Tonight's show was different as of late. We decided we needed a show just to catch up a bit and relax so we went without a guest for a change. We just talked about relevantissues of the day and did a little self promotion for a change.
Thanks to the callers who called in tonight and helped make it a great show. Without each of you listeners we would be nothing our sincerest thanks.
Listen in below:
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
LYNDON LANES CLOSING: ANOTHER LOCAL BUSINESS GOES BUST
It is starting to become a habit. Metro giving away money to Downtown and out of State developers at the expense of small local owned businesses outside of the Downtown area or in favor of paying non local companies to compete against our locals. This story is one more example of failed leadership.
According to an open letter from the owners of Lyndon Lanes Bowling alley they are going to close. I received an email from a reader alerting me to this and found an article here Louisville Mojo: Lyndon Lanes Closing, Government and Banks Blamed confirming it.
According to the McCarty family, who owns Lyndon Lanes, several factors were involved but the two that stood out to me were the smoking ban and the unwillingness of banks to loan money to local small business.
While many would disagree with me this is just one more example of just what is wrong with the decision makers in this City.
Many of us fought against a smoking ban because based on evidence business would suffer. When the business loses money we lose jobs, tax revenues, and we all suffer period. This is not the first business that is falling to the wayside partially because of this one issue.
Charities have fallen to the wayside as well. Many charities that were self funded by bingos, etc had to get out of the business of providing for themselves for a variety of reasons with a smoking ban being one of the leading factors. And of course they then have to beg for money from the Metro Council to help fund them when they were funding themselves.
And no this is not just local but Kentucky as well who have made asinine rules that force charities out as well in hopes of forcing slots on us all.
Banks who have received our bailout money are now refusing to make loans to help small business opting instead to hoard the money to raise their stock price and give themselves millions in bonuses.
All at the expense of our local business and all on our tax dollars.
The Cordish group, a Baltimore Md company, was given millions to put a bowling alley at 4th Street live and develop a 4th Street entertainment business, yet when O'Malley's Corner one of the largest local owned entertainment complex needed help they were denied.
We gave Cordish $950,000 to change their bowling alley with a sports bar into a sports bar with a bowling alley. Yep you read that right we all said....huh? When asked to tell us how they spent the money our leaders in David Tandy and select others signed a confidentiality agreement so we could not know.
And now a local business in Lyndon Lanes needs $140,000 and is denied after this Cordish fiasco?
Another local business gone.
These are just a couple of examples of just what is wrong with our leadership. We continue to fund out of State or special areas of our City with ALL of our tax dollars and refuse to share the wealth or help those who have helped us.
Lyndon Lanes has been a part of our community for 50 years. Locally owned, local jobs, local tax revenue, and local spending. Is this not important to the local community?
So I ask now where do the those who want to be Mayor stand on this issue?
How does each Mayor candidate feel about this and what do they plan to do to avoid it happening now or to someone else in the future.
Hal Heiner, Greg Fisher, Jim King, David Tandy, Chris Thieneman, Jonathan Robertson, and Tyler Allen care to respond?
Here is your chance candidates. Let us know your thoughts.
According to an open letter from the owners of Lyndon Lanes Bowling alley they are going to close. I received an email from a reader alerting me to this and found an article here Louisville Mojo: Lyndon Lanes Closing, Government and Banks Blamed confirming it.
According to the McCarty family, who owns Lyndon Lanes, several factors were involved but the two that stood out to me were the smoking ban and the unwillingness of banks to loan money to local small business.
While many would disagree with me this is just one more example of just what is wrong with the decision makers in this City.
Many of us fought against a smoking ban because based on evidence business would suffer. When the business loses money we lose jobs, tax revenues, and we all suffer period. This is not the first business that is falling to the wayside partially because of this one issue.
Charities have fallen to the wayside as well. Many charities that were self funded by bingos, etc had to get out of the business of providing for themselves for a variety of reasons with a smoking ban being one of the leading factors. And of course they then have to beg for money from the Metro Council to help fund them when they were funding themselves.
And no this is not just local but Kentucky as well who have made asinine rules that force charities out as well in hopes of forcing slots on us all.
Banks who have received our bailout money are now refusing to make loans to help small business opting instead to hoard the money to raise their stock price and give themselves millions in bonuses.
All at the expense of our local business and all on our tax dollars.
The Cordish group, a Baltimore Md company, was given millions to put a bowling alley at 4th Street live and develop a 4th Street entertainment business, yet when O'Malley's Corner one of the largest local owned entertainment complex needed help they were denied.
We gave Cordish $950,000 to change their bowling alley with a sports bar into a sports bar with a bowling alley. Yep you read that right we all said....huh? When asked to tell us how they spent the money our leaders in David Tandy and select others signed a confidentiality agreement so we could not know.
And now a local business in Lyndon Lanes needs $140,000 and is denied after this Cordish fiasco?
Another local business gone.
These are just a couple of examples of just what is wrong with our leadership. We continue to fund out of State or special areas of our City with ALL of our tax dollars and refuse to share the wealth or help those who have helped us.
Lyndon Lanes has been a part of our community for 50 years. Locally owned, local jobs, local tax revenue, and local spending. Is this not important to the local community?
So I ask now where do the those who want to be Mayor stand on this issue?
How does each Mayor candidate feel about this and what do they plan to do to avoid it happening now or to someone else in the future.
Hal Heiner, Greg Fisher, Jim King, David Tandy, Chris Thieneman, Jonathan Robertson, and Tyler Allen care to respond?
Here is your chance candidates. Let us know your thoughts.
Monday, March 29, 2010
MONDAY ROUNDUP
Here is the Monday roundup for this week.
KDFWR AND SB64: For a long time now I have been outing Director John Gassett's reign with the KDFWR for what I believe to be some ethical considerations with no oversight. I am happy to announce that SB 64 I have been pushing that would address some of these concerns not only passed the Senate and was sent to the House it also cleared the House unanimously and should be adopted within the next week. Kudos to all the sportsmen of our Commonwealth for standing up for openness and transparency.
So much for a certain so called journalist who kept telling me I was an idiot and this would not get done. Don't worry he knows who he is.
You can read more here: Louisville News and Politics: LEGISLATURE AND THE KDFWR: TIME TO GET BUSY AND DO YOUR JOB!
KING CASE REVISITED: Last week as you know the KREF finally did SOMETHING with the King's by giving them one of the highest fines in our history for the illegal acts Jim and Katie King committed during her campaign for Judge. Sadly, it took constant pressure from us to make them do anything. The way this whole case has been handled must make us question the integrity of the KREF process itself. Additionally Katie just can't seem to stay out of the limelight with poor decision making and now this: Louisville News and Politics: KATIE KING NAILED AGAIN: WILL SHE EVER LEARN FOR ONCE YOU BE THE JUDGE
In case you missed the stories here are some links including a new one from Kentucky law blog:
Louisville News and Politics: JIM AND KATIE KING $30,000 IN FINES IS JUST THE BEGINNING
Kentucky Law Review: JUDICIAL ELECTIONS: Sitting Judge fined for illegal campaign contributions in election that put her on t...
