Capitol sign-in sheets missing

Several pages of Capitol visitor sign-in sheets apparently have disappeared, including those from a day that Gov. Steve Beshear met with racetrack executives and horse breeders.

According to Mark Hebert of WHAS, logs from Jan. 7, 8 & 9 are missing. Hebert requested copies from Kentucky State Police, who man the doors.

State police told him after "a thorough search" that neither they nor Finance and Administration Cabinet's Facilities Building Services, where the records are retained, can find them.

The Herald-Leader requested -- and got -- the records in January.

The Jan. 9 sheets have several board members from the Kentucky Equine Education Project coming in that morning: Nick Nicholson, president of Keeneland; former Gov. Brereton Jones; WinStar Farm president and CEO Doug Cauthen; Churchill Downs racetrack president Steve Sexton; Lane's End Farm general manager Bill Farish; and U.S. Equestrian Federation CEO John Long. Other horse industry names on the sheets: Louisville surgeon and thoroughbred breeder Dr. David Richardson; Kentucky Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association executive director Marty Maline; and Kentucky Downs owner Corey S. Johnson.

Also on a sign-in sheet for Jan. 9: Bill Yung, at 10:25 a.m., apparently for the governor's officer. But representatives of Beshear's office have denied meeting with the Northern Kentucky hotelier and casino owner.

Hebert is expected to have a story about the sign-in sheets on WHAS 11 Monday night.

- Janet Patton

Comments

[David Adams]

I think I remember seeing someone pull that trick on an episode of Starsky and Hutch.

[Confused]

I guess I am confused. I thought the January 7,8,9 logs were missing, but then Hebert has the January 9th sheet?

I think I saw Dan Druen sneaking around capital so he probably shredded them. Or Brett Hall has them - even though he won't admit it.

[nothing but the truth]

It's easier to hide the corruption when you destroy official records. Don't you all remember why Fletcher got caught? He and his staff kept meticulous records of their actions.

The mental giants of Kentucky's media were all a twitter over the fact that Fletcher kept the records. They couldn't figure out that they kept the records because they weren't doing anything wrong.

But with the capitol records missing, these geniuses will move on.

And it makes sense. A guy who dropped over a million on Beshear stopped by the capitol in January to get a few pictures of the rotunda for his photo album.

When will Kentucky's press ask the good Governor to release the names of his secret casino advisory group?

[good ole days rides again]

We will never know because we have a democrat for an attorney general! Enough said so go ahead and do what you will boys and girls the good ole days are here again.

[Kelsey]

I think that I saw Ernie Dressed up as a tourgide, and he stuck something down his pants. I bet he wants to use that list for begging Campaign Contributions next time he runs for Governor. Those guys have got the bucks. Or I know, I bet it was Stivers, Forgy and company, and they want to use those people to bash on this web site and there state journal comments to bash people for Casino Gaiming.
Go Obama.
Kelsey.

[bp]

Oh Kelsey...where to begin?

First of all, it's "tour guide," not "tourgide."

Second, it's "their," not "there."

Finally, it's "gaming," not "gaiming."

Sheesh...that was exhausting. No wonder you buy into the poo the Dems are shoveling...you clearly have the education of a 3rd grader. Actually, that's offensive to 3rd graders everywhere...

[Commenter]

What is it they always say, it's not the crime, it's the coverup?

Fletcher's administration didn't try to cover up anything.

However, it appears obvious that Beshear's bunch of bumbling baboons doesn't want anyone knowing just how deep they are in with the casino interests.

[Kelsey]

I may be a dump mountain hillbilly but I know that Old Ernie was the most dishonest, criminal governor we have ever had. And I also know that he tried to cover up crimes against merit employees until Greg caught him red handed. I bet he craped blackberrys for a week. I also know that bp stands for Bad Parent, cause you have abused your kids if you made them republicans.
Go Obama.
Kelsey.

[Blazing Tiger]

PURE stupidity on the part of KSP and Facilities Security. Why are they entrusting THEIR records to the building superintendent (trust me: she has enough to do with the legislature in session and 2000 people a day in the Capitol on any given weekday.) There is such a thing as a scanner and Adobe Acrobat pdf software. Someone please start scanning in these sheets for each day. Really simple and SURELY someone at KSP, which oversees Facilities Security, can start on this Tuesday. Not that difficult. I had enough of missing records and shifty sleight of hand during the Fletcher Administration. ALL of Government should be OPEN to the public scrutiny except where extreme safety, health records and various crime victims safety are concerned. Just amazed this happened. Mr. Beshear: you have foxes in your coop!

[Sam Wise]

Commenter, how can you say Fletcher didn't try to cover anything up? Fifth Amendments, pardons, firings, millions in legal fees, computer technicians stripping and hiding records--does any of that ring a bell?

[Truth be known]

The politicians in Frankfort have things worked out just the way they want them. They mess around and play political games on the clock and the public can't find out what is going on until after elections, if at all.

In South Carolina, however, Governor Mark Sanford just tore down a big wall standing between his constituents and the truth.

South Carolina has fired up its government spending website so citizens can keep an eye on their employees.

