Charges Dismissed against KY Gov.

Bluegrass Report via TPMMUCKRACKER ^ | August 24, 2006 | Paul Kiel

[PDR]

Kentucky's Attorney General has been pursuing an investigation of Gov. Ernie Fletcher (R) since last year; in May, he finally won an indictment charging political favoritism in Fletcher's administration. Today, he got bad news. From the AP:

A judge on Thursday dismissed charges against Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher that had accused him of breaking state law by basing personnel decisions on political considerations. A lawyer for the Republican governor had been negotiating a settlement to the misdemeanor charges for the past two days, Democratic state Attorney General Greg Stumbo said Thursday.

The special judge assigned to the case, David E. Melcher, dismissed the charges Thursday with prejudice, meaning they can't be brought again.

[Soul Seeker]

Well.

We can look at this from glass half full, or glass empty.

The very fact our system can be used to bring an indictment against a Repliican for hiring Republicans and pursuing Republican policies when they have won a political election is ridiculous.

But, apparently we can count a Judge, still, that recognizes the fact.

[Enchante]

Good news..... I think there's a similar case going on against the Ehrlich admin. in MD?? The Demagogues have been busy all over the place trying to criminalize political appointments, policy differences at the national level (Joe Wilson's vicious jihad against the WH), etc. Let's hope the legal system will finally stand up to this kind of nonsense, or else a lot of Demagogue politicians will need to be prosecuted, too!!

[FreedomPoster]

Excellent news. I should call my FIL; he's in E-town, and has been involved in KY Republican politics for decades. FIL and MIL, actually.

[JohnnyZ]

Of course Kentucky Republicans have already abandoned Fletcher a long time ago -- the crook Stumbo brings a lawsuit and the fair-weather 'pubs scatter and hide.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Damage is done. S'Dumbo the 'Rat accomplished his goal of destroying Fletcher's reputation. It's up to the people of Kentucky to show that slimy, scum-sucking, troglodytic Attorney-General the door next year.

[durasell]

Those KY govs are slippery!

[OldFriend]

This was a bogus charge from the outset.

[OldFriend]

Cowards. What a shame for the governor. Repubs have no guts.

[Isara]

Just like they did with Tom Delay.

[Prodn2000]

Fletcher is not conservative. He and Taft probably agree on a lot.

[Prodn2000]

You are terrible! I hate addressing letters to my grandmother in Kentucky for that very reason.

[Prodn2000]

You are terrible! I hate addressing letters to my grandmother in Kentucky for that very reason.

[Buffalo Head]

"We can look at this from glass half full, or glass empty."

No, what is important is whether the glass is getting fuller or emptier.

[JohnnyZ]

Fletcher is not conservative

You are a left-wing anti-religious nutjob.

"If the Religous Right spent more time helping people then trying to keep people down...." -- Prodn2000

[Republican Wildcat]

Quite a misleading article and headline. The charges were dropped as a sort of plea agreement with the AG - the judge did not just dismiss it outright. Fletcher had to "admit" his administration was corrupt and that the AG acted appropriately to uncover it, while the governor himself did not have to plead guilty to any crime. Not exactly an exoneration.

[gidget7]

I couldn't agree more. This is where all the talk of crony-ism among Dems was going, if they had their way. Glad for Mr. Fletcher. I was down there a few weeks ago, and the talk is, by everyone I encountered, it was all BS.

[durasell]

Some jokes just have to be said to maintain balance in the universe.