ABRAMSON FINALLY EXPOSED: Jerry Abramson has been screwing us for years and this audit by Crit Luallen last week is just the tip of the iceberg. Louisville News and Politics: LOUISVILLE AUDIT IS IN: BAD NEWS JERRY
Apparently the CJ still cannot bring itself to call a spade a spade opting instead to continue to make excuses for Abramson. The behavior of Abramson and cronyism can be traced all the way back to the 80's under his leadership and they still won't admit they are wrong. Check out www.abramsonuncovered.com you will not be disappointed.
Louisville News and Politics: COME ON CJ REALLY? ABRAMSON HAS ALWAYS BEEN POLLUTED
Your thoughts?
KDFWR AND SB64: For a long time now I have been outing Director John Gassett's reign with the KDFWR for what I believe to be some ethical considerations with no oversight. I am happy to announce that SB 64 I have been pushing that would address some of these concerns not only passed the Senate and was sent to the House it also cleared the House unanimously and should be adopted within the next week. Kudos to all the sportsmen of our Commonwealth for standing up for openness and transparency.
So much for a certain so called journalist who kept telling me I was an idiot and this would not get done. Don't worry he knows who he is.
You can read more here: Louisville News and Politics: LEGISLATURE AND THE KDFWR: TIME TO GET BUSY AND DO YOUR JOB!
KING CASE REVISITED: Last week as you know the KREF finally did SOMETHING with the King's by giving them one of the highest fines in our history for the illegal acts Jim and Katie King committed during her campaign for Judge. Sadly, it took constant pressure from us to make them do anything. The way this whole case has been handled must make us question the integrity of the KREF process itself. Additionally Katie just can't seem to stay out of the limelight with poor decision making and now this: Louisville News and Politics: KATIE KING NAILED AGAIN: WILL SHE EVER LEARN FOR ONCE YOU BE THE JUDGE
In case you missed the stories here are some links including a new one from Kentucky law blog:
Louisville News and Politics: JIM AND KATIE KING $30,000 IN FINES IS JUST THE BEGINNING
Kentucky Law Review: JUDICIAL ELECTIONS: Sitting Judge fined for illegal campaign contributions in election that put her on t...
ABRAMSON FINALLY EXPOSED: Jerry Abramson has been screwing us for years and this audit by Crit Luallen last week is just the tip of the iceberg. Louisville News and Politics: LOUISVILLE AUDIT IS IN: BAD NEWS JERRY
Apparently the CJ still cannot bring itself to call a spade a spade opting instead to continue to make excuses for Abramson. The behavior of Abramson and cronyism can be traced all the way back to the 80's under his leadership and they still won't admit they are wrong. Check out www.abramsonuncovered.com you will not be disappointed.
Louisville News and Politics: COME ON CJ REALLY? ABRAMSON HAS ALWAYS BEEN POLLUTED
Your thoughts?
Sunday, March 28, 2010
COME ON CJ REALLY? ABRAMSON HAS ALWAYS BEEN POLLUTED
I am no fan of the CJ in many cases and this article today is just one more reason why they have lost any credibility. Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy courier-journal.com The Courier-Journal While many are finally waking up to the reality Abramson may not be all some thought he was the CJ is still trying to help him do damage control. Does that sit well with anyone? Think about it.
Crit Luallen released her audit this week and found 69 problems with Louisville accounting practices. This is HUGE as Abramson in recent years has not been so adept at hiding what many want to know. Thanks to open records requests and the pursuit of truth by some of us we are finally starting to see some results.
Check this out for more: Louisville News and Politics: LOUISVILLE AUDIT IS IN: BAD NEWS JERRY. You see the problems listed here? They are not accidental findings.
Folks like Mayoral candidate Chris Thieneman, Senator Dan Seum, myself, and a whole host of others have been calling this stuff to light for years. We have been fighting for SB 80 bringing the Mayor in compliance with at least the Governor of Kentucky's laws in this regard.
In the meantime Council members such as David Tandy, Jim King, and Hal Heiner, all of whom are running for Mayor as well, have done nothing. Oh they all speak of openness and transparency now yet Jim King has spent thousands of dollars trying to get away with his illegalities in regards to Katie's election, David Tandy went to Frankfort arguing against openness and transparency and lied stating the Council would take care of it and they have not, and Hal Heiner has accomplished absolutely nothing as a member of the Council in this regard.
Anyone can pay lip service leaders get involved.
And yet the Courier STILL tries to excuse the Mayor for his mistakes:
In this term, Mayor Abramson has been handicapped by the loss of some longtime advisers who helped him earn a reputation in his earlier terms for tight and efficient management. Plus, the structure of Metro government seems to create independent silos of authority without enough coordinated oversight. And finally, the years 2008-09 brought the city a parade of horribles: a hurricane, a devastating winter storm and a flood — not to mention the worst recession since the 1930s — all of which strained the capabilities of government to respond.
So now apparently it is Mother Nature's fault that all these inconsistencies exist? Come on CJ even you know better than to try this gimmick.
From Chris Thieneman on the comments section of the CJ article online:
In the Oct 04 issue of the Lane Report, the editor asked Abramson."The metro government upgraded its financial controls for Lou during the merger. How helpful has the new accounting system been in helping you manage and control the operation of government?"
Abramson said."It's the state-of-the-art public sector Oracle system that gives Lou far more capabilities than we have thus far begun to fully use. For the first 6 months, we had to run both systems. After July 1 of 03, we began to focus on the new financial management system. It has given my deputy mayor and his team an expanded amount of information to be able to track and to hold folks in departments accountable on a much more current basis than we ever had before."
I know from talking to the concerned citizens of this community that holding the mayor accountable is a very serious issue. It is obvious to the supporters of THIENEMAN FOR MAYOR that if the mayor is not part of the solution than he must be part of the problem.
And don't forget this has been going on for over 20 years all the way back to Abramson in the 80's. Remember http://www.abramsonuncovered.com/?
This is the problem. Political hacks and political cronyism led by Abramson and his pals to benefit themselves.
These are just some examples of why folks like myself do what we do. We bring the truth to you in hopes that someone will do something about it. We file charges against corruption so that it has to be addressed.
And we run for office to make changes necessary to ensure we never have to live with this again.
Shame on the CJ......
Crit Luallen released her audit this week and found 69 problems with Louisville accounting practices. This is HUGE as Abramson in recent years has not been so adept at hiding what many want to know. Thanks to open records requests and the pursuit of truth by some of us we are finally starting to see some results.
Check this out for more: Louisville News and Politics: LOUISVILLE AUDIT IS IN: BAD NEWS JERRY. You see the problems listed here? They are not accidental findings.
Folks like Mayoral candidate Chris Thieneman, Senator Dan Seum, myself, and a whole host of others have been calling this stuff to light for years. We have been fighting for SB 80 bringing the Mayor in compliance with at least the Governor of Kentucky's laws in this regard.
