Kentucky Political News
Bunning's flap energizing Democrats who want his U.S. Senate seat
FRANKFORT U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning ended his singular stand against extending unemployment benefits Tuesday night, but the national flap he created might have long-lasting effects on the Kentucky race to replace him. Democrats seeking his seat moved quickly to capitalize on the controversy, holding a protest rally Tuesday and launching a television ad Wednesday that hammers the lame-duck senator a ...
Thursday March 4, 2010 11:16AM | kentucky.com
WASHINGTON President Barack Obama offered Tuesday to address
WASHINGTON President Barack Obama offered Tuesday to address some of the concerns expressed by Republicans in the health care debate as the two parties maneuvered for advantage heading into the legislative end game. In a letter to congressional leaders of both parties, Obama said he was open to four specific ideas raised by Republicans at the daylong health care forum last week, including encou ...
Wednesday March 3, 2010 6:45AM | kentucky.com
Candidates criticize Bunning's unemployment ploy
FRANKFORT Two Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate are criticizing Republican U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning for blocking a 30-day extension of unemployment benefits and health insurance payments for more than 1 million Americans over concerns about the federal deficit. Attorney General Jack Conway started a petition on his campaign Web site, http://jackconway.org, to tell Bunning "to stop putting poli ...
Monday March 1, 2010 6:44AM | kentucky.com
Bill would require greater disclosure from governors
FRANKFORT – Kentucky governors would have to publicly disclose their use of the executive mansion and state aircraft for non-official purposes under a bill a Senate panel unanimously approved Wednesday. Senate Bill 82, sponsored by Sen. Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, would require disclosure to the Executive Branch Ethics Commission. The use of state aircraft was questioned in the 2007 race for g ...
Thursday February 25, 2010 11:41AM | kentucky.com
Election official says she was told to steal votes from U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers
A former precinct worker said during testimony Wednesday that a Clay County election official told her to steal votes from U.S. Rep. Harold "Hal" Rogers in a 2006 election. The main purpose of the vote-stealing scheme was to help local candidates, but Charles Wayne Jones, the county`s Democratic election commissioner, also wanted to hurt the longtime Republican congressman, said Wanda White. ...
Thursday February 25, 2010 11:28AM | kentucky.com
House leaders pondering suspension of some tax breaks
FRANKFORT — Leading lawmakers may propose suspending some business tax breaks to help plug a projected $1.2 billion hole in the next two-year state budget, House Speaker Greg Stumbo said Wednesday. State Rep. Jim Wayne, D-Louisville, said he and a bipartisan group of lawmakers met with House leaders on Friday and proposed a series of changes that could generate up to $450 million in revenue ove ...
Thursday February 25, 2010 11:14AM | kentucky.com
WASHINGTON The Senate easily passed a $15 billion jobs bill
WASHINGTON The Senate easily passed a $15 billion jobs bill Wednesday morning amid hope that the measure could provide a blueprint for other items on President Obama`s agenda. The measure passed 70-28, with 13 Republicans joining 57 Democrats in support of the package. One Democrat, Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska, voted against it. "We`ve had so much gridlock," said Sen. Charles Schumer ...
Thursday February 25, 2010 5:51AM | kentucky.com
Kentuckians defend Toyota, blast Congressional hearings
WASHINGTON Members of Kentucky`s Congressional delegation and candidates seeking election this year strongly defended Toyota Wednesday the second day of hearings focused on the company`s handling of safety issues. Some of the Kentucky candidates were highly critical of the U.S. House hearings in the wake of Toyota`s massive recall and increased federal scrutiny following widesprea ...
Thursday February 25, 2010 1:00AM | kentucky.com
Recall won't 'totally' fix cars' problems
WASHINGTON The president of Toyota`s American operations apologized Tuesday for the company`s handling of safety issues, but he insisted to lawmakers that electronic problems were not the cause of sudden acceleration issues in some of its cars. At a hearing mixed with harrowing personal testimony and precise technical engineering explanations, James Lentz, president and CEO of Toyota Mo ...
Wednesday February 24, 2010 5:12PM | kentucky.com
Cause of mine-citation backlog debated at U.S. House committee
WASHINGTON Resistance from mining companies in Kentucky and other states against tougher safety sanctions has created a backlog of cases, clogged the appeals process and in some instances allowed operators to delay paying hefty fines. Members of the House Education and Labor Committee took the mining industry to task Tuesday for contributing to a backlog of mine-safety cases amid concerns t ...
Wednesday February 24, 2010 7:53AM | kentucky.com
Toyota president apologizes; Beshear asks for fair treatment
WASHINGTON The president of Toyota`s American operations apologized Tuesday for the company`s handling of safety issues, but he insisted to lawmakers that electronic problems were not the cause of sudden acceleration issues in some of its cars. At a hearing mixed with harrowing personal testimony and precise technical engineering explanations, James Lentz, president and CEO of Toyota Mo ...
Wednesday February 24, 2010 12:44AM | kentucky.com
Cause of mine backlog debated at U.S. House committee
WASHINGTON Pushback from mining companies in Kentucky and other states against tougher safety sanctions has created a backlog of cases, clogged the appeals process and in some instances allowed operators to delay paying hefty fines. Members of the House Education and Labor Committee took the mining industry to task Tuesday for contributing to a backlog of mine safety cases amid concerns tha ...
Wednesday February 24, 2010 12:38AM | kentucky.com
Coming to you from her Wasilla living room
WASHINGTON Without leaving home, Sarah Palin will be able to reach much of her political base, courtesy of a soon-to-be television studio in her living room paid for by her newest media patron, Fox News. From her house in Wasilla, Alaska, Palin also sends missives to 1.3 million Facebook "fans," writes newspaper columns, Tweets and signs copies of her book for donors. She reads daily e-mail bri ...
Saturday February 6, 2010 6:31AM | kentucky.com
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