH that IS believable.

You see, you Beshear kneepaders, the best is yet to come for this federal judge.

** Next my grandbaby would show other evidence of conspiracy to tamper with personnel files and conspiracy to falsify the personnel files of this military man.

Evidence:
** 2 weeks after the NO CAUSE for termination letter & email went to Landis, from Beshear's office, Governor Beshear APPOINTEE and Lawyer for the Personnel Board, Dan Egbers says they (Personnel Board) are "updating paperwork to provide a reason for the termination."

** "updating paperwork" code word for falsifying personnel files and tampering with personnel files of this military man a federal judge will know that as well as anyone reading that would.

Sorry Dan, I don't think that federal judge is going to allow you to get away with falsifying, tampering, shredding or anything else of ANY service man's personnel file.

** Beshear-toady, Dick Brown said "it's unlikely that the administration would be willing to find another post for Landis."

BADABING .... no cause, violation of federal USERRA laws, violation of state & federal personnel laws, conspiracy of tampering with & altering peronnel files of this service man.

I'd say it's clear Beshear has NO repect for any service man/woman and fired this man because of his disdane toward military men/women and willing to break federal laws because his disdane.

[Egbers are you shredding parts of Landis file?]

3:25 - It won't be hard for a federal judge to figure out that IF Dan Egbers is willing to break laws by tampering with & altering personnel records he would probably stoop to shredding important documents in that file.

[Landis' didn't NEED to show his resume]

BTW: Under USERRA laws, even if Landis didn't give Beshear his resume it is still illegal and against federal law for Beshear to fire him. MOOT POINT from the Beshear team.

[Beshear is disgusting]

WHA be careful with your innuendo about this service man. There is such a thing as libel and I have hunch that his mom & dad are mad enough right now to go after anyone from the Beshear-goonsquad who continues to spread lies & humiliate their son any further.

I know I would ..... You and your WHA can be found through a subpoena if action is brought for slander of their son.

[skyhawk]

Good Lord, mommy and daddy have to go after people for a 25 year old man? That's not saying much about this "service man".

[That's Funny]

Beshear is Disgusting:

That is pretty funny, since almost every poster on here has libeled Dan Egbers. He has been accused of breaking federal laws, shredding documents, altering files and called a "political whore". And not a single piece of evidence proves it.

He is an attorney, and if I was him, I would track each and every one of you and slap you with a lawsuit.

[to skyhawk]

say what you want but if you've ever been hunting you KNOW you NEVER get between a momma bear and her cubs.

And YEAH skyhawk that's what respectable people do, they are their child's advocate.

You'd have to be an idiot not to know this is going to federal court. I mean an absolute dumb-bell to not know that.

If these parents are like all the parents I know they are going to not only help their son pay for taking this military hating governor to court for defaming this 25 year old son's good name AND for tampering with his personnel files --- they are going to take any and all Beshear-goons who publicly slander their son right along with Beshear.

And it won't be hard for anyone to get a subpoena for an anonymous blogger who slander this man since it will end up in federal court.

[To that's funny]

That's funny,

WTF do you mean there is not a single piece of evidence that proves Egbers has broken state & federal laws by altering personnel files. Do you not know how to read????

Dan Egbers said they (Personnel Board) are "updating paperwork to provide a reason for the termination."

2 weeks AFTER this man got 2 documents showing he was fired "at will" "at the pleasure of the governor." Dan Egbers decides to 'update paperwork' because the governor broke federal laws when he fired Landis and if Egbers doesn't alter the personnel file Landis can prove he was illegally fired. Egbers is breaking laws. It is ILLEGAL TO ALTER SOMEONE'S PERSONNEL FILE!

Since you seem to be unable to understand what's obvious to the casual observer ... IF Dan Egbers is willing to break laws to make it look like Beshear didn't break laws; the casual observer would NOT put it past Egbers to go as far as destroying documents in that personnel file by shredding them.

Put your kneepads in the wash, they look dirty from here.

[Beshear is disgusting]

Hey That's Funny,

It is only slander if it is a lie. It's not slander if it's true.

Do you know why lawyer Dan Egbers won't sue for slander when these bloggers say he is altering, tampering with and falsifying personnel files? Because he is and he admitted it to the press.

Dan Egbers knows it's not a lie so lawyer Egbers knows he wouldn't win the lawsuit - not to mention, he and his office would be scrutinized under "Discovery" if he sued for slander on this.

Do you know why Egbers doesn't want to open his office to "discovery?" Because he has a lot to hide.

[Disguisted]

I don't think they "fired" Landers just to humiliate mim. I think they mistakenly fired him, then when their mistake was brought out, they tried to cover it up. Rather than just admitting they made a mistake, they decided to just "redo" the evidence a little, which ends up smearing Lander's good name. THAT, is DISGUISTING!!!