In the meantime Council members such as David Tandy, Jim King, and Hal Heiner, all of whom are running for Mayor as well, have done nothing. Oh they all speak of openness and transparency now yet Jim King has spent thousands of dollars trying to get away with his illegalities in regards to Katie's election, David Tandy went to Frankfort arguing against openness and transparency and lied stating the Council would take care of it and they have not, and Hal Heiner has accomplished absolutely nothing as a member of the Council in this regard.
Anyone can pay lip service leaders get involved.
And yet the Courier STILL tries to excuse the Mayor for his mistakes:
In this term, Mayor Abramson has been handicapped by the loss of some longtime advisers who helped him earn a reputation in his earlier terms for tight and efficient management. Plus, the structure of Metro government seems to create independent silos of authority without enough coordinated oversight. And finally, the years 2008-09 brought the city a parade of horribles: a hurricane, a devastating winter storm and a flood — not to mention the worst recession since the 1930s — all of which strained the capabilities of government to respond.
So now apparently it is Mother Nature's fault that all these inconsistencies exist? Come on CJ even you know better than to try this gimmick.
From Chris Thieneman on the comments section of the CJ article online:
In the Oct 04 issue of the Lane Report, the editor asked Abramson."The metro government upgraded its financial controls for Lou during the merger. How helpful has the new accounting system been in helping you manage and control the operation of government?"
Abramson said."It's the state-of-the-art public sector Oracle system that gives Lou far more capabilities than we have thus far begun to fully use. For the first 6 months, we had to run both systems. After July 1 of 03, we began to focus on the new financial management system. It has given my deputy mayor and his team an expanded amount of information to be able to track and to hold folks in departments accountable on a much more current basis than we ever had before."
I know from talking to the concerned citizens of this community that holding the mayor accountable is a very serious issue. It is obvious to the supporters of THIENEMAN FOR MAYOR that if the mayor is not part of the solution than he must be part of the problem.
And don't forget this has been going on for over 20 years all the way back to Abramson in the 80's. Remember http://www.abramsonuncovered.com/?
This is the problem. Political hacks and political cronyism led by Abramson and his pals to benefit themselves.
These are just some examples of why folks like myself do what we do. We bring the truth to you in hopes that someone will do something about it. We file charges against corruption so that it has to be addressed.
And we run for office to make changes necessary to ensure we never have to live with this again.
Shame on the CJ......
Saturday, March 27, 2010
JIM KING CPA: WHO IS THE REAL KING?
A few months ago during the unending research I have been forced to undertake on Jim King thanks to his lack of openness and transparency I ran across an article at http://www.louisvillecourant.com/ concerning a King audit in Miami. This information actually made me start looking further and I have to say King concerns me even more than he did before.
While Jim King has had many problems of his own here literally no one I speak with even knew he had a business in Florida much less any of the people in Florida he is working with and how they are tied to Kentucky.
I will focus this article on one such person and business.
The Florida Gaming Commission owned by Bennett Collett is one such Company. Bennett Collett is from Kentucky and has a major checkered past including being sued by the SEC in 1979. the SEC alleged Collett headed a group of investors who acquired companies and gutted them by causing them to transfer valuable assets for inadequate consideration.
Collett was also, according to the Miami Herald, coming under fire from the Indiana Department of Insurance. In 1981 the Indiana Department of Insurance sued Collett personally claiming he stripped Pilgrim Life Insurance of its liquid assets. He settled the suit 2 years later for $175,000.
In 1993 a Company called Lexicon was on its way to being delisted by NASDAQ so none other than Bennett Collett, who owned Freedom Financial by that time, bought Lexicon.
Collett established Freedom Financial in 1985, less than 6 years after his SEC ordeal and his Indiana Insurance settlement, to serve as a bank holding company yet by 1988 ( 3 years later) he had sold off his banking subsidiaries.
When he tried to take Freedom Financial public in 1990 trying to raise $10 million state regulators in New Jersey, Indiana, and Kentucky killed the offering because "the prospectus issued to potential investors failed to disclose that Collett had been the subject of at least six prior legal actions."
According to Indiana Securities Division Commissioner Mark Maddux, as quoted by Business First-Louisville, Collett "had a history of bad relations with people who have invested in his entities. There's just been a long history of disgruntled investors in this person's companies."
Despite being unable to take Freedom Financial public, Collett gained the benefits of a publicly traded, listed company when Freedom Financial acquired Lexicon, which by 1993 was nothing more than a shell corporation.
Now the logical question. What in the world does this have to do with Jim King and perhaps Steve Beshear?
First, Jim King is Bennett Collett's CPA. Collett and the banks in Miami that King does work for have a very checkered past. Most would agree in life you generally surround yourself with like minded people. If this holds true then who King surrounds himself with in this situation is very alarming.
King himself in 1997 acknowledges auditing Florida Gaming Corporation's financial statements giving them a squeaky clean bill of health from 1993-1994 http://www.secinfo.com/dRQYx.8r.htm
The audits completed by King's company are not satisfactory to the PCAOB.
PCAOB Release No. 104-2009-074
Inspection of King & Company
Certified Public Accountants, P.S.C.
May 21, 2009
Page 4
inspection team that the Firm did not obtain sufficient competent evidential matter to
support its opinion on the issuer's financial statements.9/ Those deficiencies were –
(1) the failure to perform sufficient procedures to test the valuation and
accounting for stock options issued; and
(2) the failure to perform sufficient procedures to support the Firm's reliance
on controls at a service organization.
B. Review of Quality Control System
In addition to evaluating the quality of the audit work performed on a specific
audit, the inspection included review of certain of the Firm's practices, policies, and
procedures related to audit quality. This review addressed practices, policies, and
procedures concerning audit performance, training, compliance with independence
standards, client acceptance and retention, and the establishment of policies and
procedures. As described above, any defects in, or criticisms of, the Firm's quality
control system are discussed in the nonpublic portion of this report and will remain
nonpublic unless the Firm fails to address them to the Board's satisfaction within 12
months of the date of this report.
The evidence shows that Bennett Collett swindled investors and shareholders in Pilgrim Life and until Lexicon was bought as a shell company he could not trade publicly it seems. Jim King has been his CPA forever, giving his current control of a public company an air of integrity.
The 2009 audit above on Jim King's work did not pass with flying colors and they edited out the info that identified the client
Look at the chronological sequence of events below and draw your own conclusions on King and his relationships. Seems like a way of life for what he does here in Louisville does it not?
1979: Kentuckian W. Bennett Collett sued for fraud by the SEC. According the Miami Herald, "After a turn as an accountant, he struck out on his own, becoming primarily involved in insurance and banking. He served as principal shareholder and chief executive officer of 11 small banks across the country." http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Florida-Gaming-Corporation-Company-History.html
Sound familiar though King has less than 11 total.