Kentucky could do something similar by passing HB 105 or Governor Steve Beshear could issue an executive order, like Sanford did, and provide his promised openness, honesty, and responsibility all in one place.

Unless, of course, he was just making all that stuff up to get votes when he needed them.

[typical]

Typical response. Just a reminder, Fletcher is not part of this story. let's stick to the story here and that is that sign in sheets with a number of individuals who contributed big bucks to Beshear, the 527, his inauguration and the state Democratic Party are missing. Beshear denies meeting with them and says he doesn't know who they met with even though several including Yung indicated they were meeting in the Governor's Office with notations on the sheets. Fletcher's name doesn't appear anywhere so stick to trying to defend Beshear here. Seems to me that you admit one of two things:
1) Beshear met these people and he's simply a liar.
2) Million dollar donors met with the governor's office and Beshear really doesn't know about it-well that may be an even bigger problem if that's the case-who is in charge?

[Blazing Tiger]

If George W. Bush can win a 2nd term, after not winning the first election, what does that say about the stupidity of American voters, and people in general. Government should be OPEN for public scrutiny. Few exceptions exist. I am not dumb or naive enough to say that someone didn't try to pull a cover up, BUT whomever it is who thinks they are "helping" the Governor just stepped in IT! As a taxpayer and a Kentuckian I want to know. Beshear: foxes in the coop! Please look at your staff. Their incompetence is showing. And YOU should know better after winning office on the heels of a really destructive governor.

[Suspicious (and scared) of this Administration]

The H-L has had these sheets since January and knew that Yung had been in the governor's office. Yet, they sat on this info and were not going to report it to the people of Kentucky, and were hoping that no one else got their hands on them. Just as their reporting was so skewed against Fletcher, they are equally biased in favor of the Beshear administration. The powers calling the shots at the H-L know there are all kinds of scandals brewing in Frankfort; however, we will not read about them in their newspaper. Such a joke for credible reporting!

[Jim Anderson Stivers]

It would seem a necessary political action to confuse, rather than inform.

When the HL published their report, what do you want to bet, it wasn't less than three or four days before the DOCUMENT INVENTORY was adjusted.

Look at the players . . . I am sure this group discussed the mental health aspects of compulsive gambling, right?

Old Style, stupid politics . . . It will bite you guys, in the current administration, sooner or later.

Nick Nicholson, president of Keeneland; former Gov. Brereton Jones; WinStar Farm president and CEO Doug Cauthen; Churchill Downs racetrack president Steve Sexton; Lane's End Farm general manager Bill Farish; and U.S. Equestrian Federation CEO John Long. Other horse industry names on the sheets: Louisville surgeon and thoroughbred breeder Dr. David Richardson; Kentucky Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association executive director Marty Maline; and Kentucky Downs owner Corey S. Johnson.

Also on a sign-in sheet for Jan. 9: Bill Yung, at 10:25 a.m.,

Very suspicious looking and very troubling news here. Behaving badly, will sooner or later "catch up" with you.

JAS IN FRANKFORT

[Dizzy]

I'm not concerned about the missing sheets - someone just forget to put these back or these are on someone's desk.

What does concern me is whether or not Gov Beshear met with Mr. Yung on that day. If he did and subsequently denied meeting with him then this is a concern.

[Dome Dweller]

Seems to me that you admit one of two things:
1) Beshear met these people and he's simply a liar.
2) Million dollar donors met with the governor's office and Beshear really doesn't know about it-well that may be an even bigger problem if that's the case-who is in charge? All of those people meeting in the governor's office shouldn't he have known?

[MOE]

After reading some of these posts, i.e. Kelsey and Wise, defending Beshears questionable activities, it's easy to see why this administration is working so hard to increase fundings for mental illness. This apparently is in response to the "close, personal friends".

[JW]

MOE, my question would be whether Kelsey is functionally illiterate or just has the typing skills of a three-toed sloth.

[Wiser Than Sam]

"Sam Wise" is a chronic liar. He is also a merit system employee who got his job through the time-honored tradition of Democrat patronage hires. His main (only) qualification for being hired on with the state is the little (D) on his voter registration form. He won't say what he does or where he works but the logical conclusion to be drawn is that he scrubs the toilets and restocks the toilet paper in some state office.

[Blazing Tiger]

And let's see: for the dozens of Fletcher appointees manipulated into the merit system and now passing themselves off as "honest to god merit employees" didn't get their jobs because of a little R on their voter registration. How about those snakes in the grass? Could this be a set up by those Fletcher kids still trolling around. 4 years they were in the Capitol and some still are. Who is to say they didn't take the logs since they were easily accessible with no chain of custody. They may have been tipped off to the interesting news and picked up the sheets to use as fuel for the anti casino GOP legislators. I still fault KSP for not keeping their own records safe. Politics is ruthless and you can bet some Fletcherites sure miss cushy state jobs and inflated salaries. No hope for Beshear if he doesn't do some real house cleaning where necessary.

[DisgustedWithHypocrites&Liars]

Yea, clean out all that Republican trash. They don't deserve those state jobs. Only Democrats deserve to work in state government. Geeezzz.

FYI, Ernie appointed 60% Dems. And you accuse him of hiring misdeeds?! Hypocritical. Double standard.