Rand Paul Talks Budgets, Government on Daily Show

Kentucky Senator Rand Paul continued his book tour this week, appearing on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

The 15-minute interview (in three parts—1,2,3) covers current issues and the philosophical differences on government between Stewart and Paul. The second part, specifically, deals with the cause and effects of the recession, and whether budget crises federally and in the states are the result of government overspending or the economic slump.

New Allegations Against Green Revealed

New allegations against embattled Metro Councilwoman Judy Green have surfaced.

Last week, LEO outlined charges from Green’s staff of political bribery and identity theft. This weekend, the Courier-Journal reveals more.

…the councilwoman made a side agreement with 100 Black Men so it would ask for more money than needed and reroute $2,400 for other purposes at Green’s request — including youth football banquets and buying 10 tickets for a Kentucky Derby fundraiser.

“It was made clear upfront that some of the money would be redirected … and that (Green’s office) would tell us where to redirect it,” Rob Jordan, president of 100 Black Men, said in an interview last week.

The arrangement also was confirmed to the newspaper by Charles Alexander III, who is the treasurer of 100 Black Men and Green’s political campaigns.

Green’s attorney says the charges are politically motivated or brought by disgruntled employees. Her colleagues on the council are largely withholding comment until after an Ethics Commission hearing on a summer jobs program that allegedly benefitted Green’s family.

Courier-Journal Calls Cowen “Petty Martinet”

For the second day in a row, Fund for the Arts CEO Allan Cowen has been featured in the pages of the Courier-Journal. On Thursday, it was a story about a threatening voicemail he left an unsatisfied arts group leader. Today it’s 396 words in the editorial section about that voicemail, and Cowen’s actions as a whole.

The paper praises Cowen’s creativity and strong faith in the arts. But then…

Among his flaws are a Brobdingnagian ego and a temper — perhaps effective for impresarios in the days of Flo Ziegfeld and Billy Rose, but woefully inappropriate in the 21st Century world in which Mr. Cowen operates.

That flaring ego was on full display — and preserved for all to hear — when he left a voice-mail message for the head of a local arts group who had co-written a letter toBusiness First, suggesting that while support of the Fund is vital many visual and cultural groups receive little or no funding. Shannon Westerman, who heads the Louisville Visual Art Association, was told by Mr. Cowen that he had gone “way out of line” and should be discharged. He threatened to talk to Mr. Westerman’s board chair, Benton Keith, to achieve the ouster. And he finished up: “Good luck in your future career.”

Well, for starters, Miss Manners would have been shocked and so are we. Verbal threats have no place in civilized situations; leaving them on a voice mail isn’t just uncouth, it’s downright stupid.

Elizabeth Kramer, who broke the story about the voicemail, will be on State of Affairs today. She’ll discuss her story in the show’s second segment, which begins at about 1:25.

Buyer Sought For Whiskey Row Buildings

With just over two months left before developer Todd Blue can legally destroy the strip of buildings at First and Main streets (known as Whiskey Row), Louisville Metro Government is seeking a buyer for the structures. (For more on Whiskey Row, click here)

Blue owns the strip, but has said he is willing to sell them to someone who wants to save either the facades or the entire buildings, as many preservationists have called for Blue to do.

The Courier-Journal reports that the city is now seeking buyers who are willing to take five of the seven buildings off Blue’s hands.

Alan Delisle, the corporation’s executive director, and Chris Poynter, Fischer’s spokesman, both said Thursday that the other two Iron Quarter buildings at 105 and 107 W. Main, are probably too dilapidated to attract a buyer and are not part of the sales effort. But they say the five structures that may be sold are worth salvaging in their entirety.

“If they are not sold within 90 days, he (Blue) can tear them down,” Poynter said. But he said “there are prospects” for acquiring the five buildings, although he declined to elaborate.

Delisle also wouldn’t identify prospective purchasers and called it “a big challenge” to find a buyer, “but we are making the strongest possible effort to get this done.”

Bailey Joins WFPL as Political Editor

Reporter Phillip M. Bailey has joined WFPL News as Political Editor. He begins work at WFPL on March 16.

Bailey is most recently a reporter for LEO Weekly, where he has established a reputation as an exceptional government, political and investigative journalist.

“We wanted someone with the tenacity to cover stories that often develop slowly, and the ability to interpret complicated and arcane issues in a way our audience can understand,” said Todd Mundt, Vice President and Chief Content Officer. “We couldn’t be more pleased to welcome Phillip to the team.”

Bailey joins WFPL News with editorial responsibility for the station’s political reporting, including local government as well as state and regional politics. He’ll soon launch a new politics blog at WFPL.org. Says Bailey, “I’m very excited about joining WFPL News and am thrilled at the opportunity to head up its political coverage. I want WFPL to be an indispensable news service.”