1981: Indiana Department of Insurance sues Collett personally, claiming he had stripped Pilgrim Life Insurance of it's assets forcing it into liquidation. Collett settles but later denies settling, according to the Miami Herald: "In all, four of Collett's insurance companies ended up in liquidation. http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Florida-Gaming-Corporation-Company-History.html
1982: Former FBI Agent John Connolly sets up a mob-hit on a former President of the Miami Jai-Alai: Mr. John B. Callahan. Callahan's bullet-riddled body was found in the trunk of his Cadillac on Aug. 2nd in a parking lot at Miami. Connolly was killed after he told some guys about how the FBI was investigating his ties to the Winter Hill Gang and the murder of Roger Wheeler who had just been killed by the same hit man that killed Callahan in Tulsa, Oklahoma back in May.
Wheeler was owner of World Jai Alai. This story was later the basis for the movie, The Departed. http://wbztv.com/local/john.connolly.trial.2.856858.html In the movie, they left out "jai alai" because no one outside of the mob actually knew what it was.
1983: A body shop mechanic who took a $150 gamble raked in a cool $328,589.20 at Miami Jai-Alai on a Saturday afternoon, the second largest pari-mutuel pay-off in FL history.
1985: Collett founds the Freedom Financial Corporation.
1986: CPA Jim King buys controlling interest in Peoples State Bank in Bardstown. This is interesting simply because of the next line. He was later sued by William Pullman that went to the Supreme Court.
1988: Collett has sold off all his banking interests. Why did Collett sell off his banks?
1993: After unsuccessful attempts at taking Freedom public, Collett uses Freedom to acquire the Lexicon Corporation which was an empty shell of a company by then. He then changes its name to the Florida Gaming Corporation. This was beneficial for Collett because now he can have the benefits of a publicly traded company.
1997: King acknowledges auditing Florida Gaming Corporation's financial statements giving them a squeaky clean bill of health from 1993-1994 http://www.secinfo.com/dRQYx.8r.htm#7py
2003: King + Company, PSC is obligated to file reports with the PCAOB because it's previous year audit of the Florida Gaming Corporation. King reports that his firm received $90,000 for services from the Florida Gaming Corporation in 2002 for some of this (independent?) auditing. The audits completed by King's company are not satisfactory to the PCAOB. http://louisvillecourant.blogspot.com/2009/09/why-king-audit-is-relevant.html
2004: King Southern Bank pops up on the interweb tubes mysteriously for the first time.
2008: Florida Gaming Corporation has no trouble borrowing $1 million from Louisville-based Stuckert Financial Group. http://southflorida.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2008/09/15/daily64.html
And this brings us to Steve Beshear. With the history of Collett and Jim King, why then did he do the following? Is this relationship why he has been rumored to have halted the KSP investigation on King?
2009: Governor Beshear appoints James W. Stuckert to the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees. http://migration.kentucky.gov/Newsroom/governor/20090706appts.htm
Collett gets a $1 million loan with his history? Did Jim King orchestrate the loan because of his history? Why would Beshear appoint Stuckert to the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees if he is dealing with Collett?
And oh by the way.
2009: According to Forbes http://people.forbes.com/profile/w-bennett-collett/34082 Collett received $2,698,581.00 in 2007 as CEO of Florida Gaming Commission.
Make up your own minds but there is a helluva lot more going on with insider politics and schemes than we know about.
Your thoughts?
While Jim King has had many problems of his own here literally no one I speak with even knew he had a business in Florida much less any of the people in Florida he is working with and how they are tied to Kentucky.
I will focus this article on one such person and business.
The Florida Gaming Commission owned by Bennett Collett is one such Company. Bennett Collett is from Kentucky and has a major checkered past including being sued by the SEC in 1979. the SEC alleged Collett headed a group of investors who acquired companies and gutted them by causing them to transfer valuable assets for inadequate consideration.
Collett was also, according to the Miami Herald, coming under fire from the Indiana Department of Insurance. In 1981 the Indiana Department of Insurance sued Collett personally claiming he stripped Pilgrim Life Insurance of its liquid assets. He settled the suit 2 years later for $175,000.
In 1993 a Company called Lexicon was on its way to being delisted by NASDAQ so none other than Bennett Collett, who owned Freedom Financial by that time, bought Lexicon.
Collett established Freedom Financial in 1985, less than 6 years after his SEC ordeal and his Indiana Insurance settlement, to serve as a bank holding company yet by 1988 ( 3 years later) he had sold off his banking subsidiaries.
When he tried to take Freedom Financial public in 1990 trying to raise $10 million state regulators in New Jersey, Indiana, and Kentucky killed the offering because "the prospectus issued to potential investors failed to disclose that Collett had been the subject of at least six prior legal actions."
According to Indiana Securities Division Commissioner Mark Maddux, as quoted by Business First-Louisville, Collett "had a history of bad relations with people who have invested in his entities. There's just been a long history of disgruntled investors in this person's companies."
Despite being unable to take Freedom Financial public, Collett gained the benefits of a publicly traded, listed company when Freedom Financial acquired Lexicon, which by 1993 was nothing more than a shell corporation.
Now the logical question. What in the world does this have to do with Jim King and perhaps Steve Beshear?
First, Jim King is Bennett Collett's CPA. Collett and the banks in Miami that King does work for have a very checkered past. Most would agree in life you generally surround yourself with like minded people. If this holds true then who King surrounds himself with in this situation is very alarming.
King himself in 1997 acknowledges auditing Florida Gaming Corporation's financial statements giving them a squeaky clean bill of health from 1993-1994 http://www.secinfo.com/dRQYx.8r.htm
The audits completed by King's company are not satisfactory to the PCAOB.
PCAOB Release No. 104-2009-074
Inspection of King & Company
Certified Public Accountants, P.S.C.
May 21, 2009
Page 4
inspection team that the Firm did not obtain sufficient competent evidential matter to
support its opinion on the issuer's financial statements.9/ Those deficiencies were –
(1) the failure to perform sufficient procedures to test the valuation and
accounting for stock options issued; and
(2) the failure to perform sufficient procedures to support the Firm's reliance
on controls at a service organization.
B. Review of Quality Control System
In addition to evaluating the quality of the audit work performed on a specific
audit, the inspection included review of certain of the Firm's practices, policies, and
procedures related to audit quality. This review addressed practices, policies, and
procedures concerning audit performance, training, compliance with independence
standards, client acceptance and retention, and the establishment of policies and
procedures. As described above, any defects in, or criticisms of, the Firm's quality
control system are discussed in the nonpublic portion of this report and will remain
nonpublic unless the Firm fails to address them to the Board's satisfaction within 12
months of the date of this report.
The evidence shows that Bennett Collett swindled investors and shareholders in Pilgrim Life and until Lexicon was bought as a shell company he could not trade publicly it seems. Jim King has been his CPA forever, giving his current control of a public company an air of integrity.
The 2009 audit above on Jim King's work did not pass with flying colors and they edited out the info that identified the client
Look at the chronological sequence of events below and draw your own conclusions on King and his relationships. Seems like a way of life for what he does here in Louisville does it not?
