Secretary of State Trey Grayson's first commercial, which began running today, alludes to his work on civics education programs and also has a religious overtone.
"Trey Grayson believes we can restore the soul and spirit of Kentucky if we honor the gifts God has given us," the announcer says at one point.
The 30-second commercial, called "Faces of Kentucky," ends by mentioning Grayson's major initiative to increase civics education in classrooms. Grayson has been working with the University of Louisville to establish curriculum ideas for high schools.
Grayson had sought some state funding from the General Assembly for the creation of a civics learning center but the legislature has yet to approve it.
"When political leaders let us down, Trey Grasyon stood up and established a model program to teach our children about honesty, ethics and integrity," the announcer said.
Grayson faces Democrat Bruce Hendrickson in the Nov. 6 election.
Democratic candidate for attorney general Jack Conway began airing his first TV commercials today -- the first such ads to run for a candidate other than governor in this fall's election.
Conway narrates his first ad, called "Seeds." He highlights his family's roots in Western Kentucky, noting that his family started a business, Young and Conway Seeds, in Morganfield.
"They taught me the difference between right and wrong," he said.
Conway, now an attorney in Louisville, pledges in the ad that, if elected, he will:
"work with law enforcement to develop a comprehensive plan to fight the spread of drugs."
"create an Internet crime unit to protect our children from predators and our seniors from online scams."
Conway also takes credit for writing "the law to eliminate parole for violent criminals."
Conway, who served as an aide to former Gov. Paul Patton, highlighted that during his failed 2002 run for Congress against Anne Northup. But Northup, in one of her ads, disputed that claim.
In fact, Conway was part of a team that made recommendations for Patton's 1998 omnibus crime bill. And one of the key provisions tightens parole restrictions for people convicted of certain crimes. Here's how the March 27, 1998, Herald-Leader described that part of the bill when it passed the state Senate:
Creates the penalty of life without the possibility of parole for people
convicted of capital crimes: murder with aggravating factors and kidnapping
resulting in death. Currently, life sentences are eligible for parole in 25
years.
The ad started in Louisville, Lexington, Evansville and Paducah today and will run statewide by next week, said Mark Riddle, Conway's campaign consultant.
Conway faces Republican Stan Lee, an attorney and state representative from Lexington, in the Nov. 6 election. Conway's recent campaign finance report showed that he had $455,453 left to spend between Oct. 5 and the election, while Lee reported having $34,836 left.
UPDATE 5:43 p.m.: A second spot, called "Tough Ideas," has similar themes, but is narrated by an announcer. Here's that one:
Democratic candidate Steve Beshear began running an ad late last night responding to Gov. Ernie Fletcher'scommercial regarding Kentucky Central Life Insurance.
Beshear's spot features two people who say they were appreciative of the work Beshear did as an attorney working on the attempted rehabilitation and subsequent liquidation of the failed insurance company.
It also features headlines and excerpts from newspapers that scroll across the bottom of the screen claiming that Beshear was exonerated by a report made public last weekend.
The report said Beshear's firm, Stites & Harbison, had a conflict of interest and should have withdrawn from working on the Kentucky Central case. At issue was how Stites & Harbison attorneys performed legal work for the Bank of Louisville regarding a sale of $15 million in Kentucky Central securities at the same time the firm was helping to save the financially crippled insurance company.
The report makes it clear that Beshear didn't know exactly what his colleagues in Louisville were doing to help the Bank of Louisville. But it said Beshear had "general knowledge" of what was happening and should have either stopped the other attorneys from helping the bank or informed officials trying to save Kentucky Central that something was going on with those securities.
Two judges who oversaw the matter have since said they believe the report was incomplete and that Beshear and his law firm did nothing unethical.
The Bluegrass Freedom Fund group that has launched an ethics-in-government campaign to take shots at Gov. Ernie Fletcher launched its newest television ad today featuring the governor's 2003 inauguration speech.
The ad by the organization, a so-called 527 group that's partially backed by the Democratic Governors Association, shows Fletcher speaking on the Capitol steps in December 2003, just after being sworn into office.
"We light our way with whatever is true, whatever is honest," Fletcher is shown in the ad saying during that speech.
Then the announcer notes that Fletcher was indicted during the state hiring investigation in 2006.
The ad cuts back to Fletcher who says he will surround himself with "women and men of integrity," which will help "create an ethical government."
The announcer then notes that a grand jury indicted administration aides on a total of 85 charges.
In Democratic candidate for governor Steve Beshear's latest ad, his wife Jane takes over the narrating duties to highlight her husband's background and values.
Jane Beshear starts the commercial by introducing Steve as someone who "grew up in Western Kentucky, the son and grandson of preachers" -- both are themes the Democratic candidate has played up in past spots.
"Steve's never lost those small-town values of family, faith and responsibility," Jane Beshear continues. "He's been married for 38 years to his college sweetheart and has two wonderful sons."
The commercial shows Beshear, as well his sons, joined by his running mate Daniel Mongiardo in fatigues on a hunting trip as Jane Beshear says "Steve's a hunter and an outdoorsman."
She also describes him as "a successful businessman and an honest public servant."