His hiring is part of LPM’s first phase of rebuilding its newsroom. “Our community needs more and better quality local news, and Louisville Public Media has made local news coverage the centerpiece of its strategic plan,” explains Donovan Reynolds, President of Louisville Public Media. “Bailey’s decision to join WFPL News represents the latest of several steps to deepen and strengthen local news coverage in Metro Louisville.”

Welcome, Phillip!

NPR Covers Florida Prescription Tracking Controversy

On Monday morning, Greg Allen reported on Florida’s prescription drug abuse problem for Morning Edition. Allen calls Florida the epicenter of the abuse epidemic, and then details Florida Governor Rick Scott’s plans to cut a proposed prescription tracking program.

But recently, Gov. Rick Scott has come out foursquare against it. Scott hasn’t said much about why he wants to kill it. When pressed at a recent news conference, he said: “I believe it’s an invasion of privacy and … it appears that the money’s been wasted.”

An official with the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Foundation says the governor’s accusation is false and that the group has already raised enough money to start up the state database.

Scott’s proposal has also spurred repeated calls from state and federal officials in Kentucky who say shutting down the origin of the pill pipeline in Florida will curb prescription abuse in the commonwealth.

Report Outlines Alleged Wrongdoing by Councilwoman Green

A report in LEO Weekly cites police reports, leaked documents and people close to Metro Councilwoman Judy Green to outline a pattern of alleged wrongdoing and ethical violations.

Green’s involvement in a summer jobs program that reportedly benefited her family will be the subject of a Metro Ethics Commission hearing later this month. The LEO article further details accusations of wrongdoing tangentially and not-at-all related to the ethics complaint:

On Sept. 7, Public Integrity Unit officers Sgt. Oscar Grass and Jamie Hill interviewed Green’s legislative aide, Andrea Jackson, about the Green Clean Team. Specifically, they asked her about an anonymous complaint they received suggesting Green took out a credit card in Jackson’s name without her consent.

“I don’t know if you know Council-woman Green’s personal life or finances that well. She and her husband, James, could possibly be having some financial difficulties,” Sgt. Grass said during the interview. “But we were told that at one time you became aware that Councilwoman Green has gotten some kind of Visa card or a bank card in your name. Is that the case?”

“Yeah,” Jackson told police.

“Is that something you authorized her to do?” Grass asked.

“No,” she replied.

Conway Joins Calls Against Florida Prescription Tracking Cut

Attorney General Jack Conway is the latest Kentucky official to ask Florida Governor Rick Scott not to cut a not-yet-implemented prescription pill tracking system.

The program is similar to the KASPER system in Kentucky, which Conway and others say has helped stop pill mills from distributing prescription drugs in the commonwealth. It’s believed that many of the prescriptions abused in Kentucky come from Florida. Governor Steve Beshear, Lieutenant Governor Dan Mongiardo, Congressman Hal Rogers and U.S. Drug Czar Gil Kerlikowske have all encouraged Scott to reconsider cutting the program. In his latest monthly column, Conway joined the call:

The bottom line is that we need to stop illicit prescription pills at their source; states like Florida and Georgia that do not have prescription drug monitoring programs in place. Programs like Kentucky’s KASPER system are needed, warranted and must be implemented in all 50 states. Until that happens, prescription drug abuse will continue to ravage our families and our kids.

Bill to Allow Independents to Vote in Party Primaries Stalls

Legislation that would allow registered independents to vote in party primaries in Kentucky is unlikely to pass this year.

The Senate has passed the bill, but it does not have enough support to clear a House committee.

The measure would let the nearly 200,000 independents in Kentucky choose a primary to vote in for each election. Senator Jimmy Higdon sponsored the measure and he says he will try to pass it again next year.

Opponents of the bill say primaries should be meant for the party faithful to choose candidates.

Police to Vote on Take Home Car Settlement

The Louisville Fraternal Order of Police chapter is set to vote Tuesday on a settlement with Metro Government over take home cars.

Last week, the FOP website reported that the city had tentatively agreed to drop fees on officers who use their cars off duty and to repay the officers for the fees that have been collected since they were first imposed in 2008. It’s estimated the settlement would tentatively cost the city about $1 million, though most of the money collected through the fees has reportedly been kept in escrow.

The FOP’s roughly 1,200 members will vote on the settlement Tuesday evening. The Courier-Journal reports that FOP president Dave Mutchler–who has not returned calls for comment–sent officers an e-mail asking them to support the settlement, and stressed four of its provisions:

* The city will reimburse each current and former sworn member for all gasoline fees paid prior to the agreement, or for nearly three years.

* No gasoline fees will be charged to members who do not use a Louisville Metro Police Department vehicle in conjunction with secondary employment.

* Members will pay a gasoline fee for each month in which they use a police vehicle in association with secondary employment. Such fees may fluctuate and will be determined based on the average monthly retail price for a gallon of regular gasoline.

* The agreement will be in force for two years.