1979: Kentuckian W. Bennett Collett sued for fraud by the SEC. According the Miami Herald, "After a turn as an accountant, he struck out on his own, becoming primarily involved in insurance and banking. He served as principal shareholder and chief executive officer of 11 small banks across the country." http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Florida-Gaming-Corporation-Company-History.html
Sound familiar though King has less than 11 total.
1981: Indiana Department of Insurance sues Collett personally, claiming he had stripped Pilgrim Life Insurance of it's assets forcing it into liquidation. Collett settles but later denies settling, according to the Miami Herald: "In all, four of Collett's insurance companies ended up in liquidation. http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Florida-Gaming-Corporation-Company-History.html
1982: Former FBI Agent John Connolly sets up a mob-hit on a former President of the Miami Jai-Alai: Mr. John B. Callahan. Callahan's bullet-riddled body was found in the trunk of his Cadillac on Aug. 2nd in a parking lot at Miami. Connolly was killed after he told some guys about how the FBI was investigating his ties to the Winter Hill Gang and the murder of Roger Wheeler who had just been killed by the same hit man that killed Callahan in Tulsa, Oklahoma back in May.
Wheeler was owner of World Jai Alai. This story was later the basis for the movie, The Departed. http://wbztv.com/local/john.connolly.trial.2.856858.html In the movie, they left out "jai alai" because no one outside of the mob actually knew what it was.
1983: A body shop mechanic who took a $150 gamble raked in a cool $328,589.20 at Miami Jai-Alai on a Saturday afternoon, the second largest pari-mutuel pay-off in FL history.
1985: Collett founds the Freedom Financial Corporation.
1986: CPA Jim King buys controlling interest in Peoples State Bank in Bardstown. This is interesting simply because of the next line. He was later sued by William Pullman that went to the Supreme Court.
1988: Collett has sold off all his banking interests. Why did Collett sell off his banks?
1993: After unsuccessful attempts at taking Freedom public, Collett uses Freedom to acquire the Lexicon Corporation which was an empty shell of a company by then. He then changes its name to the Florida Gaming Corporation. This was beneficial for Collett because now he can have the benefits of a publicly traded company.
1997: King acknowledges auditing Florida Gaming Corporation's financial statements giving them a squeaky clean bill of health from 1993-1994 http://www.secinfo.com/dRQYx.8r.htm#7py
2003: King + Company, PSC is obligated to file reports with the PCAOB because it's previous year audit of the Florida Gaming Corporation. King reports that his firm received $90,000 for services from the Florida Gaming Corporation in 2002 for some of this (independent?) auditing. The audits completed by King's company are not satisfactory to the PCAOB. http://louisvillecourant.blogspot.com/2009/09/why-king-audit-is-relevant.html
2004: King Southern Bank pops up on the interweb tubes mysteriously for the first time.
2008: Florida Gaming Corporation has no trouble borrowing $1 million from Louisville-based Stuckert Financial Group. http://southflorida.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2008/09/15/daily64.html
And this brings us to Steve Beshear. With the history of Collett and Jim King, why then did he do the following? Is this relationship why he has been rumored to have halted the KSP investigation on King?
2009: Governor Beshear appoints James W. Stuckert to the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees. http://migration.kentucky.gov/Newsroom/governor/20090706appts.htm
Collett gets a $1 million loan with his history? Did Jim King orchestrate the loan because of his history? Why would Beshear appoint Stuckert to the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees if he is dealing with Collett?
And oh by the way.
2009: According to Forbes http://people.forbes.com/profile/w-bennett-collett/34082 Collett received $2,698,581.00 in 2007 as CEO of Florida Gaming Commission.
Make up your own minds but there is a helluva lot more going on with insider politics and schemes than we know about.
Your thoughts?
Thursday, March 25, 2010
JIM AND KATIE KING $30,000 IN FINES IS JUST THE BEGINNING
Today the KREF finally fined Jim and Katie King $15,000 apiece or $30,000 total for their violations during Katie's campaign. Gee I wonder if Jim paid the whole fine as well. This is one of the highest fines on record if not the highest. In recent years anyway. Of course Dilger of the KREF tried to spin it as expected but they could not stop the case and had to go high on the fine for fear of retribution.
That is thanks to the public outcry from each of you.
You can view the WLKY story by Andy Alcock here: KREF Fining Kings For Campaign Finance Violations - Video - WLKY Louisville
Of course they are still trying to blame this on some miscommunication from the KREF which can hardly be considered truthful.
That is thanks to the public outcry from each of you.
You can view the WLKY story by Andy Alcock here: KREF Fining Kings For Campaign Finance Violations - Video - WLKY Louisville
Of course they are still trying to blame this on some miscommunication from the KREF which can hardly be considered truthful.
Fact #1: On June 11, 2008 Amy Cubbage of Frost,Brown, and Todd,
then King attorney was sent an email from Sarah Jackson that said that King could not gift this money based on the fact that the Registry had never allowed it.
Of course this email was not sent to me until September 24 the night before the KREF hearing and it was too late to allow it into evidence. An oversight? Not hardly. It was intentional left out of previous disclosure because this would have been a smoking gun that destroyed the credibility of the "gee I didn't know defense.".
So if Amy Cubbage indeed did advise King he could do this then King would be right in denying any knowledge except there is a problem with that.
On WLKY news coverage by Andy Alcock on September 25, 2009 Sheryl Snyder, who took over from Cubbage as King attorney, was specifically asked if his office advised King he could gift this money. Snyder replied "of course not."
That means someone is lying it is that simple.
Mel Ignatow got away with murder but wen to jail for perjury. In this case King, Snyder, or both should do the same consideirng tis is a felony charge and perjury is involved..
Fact #2: July 18, 2009 one month AFTER his attorney was told he could not gift this money King sought a different answer from the KREF. He was advised that family members were considered the same as any other donor.
Craig Dilger of the KREF says he has no doubt Katie knows the day to day law that goes on her Courtroom but Election law is entirely different. I agreeit is different but is ignorance of the law an allowable excuse in most courtrooms? No it is not.
Guess what Dilger I am no attorney but I was able to figure out the law so why couldn't an attorney?
Fox41's Chris Turner also covered the story and you can read his report here: Jim, Katie King pay election finance fines - FOX41.com Louisville News Kentucky Indiana News Weather Sports
Dilger again continues to spin "The Kings' violations are called "non-knowing," because they asked an election finance registry attorney and a personal attorney for advice on the gift -- and both said it was likely legal. "He (Jim King) didn't hide it. It was out there, and everybody knew about it, which is how it came to the board's attention," Dilger said.
Sorry Craig this statement does not add up either. You see according to public disclosures by Sheryl Snyder they never advised King that it was legal see Fact #1 above. According to the original email exchange by Sarah Jackson to Amy Cubbage in June she was advised King could not do it as well.
By the way the reason everyone knew about it was not because King did not try to hide it it was because I refused to allow it to be hidden and kept you pressured to do your job. It came to the Board's attention because of the charges that I signed and filed.