"How do I know this? Because this great guy is my husband," she says as Beshear comes on screen to get a peck on the lips from his wife.
The commercial began airing today -- a day before the liquidator of Kentucky Central will release a report detailing findings of an ethics investigation into Beshear's former law firm. Beshear was a key lawyer in that firm working on the Kentucky Central case. At issue was whether that law firm had a conflict of interest by representing a bank in the sale of $15 million in securities that belonged to Kentucky Central at the same time that Beshear and others were helping in the dismantling of that failed insurance company.
The Bluegrass Freedom Fund -- a so-called 527 group that has raised money from unions and the Democratic Governors Association -- has launched another TV ad highlighting an investigation of hiring practices in Gov. Ernie Fletcher's administration.
The Kentucky Democratic Party filed a complaint this week with the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance alleging that recent ads by the Republican Governors Association broke state election laws.
The complaint
alleges that TV ads, mailers and a web site funded by the RGA constitute illegal contributions to the campaign of Republican Gov. Ernie Fletcher and illegally advocate for the defeat of Democrat Steve Beshear.
"There is a clear chain of evidence that shows the RGA and Ernie Fletcher are not only coordinating their advertisements, they are clearly advocating for the defeat of Steve Beshear, which they are not allowed to do," said Robert Kellar, Communications Director for the Kentucky Democratic Coordinated Campaign.
RGA spokesman Chris Schrimpf called the complaint "frivolous."
"We have followed the law on our advertising and we're disappointed that the Democratic Party is trying to distract from our message with this frivolous complaint," Schrimpf said.
Earlier this month, Republican Party of Kentucky Chairman Steve Robertson held a press conference to allege that Beshear's campaign was illegally coordinating advertising efforts with the Bluegrass Freedom Fund, a so-called 527 group that has raised money from unions and the Democratic Governors Association.
Kellar said the Bluegrass Freedom Fund's advertisements differ from the RGA's because they advocate a specific issue -- ethics reform -- and ask viewers to sign a petition supporting legislative changes.
The RGA ads focus on Beshear's record regarding issues such as taxes and the Ten Commandments in classrooms, but don't mention the ongoing race for governor or ask voters to take any actions.
However, a web site touted in the ads says "Steve Beshear: You just can't trust him because he doesn't share your values." Also, a donate button on the site takes visitors to a page that says "there is no more important task for RGA than ensuring we have the resources to re-elect our incumbent governors ..."
The Democratic Party's complaint argues that those phrases are the legal equivalent of asking voters to support Fletcher and reject Beshear.
The RGA has 15 days to respond to the complaint, which was filed Monday. After that, the commission's general counsel will conduct an investigation and report findings to the registry, which could fine the RGA up to $5,000 for any violation. Willful violations of campaign finance laws can be referred to the Attorney General for prosecution.
UPDATE 9/27/07: McConnell responds on his blog with a video of his own.
The liberal group Americans United for Change is launching another ad targeting Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.
This time, the group is highlighting the fact that McConnell voted against a bill that expanded the availability of health insurance for children.
Spokesman Jeremy Funk said the group has purchased more than $100,000 in airtime on cable outlets in Louisville, Lexington, Paducah and Huntington, W. Va. It starts running Thursday.
Here's the ad:
Click here
to view the group's information supporting their claims.
Gov. Ernie Fletcher's re-election campaign put out a sixth anti-casino TV ad today.
Unlike previous ads, this 30-second spot focuses entirely on Democratic challenger Steve Beshear and his promise to bring casino gambling to the state.
"Steve Beshear is not telling you that Kentucky families will lose more than $1 billion every year in his casinos, but he promises to bring them anyway," says a female narrator.
The ad then repeatedly shows an unflattering video of Beshear promising to pass a bill that brings casinos to the state.
This spring's campaign message of Anne Northup, the former congresswoman from Louisville who challenged Gov. Ernie Fletcher in the Republican primary, has returned.
A video that the anti-Fletcher group Bluegrass Freedom Fund has posted on Youtube, starts with a clip from Northup's speech from the spring in which she says of Fletcher, "Every year it's a new scandal."
Northup's overarching message was that GOP voters should pick her because Fletcher would be "un-electable" once Democrats ripped into his administration, specifically in relation to the pardons, indictments and the governor pleading the Fifth Amendment during the state hiring investigation.
Indeed, the Bluegrass Freedom Fund -- a so-called 527 group that has raised money from unions and the Democratic Governors Association -- has been hammering on that theme.
Although we do not have any obligation to monitor comments on this blog, we reserve the right at all times to check this blog and to remove any information or materials that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable to us in our sole discretion and to disclose any information necessary to satisfy the law, regulation, or government request. We also reserve the right to permanently block any user who violates these terms and conditions. All threats to systems or site infrastructure shall be assumed genuine in nature and will be reported to the appropriate law enforcement authorities.
Copyright
Copyright 2006, 2007 and 2008 Lexington Herald-Leader. All Rights Reserved.
Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of any of the contents of this service without the express written consent of the Lexington Herald-Leader is expressly prohibited.
If you want to learn more about advertising on Kentucky's leading political news blog, e-mail Herald-Leader Online Sales Supervisor Shannon Myers at smyers@herald-leader.com.
Recent Comments