Russ Maple, a longtime politician, is running for the important office of Secretary of State of Kentucky. He must never be allowed to obtain it. If you remember Florida in 2000, you know how important this office truly can be in a serious situation, and how important it is to have someone of integrity holding this position of public trust.
The Latest Lies:
September 8, 2003 debate on KET. (Please click here to watch the debate)
Lie #1: "I believe that public office should make a difference, a positive difference in people's lives."
This could be a true statement depending on how you look at it...if Mr. Maple meant that it makes a positive difference to himself and to those who contribute campaign cash to his campaigns, this is a factual statement. If he means to the general public he is supposed to be serving, this is a lie. His tenure is one of kickbacks and tax increases in public office and host of other liberal causes.
Lie: #2: "I decided in December 2000 to run for Secretary of State after the elections in Florida."
An insult to anyone with a modicum of intelligence. Maple, who previously was a county commissioner in Jefferson County, vigorously opposed the merger of the Louisville and Jefferson County governments. The merger would eliminate the power of the office of commissioner when it took effect. Merger passed in 2000, so Maple would have to look elsewhere for a position of power. Had merger not passed, this current race would most certainly not be happening.
Lie #3: "I want to make sure that [the election crisis in Florida] never, ever happens here in Kentucky."
A good emotional appeal, but not based on truth. None of Kentucky's voting machines are punch-card ballots or anything similar, so his claim is based on a false premise.
Lies #4 and #5: (Question period of the debate)
Q from opponent Trey Grayson: "Russ, you recently told a newspaper that you felt that your position on the Fiscal Court in Jefferson County gave you the ability to leverage that particular office to raise campaign funds. I was just wondering if that's the kind of ethics you will bring to the office of Secretary of State in its most important duties as our chief elections officer?"
A from Russ Maple: "Trey, uh, there was a quote in the Courier-Journal that did not include the connation you are implying... but you have to know more than anyone, how people can misread you, misquote you, because I know that at Fancy Farm, as an example, you said, making a statement about government money, you said 'it belongs to the government, not the people' and then you corrected yourself by saying it belongs to the government and not to the people...I was beginning to believe that you believed that, but I know that you didn't mean that...and what I'm saying is I have run four campaigns as an elected official, and someone who was not an elected official, and there is a certain advantage as far as your constituency is concerned, when you hold public office, and in this particular case, my constituency was almost 600,000 people, had nothing to do with people buying me with a contribution --I don't believe they could buy you, I don't know why you would think they could buy me...but my office, I hold it highly, and respect it and would never betray it."
The quote did contain the connation Grayson was implying. Maple did say his office gave him leverage to raise campaign funds. He did also say it provided him with a constituency, but that was only part of his statement. Furthermore, Maple's actions prove the connation was accurate. He filed to run for office more than two years before the filing deadline, while he was still sitting on Fiscal Court before the merger was finalized. Maple raised huge amounts of campaign cash for his Secretary of State race from those with business before the Fiscal Court, including accepting thousands from contractors involved in negotiations for contracts before the Fiscal Court--while the negotiations were taking place! Maple was criminally investigated by the FBI over one of these incidents. Read about the criminal investigation here. Maple's effort to compare his unethical behavior to misspeaking in a speech at Fancy Farm by his opponent is beyond pathetic. Furthermore, Maple could not even tell the truth about this. Grayson corrected himself by saying "That should be reversed. You'll have to excuse me, I'm not a career politician and not used to giving these types of speeches." Maple's claim he decided on his own what Grayson really meant is as false as false can be.
Russ Maple for Kentucky Secretary of State - The REAL Record