At least be truthful about something.
King's fine is simply the tip of the iceberg folks. He has already spent almost a million bucks of his own money to buy 2 elections. One he was successful at in Katie's Judgeship, the other remains to be seen on May 18 of this year when he is hoping he will have been able to buy the Mayoral primary as well.
$30,000 fine to King is like a $5 fine to most of us. In short no big deal. After spending a million to buy elections what do you think he thought about a measly $30,000? He was thankful to pay it hoping it would go away.
They are trying to lull us into this false mentality of poor Jim and we should all be insulted.
The issue is still ongoing as the criminal complaint is still supposedly being investigated. To date there is no investigation period. they have not even contacted me after all this time and I am the one who initiated this and kept it alive. Do you not start at the complainant when investigating?
It is being stalled as we speak dependent on the outcome of the primary election. If King wins that primary then they will try to push this aside and kill it. If he loses then they have to rethink their logic and do something to him as it is a cut and dry case.
I will say this. Someone committed perjury n this whole deal as everything was under oath. King lied or his attorneys did which is why I filed charges against them as well.
That is where to start the real investigation. King knows Snyder denied telling him it was ok and he has done nothing to seek recourse against him or Amy Cubbage.
That is telling in itself.
KIng has tried playing the gee I made honest mistake games in his new TV commercials. They are funny as well considering he is trying to capitalize on St. X once again even after being chastised by St X for illegally using their logo and email lists. He still does not get it anymore than Katie gets it. The apple certainly does not fall far from the tree does it.
Does this seem like someone who recognizes wrongdoing and is remorseful? Nope.
He continues to act as though he cares about openness and transparency yet he has intentionally done everything he can to legally hold this up for two years forcing me to work hundreds of hours trying to sort through the legal quagmire King himself created by not being honest and truthful from the beginning. It was only after I beat his own attorneys, supposed cracker jack expert ones at that, that he decided to conciliate and try to put this behind him quietly.
He could have admitted fault and moved on 2 years ago instead opting to try and fool us all. I just wish I got paid for the hours I put into this whole ordeal like his attorneys have. I could retire I assure you. Instead thanks to him trying to hide and get away with illegal acts I have spent hundreds of hours working for free trying to insure this case was not thrown away because of politics.
He felt that he and his cracker jack attorney Sheryl Snyder could overwhelm me and I would drop it and it would go away quietly. That was the plan and it failed miserably.
So much for openness and transparency eh Jim?
We the people deserve better and it was necessary to work against those who work against us like Jim King.
There will be reckoning in the near future. Guaranteed. There are many investigations going on as we speak beyond the one the Special prosecutor supposedly ordered. When al is said and done the entire KSP and Governor's office may be involved in the ongoing investigation by others.
Stay tuned the Grand Jury has yet to hear this case and many others beyond the Grand Jury are looking into this and other charges yet to be revealed...........
KATIE KING NAILED AGAIN: WILL SHE EVER LEARN FOR ONCE YOU BE THE JUDGE
You know you would think by now Katie would realize she needs to change her ways and be you know more Judgelike, or mature, or at least responsible. Apparently she still thinks daddy's money will save her as usual. Rick Redding over at www.louisvillemojo.com brought this story to light.
It seems Katie just cannot stay out of trouble and apparently Daddy Jim cannot keep her from it.
Monday night/Tuesday Morning at 1:11 AM Katie was caught at Cherokee Park in HER SUV with a guy named Benjamin Botkins. Supposedly Katie was in the back seat of HER OWN SUV while Botkins was in the front um yeah right.
1:11 in the morning on a worknight? In the backseat of her OWN SUV? With a guy who supposeldy has a girlfriend according to his facebook profile? A guy who lives nearby in an apartment? What prevented them from going there I wonder. Is this another lover, or dealer, or whatever going to take a fall for her.
The police filed a report. What the report does not say is that the officer was due in Katie's court the next morning. Rumor has it that Katie was caught in a very um public display of affection but this was changed to avoid embarrassment.
In defense of the officer this is common when certain people are caught in embarrassing situations in Cherokee Park eh Jerry?
But I digress.
What is interesting is that Katie already had been caught with drugs in her home previously in which an ex boyfriend took the fall to save her, she had a domestic case against her where she tried to beat in the door of an ex boyfriend, rumored to be the child referred to that underwent psychiatric evaluation during her Dad's divorce, knowing violated the law in regards to campaign finance regardless of the KREF findings and will pay a fine later today that her CPA dad says was his fault when his lawyer daughter did not know the law, and now this.
I cannot wait for the spin machine to portray this one. She already got the golden opportuity to be a Judge of others for things she herself is guilty of yet still does not get it. Spoiled would be an understatement. Katie's decision making seriously needs to be evaluated.
She really just does not get it and thinks she is above the law. It is time for Katie to grow up and take responsibility for her actions and time for others like her dad to allow her to do so.
As an adult and a Judge she should know better and hopefully the voters will remember these things when they vot ein the next election.
Your thoughts?
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
MYVIEWMATTERS RADIO SHOW W/MAYORAL CANDIDATE JONATHON ROBERTSON
Tonight we got to dish a bit on the Louisville Metro audit released today by Crit Luallen, as well as, the health care bomb passed Sunday in Congress.
We also had someone you probably have not heard much about on air tonight.
Jonathon Robertson is the 3rd candidate in the Republican Primary for Metro Mayor and the least mentioned. Due to an oversight on my part, yes I am taking responsibility, he has not been on air until tonight.
It was a pleasure having on air and you should check out his website at www.metromayor.com and no it isn't a typo.
Listen in below for more on Jonathon.
We also had someone you probably have not heard much about on air tonight.
Jonathon Robertson is the 3rd candidate in the Republican Primary for Metro Mayor and the least mentioned. Due to an oversight on my part, yes I am taking responsibility, he has not been on air until tonight.
It was a pleasure having on air and you should check out his website at www.metromayor.com and no it isn't a typo.
Listen in below for more on Jonathon.
ABRAMSON CONTINUED, JIM KING UPATE
LOUISVILLE AUDIT SOME THINGS MISSING: I have had a few minutes to browse through the audit report and though the initial findings hold true to what many of us have known for years I also found some things conspicuously absent. I am going to ask Crit if this was a complete Metro audit as some Departments were not mentioned though there are knowing violations.
Conspicuously absent were the Departments of Codes and Regulations, Parks and Recreation, Public Health and Wellness, Public Works, and Human Resources.
While the audit certainly laid out some serious concerns these other Departments have the same problems as well. Codes and Regulations was a farce under Bill Shreck and John Flood. And what about Economic Development under Bruce Traughber? There is much money hidden there as well.
JIM KING UPDATE: Tomorrow in Frankfort the KREF will give Jim King his slap on the wrist agreed upon long ago. He will pay a small fine and be done with it in their eyes. The KREF has been complicit in this allowing King and his attorneys an easy way out against the actual law. So be it.