[Elizabeth]

This young man could also serve his country by bringing a lawsuit on this matter. I realize that he may not want to do that, that he may just want it to go away.

I had something similar to this happen to me a long time ago and I was noble and did not sue. I now wish I had because the tyrannt went on to hurt others.

Live free or die.

[Torpedo sub]

Govenor Beshear: MOVE THAT BUS

And when you do, you will see a bunch of sleazers who would fire a member of the uniformed service for sheer political reasons with a total disregard for the law. You promised to refrain from coming anywhere near this line, and to think, some of us believed you. Shame on you and your tribe of henchmen. Do not count on my vote when you think about running again.

Please support our troops and keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

[???]

You anti-Beshear nuts are unbelievable. Do you think that the law states that Landis can do whatever he wants - skip meetings, fail to submit his resume, etc - and be exempt from termination?

Never mind, forget I asked. No use trying to talk sense to looney conspiracy theorists.

[Brad]

Okay 8:29...you miss the point.

IT IS NOT ERIC LANDIS' RESPONSIBLITY TO INTERVIEW AND SEND RESUMES AND FIND NEW EMPLOYMENT. IT IS THE EMPLOYER'S RESPONSIBLITY TO KEEP HIM EMPLOYED UNDER THE LAW. THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN NO "INTERVIEWS" OR "RESUMES." YOU JUST DON'T GET IT...THE BURDEN DOES NOT LIE WITH THE SERVICEMEMBER!!!

[Backupthebus]

Alessi's story paraphrased but did not quote Egbers as saying the notice would be updated. That could mean that a second letter correcting the first was being prepared. It does not mean that an official record had been altered or destroyed. The story did not say or imply that any record had been shredded or altered. To suggest that they were without proof is irresponsible and to say so anonymously is cowardly. A lawsuit for libel against the bloggers who make such wild charges would probably be a waste of time since no same person believes it and no damage is done. Besides, anybody who would make such things up probably can't hold a job anyway and wouldn't be worth suing.

[get real]

9:19 - are you drunk or stoned out of your mind or just out of your mind?

[I am repulsed]

I can't believe Beshear treated this service man this way.

Bits and pieces of information have emerged, but the story is far from complete. Nonetheless, what has surfaced is repulsive. If I thought I had seen dirty political tricks as nasty and vile as they could get at the Beshear reign, I was wrong.

I can't believe Beshear broke federal laws and then had the nerve to humiliate this 25 year old and make up bogus reasons to fire him. Then, to top it off, allow or 'conspire' with Dan Egbers to change the personnel documents to fit the new excuse.

REPULSIVE is the only word that describe what Beshear has done.

[Beshear4Sure]

I may not be completely up on my federal law, but Mr. Landis did not serve "active duty," and his contention that he did is a slap in the face to those men and women who do serve active duty and are the ones the federal law is designed to protect. Doing six weeks of basic training is not active duty and for Landis to pursue this would be most distasteful. He is only looking for a potential, but unlikely, big payday from a lawsuit and promoting an attempt to embarrass the present administration. Landis was a nonmerit, political appointment of Fletcher. Beshear has no obligation or reason to retain him.

[Beshear the worm]

Beshear4sure- whatever. It was proven yesterday on this very blog that Landis was IN FACT on active duty. As a matter of fact, it was so blatantly proven that Landis was on active duty that Personnel Board general council Crocker even wrote a post retracting what he said in the newspaper.

Beshear DID have an obligation to retain him under federal laws.

Beshear4sure, your daddy broke federal laws. And I can't wait to see him squirm like the worm he is.

So you take your drivel somewhere else.

[mark]

B4S,

You are correct. You are not up on your federal law. It is also blatantly obvious that you have never served in the military.

"Active Duty" does not equate to being deployed to theater. There are thousands of soldiers, airmen, etc who are on active duty orders for an enormous variety of missions and who are not deployed to OIF or OEF.

A saying I learned a few years ago applies here....look stuff up, don't make stuff up.

[Believe anything from these goons]

I'd believe anything this bunch in state government would or could do is possible. This is the same bunch that broke hiring laws for years and got away with it, then when some of them were retained in Fletcher's administration, they did the very same then and then one of them, complicit in all the rotten decisions from the past and from Fletcher's term, claimed wrongdoing. Doug Doerting was an active participant in all the personnel decisions that he later claimed were wrong. Ernie Fletcher tried to tell the press that but no one would ever listen or print his side of the story, only when Doerting had to testify under oath in a deposition did it come to light. If only Dick Murgatroyd would break his silence on this issue, he could reveal a lot that wouldn't look so good for Stumbo, Doerting and the rest of the Democrats. But I'd put nothing past this bunch of crooks and liars and back-dated con men that are running the show in Frankfort. It's like we're back to the 70s, 80s and 90s.

[Bravo]

DEMS:

Please don't do your business at the same level the Repug trash did their's. We ran on gaining the higher ground, not be be the same slime.