King is nowhere near done with this case. The criminal case continues as I promised long ago. I assume they believe because I am in a race for office I would back off or not have time to complete this journey so I am told. They are sadly mistaken.
I promised from the onset I would finish this to the end and I will keep my word regardless of the personal cost to me. If it cost me the primary election because I didn't have time to campaign as hard as I hoped so be it. I promised we would get change and not allow those like Abramson and King to destroy us long ago and i will keep that promise regardless of the personal cost.
We the people deserve better and I will do my best to insure we get it.
I sent a letter to Hart Megibben and copied it to Steve Beshear, who rumor has it ordered the KSP NOT to investigate, Jack Conway, KREF, and several others. The Kentucky State Police have not done any investigation to date that I can verify after having this case for months. Why would I think that?
Because in any investigation you start at the beginning. I filed the charges, I kept responding to the garbage from King and his Kindergarten "cracker jack" attorneys and won. Why the KSP has not contacted me for further evidence you be the judge. But every investigator I have spoken with tells me it is very odd the way this has been handled. In short politics rules.
Not anymore. I have tried working within the system and the powers that be refuse to do their job so now I will do their job.
In my letter I gave Hart Megibben, and anyone else involved, until April 1st to do their damn job. On April 1st I will be requesting the Grand Jury to give me a date for a hearing and I will present the case myself. And yes I have the right to. The evidence is clear cut and this should have been investigated and over with by now. They have had almost 2 years to do so. The Special Prosecutor has had it for well over 6 months.
Stay tuned it is just heating up....
Conspicuously absent were the Departments of Codes and Regulations, Parks and Recreation, Public Health and Wellness, Public Works, and Human Resources.
While the audit certainly laid out some serious concerns these other Departments have the same problems as well. Codes and Regulations was a farce under Bill Shreck and John Flood. And what about Economic Development under Bruce Traughber? There is much money hidden there as well.
JIM KING UPDATE: Tomorrow in Frankfort the KREF will give Jim King his slap on the wrist agreed upon long ago. He will pay a small fine and be done with it in their eyes. The KREF has been complicit in this allowing King and his attorneys an easy way out against the actual law. So be it.
King is nowhere near done with this case. The criminal case continues as I promised long ago. I assume they believe because I am in a race for office I would back off or not have time to complete this journey so I am told. They are sadly mistaken.
I promised from the onset I would finish this to the end and I will keep my word regardless of the personal cost to me. If it cost me the primary election because I didn't have time to campaign as hard as I hoped so be it. I promised we would get change and not allow those like Abramson and King to destroy us long ago and i will keep that promise regardless of the personal cost.
We the people deserve better and I will do my best to insure we get it.
I sent a letter to Hart Megibben and copied it to Steve Beshear, who rumor has it ordered the KSP NOT to investigate, Jack Conway, KREF, and several others. The Kentucky State Police have not done any investigation to date that I can verify after having this case for months. Why would I think that?
Because in any investigation you start at the beginning. I filed the charges, I kept responding to the garbage from King and his Kindergarten "cracker jack" attorneys and won. Why the KSP has not contacted me for further evidence you be the judge. But every investigator I have spoken with tells me it is very odd the way this has been handled. In short politics rules.
Not anymore. I have tried working within the system and the powers that be refuse to do their job so now I will do their job.
In my letter I gave Hart Megibben, and anyone else involved, until April 1st to do their damn job. On April 1st I will be requesting the Grand Jury to give me a date for a hearing and I will present the case myself. And yes I have the right to. The evidence is clear cut and this should have been investigated and over with by now. They have had almost 2 years to do so. The Special Prosecutor has had it for well over 6 months.
Stay tuned it is just heating up....
LOUISVILLE AUDIT IS IN: BAD NEWS JERRY
The audit by Crit Luallen is done and it does not bode well for our Mayor Abramson. All I can say is good job Crit! This audit is just the beginning of the end of the Abramson lining his pocket political career. Or one can hope anyway.
Due to a full schedule I will have limited time today to actually crunch the whole report so you can read the CJ article on the audit here: Audit of city raises questions about disaster aid courier-journal.com The Courier-Journal or visit Jake Payne, who always has the time to do a page by page, here www.thevillevoice.com
From the CJ.
Luallen’s letter pointed out several questionable practices, including:
* Agreeing to let the Cordish Co. of Baltimore, operator of 4th Street Live, to use a $950,000 loan assigned for one project to another — the cost of converting an old bowling alley on Fourth Street into a sports club — without requiring a right-to-audit clause in the agreement.
* Allowing two top administration officials — Jane Driskell, then the city’s chief financial officer, and then-Deputy Mayor Rick Johnstone, to receive accrued vacation payouts when they retired for 20 days more than the maximum allowed by city policy.
* Noting that required daily animal inventories at Metro Animal Services were not taken. It also found that 134 animals were unaccounted for in May 2009 and that the shelter on Manslick Road was often overcrowded with stray animals. The city currently has under construction a new animal-adoption center.
* The city created a “vendor pool” of companies to perform specialized work for the city, instead of bidding individual jobs and awarding the work to the lowest or best bid, as required by state purchasing regulations.
Do these issues look familiar?
You will note that I have been involved with these issues forever. I have researched, written, and brought these questions to the public. Because of this I have been labeled many things including troublemaker, malcontent, well you get the drift. And no I am not whining about it it is expected when you do the work I do.
The point is that this audit reinforces everything I have been stating and researching for years in some cases. The sad part is that no one would take the initiative to force this idiot into accountability BEFORE he decided not to run for reelection as Metro Mayor.
Abramson has been coddled and protected his whole career and now that he decides to end this stage of it everyone finally gets involved. How much has he cost each of us during his regime? And yes it is his regime. How many millions have been lost or pocketed for Abramson and his cronies?
We may never know the full scope of that but at least we now know part of what he has been up to. And don't forget his Metro Council machine Democrats many of which have benefited from his strong arm as well. All of which also have approved every budget put before them blindly without any oversight whatsoever or even so much as reading the details.
These Council members were elected to represent us and they did not even hold Abramson accountable. That is what happens when you blindly follow others for personal power but that is another story on another day at this point.
It is time to get rid of the incumbents on the Council and begin anew. For myself Abramson gone and a new Council will be the way to begin fulfilling the "Possibility City" slogan we are labeled with.
Eventually the truth will out in all things. Personally? I feel somewhat vindicated by these results but I also understand this is just the beginning.
There is plenty more to come from this train wreck of Abramson's.
Your thoughts?
Due to a full schedule I will have limited time today to actually crunch the whole report so you can read the CJ article on the audit here: Audit of city raises questions about disaster aid courier-journal.com The Courier-Journal or visit Jake Payne, who always has the time to do a page by page, here www.thevillevoice.com
From the CJ.
Luallen’s letter pointed out several questionable practices, including:
* Agreeing to let the Cordish Co. of Baltimore, operator of 4th Street Live, to use a $950,000 loan assigned for one project to another — the cost of converting an old bowling alley on Fourth Street into a sports club — without requiring a right-to-audit clause in the agreement.
* Allowing two top administration officials — Jane Driskell, then the city’s chief financial officer, and then-Deputy Mayor Rick Johnstone, to receive accrued vacation payouts when they retired for 20 days more than the maximum allowed by city policy.
* Noting that required daily animal inventories at Metro Animal Services were not taken. It also found that 134 animals were unaccounted for in May 2009 and that the shelter on Manslick Road was often overcrowded with stray animals. The city currently has under construction a new animal-adoption center.
* The city created a “vendor pool” of companies to perform specialized work for the city, instead of bidding individual jobs and awarding the work to the lowest or best bid, as required by state purchasing regulations.
Do these issues look familiar?
You will note that I have been involved with these issues forever. I have researched, written, and brought these questions to the public. Because of this I have been labeled many things including troublemaker, malcontent, well you get the drift. And no I am not whining about it it is expected when you do the work I do.
The point is that this audit reinforces everything I have been stating and researching for years in some cases. The sad part is that no one would take the initiative to force this idiot into accountability BEFORE he decided not to run for reelection as Metro Mayor.
Abramson has been coddled and protected his whole career and now that he decides to end this stage of it everyone finally gets involved. How much has he cost each of us during his regime? And yes it is his regime. How many millions have been lost or pocketed for Abramson and his cronies?
We may never know the full scope of that but at least we now know part of what he has been up to. And don't forget his Metro Council machine Democrats many of which have benefited from his strong arm as well. All of which also have approved every budget put before them blindly without any oversight whatsoever or even so much as reading the details.
These Council members were elected to represent us and they did not even hold Abramson accountable. That is what happens when you blindly follow others for personal power but that is another story on another day at this point.
It is time to get rid of the incumbents on the Council and begin anew. For myself Abramson gone and a new Council will be the way to begin fulfilling the "Possibility City" slogan we are labeled with.
Eventually the truth will out in all things. Personally? I feel somewhat vindicated by these results but I also understand this is just the beginning.
There is plenty more to come from this train wreck of Abramson's.
Your thoughts?
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
ABRAMSON BUBBLE BEGINNING TO BURST
For years many of us have been calling out Abramson and his cronies for many things including malfeasance with our money. Corporate giveaways to folks like Cordish, high taxes that hurt our ability to compete with jobs, pay to play schemes, and the list goes on.
Crit Luallen is scheduled to release the full scope of her audit tomorrow and in anticipation of that Abramson is already trying to clean house but is he?
Think about it Luallen's report will make almost 100 recommendations, not just the 30 people have heard about, and all are very telling. But hey let's start with the lower echelon cronies Abramson has no trouble throwing to the wolves. Instead of focusing on the higher echelon insiders like Jane Driskell, Rick Johnstone, or Deputy Mayor Will Summers, who oversees all of these things I am told, he has chosen to start at the bottom of the barell.
Gabe Bullard over at WFPL did a story yesterday on the shenanigans involving Melissa Mershon and Carol Butler and it is just the tip of the iceberg in my opinion. You can read Gabe's report here: Two Resign In Metro Government Following Audit « The Edit: WFPL's Gabe Bullard blogs the news
What I will bring to light is the following from Luallen's upcoming report:
From the Department of Neighborhoods portion of the audit this is very telling:
"During our FY 2009 audit of accounts payable, transactions selected for testing included an invoice submitted by Metro Department of Neighborhoods in the amount of $15,000. During FY 2009, Metro Department of Neighborhoods was responsible for neighborhood outreach and organizing community events.
This agency housed the divisions of Brightside, Community Outreach, Office of International Affairs, MetroCall and the Mayor’s Special Events Office, and in FY 2009 was funded primarily through the General Fund. In requesting the supporting documentation for this transaction, we were notified that the documentation was under review by Metro Internal Audit.
Upon contacting Metro Internal Audit, we were made aware that the invoice appeared to be fabricated because it did not match the appearance of other invoices submitted by the vendor. Furthermore, additional evidence indicated instances in which several other vendor invoices processed by the Metro Department of Neighborhoods also did not match the vendor’s standard invoice. All of the questionable invoices look basically the same with the exception of the vendor’s logo, which had been copied onto the invoice in most cases.
Evidence indicates that 36 invoices from 15 separate vendors processed between July 1, 2007 and June 30, 2009 appear to be created by someone other than the vendor. These 36 invoices were approved for payment, generating checks to the 15 vendors totaling $368,660.
Because investigations by Metro Internal Audit and Metro Public Integrity are not yet complete, there is a potential that other invoices have been handled in this manner and not yet detected."
Pay particular attention to the bold areas and the beginning of the quoted area.
"This agency housed the divisions of Brightside, Community Outreach, Office of International Affairs, MetroCall and the Mayor’s Special Events Office"
Notice each of these offices are ones Abramson is credited with starting and his favorite projects.
He touts them all the time and takes credit for how great they are yet the evidence now clearly shows otherwise. Carol Butler is a Special Assistant to Abramson and receives $65,000 a year as a part time worker in this Department alone. Yep an insider crony.
Anyone who thinks Abramson is not aware of what his cronies do do not knwo Abramson. He is hands on regardless of how he portrays it.
Now check out the rest. $368,000 apparently paid out to vendors on phony invoices. SO where did the money go?
Have we verified the vendors actually got the money? Have we verified they were paid for actual services or products rendered? Have we determined the real value of those products or services in relation to what was supposedly paid to them?
And how much of the money paid out on phony invoices came back to Abramson's pockets directly or indirectly.
This is but one example of how easy it is to line your pockets with taxpayer money and Abramson has been doing it for years in my opinion of course. He has made himself a rich man off our taxes and anyone who thinks that Mershon and Butler were not working under his orders as part of the scheme is delusional.
Think about it.
You dummy up invoices for $368,000 when the actual cost is say $100,000 less. You take the $100,000 and divvy it up say $50,000 for cash splits and the other $50k "donated for campaign contributions."
You of course then are assured you will continue getting anonymous phone calls on actual bids for projects so you can make sure you are the lowest one bidding and get the government contracts.
Of course those bids are padded enough and the money you funnel back to the machine keeps you getting richer.
It is called pay to play folks and this is but one example of how it is done.
I have even had reports that some of Abramson's favorable vendors have been told to bid higher on some things because they were low enough to win the bid but too low to give the payout. And we pay for it all. Wonder why we have a budget "shortfall?"
And so on and so on.
Now we want folks like Jim King to be Mayor who has had problems staying legal himself. Or Hal Heiner and David Tandy? Both Metro Councilmen who have done nothing to insure transparency so this does not happen.
And Jerry wants to be Lt. Gov with another insider who does the same thing in Beshear though on a larger scale.
Folks stay tuned this audit will prove to be the downfall of Abramson but hopefully many insiders on the Council today as well.
We must stand united against incumbents and career politicians now more than ever. This further my resolve to work towards term limits so career politicians cannot do this to us any longer.
I think this one example is just one reason why it is so important.
Your thoughts?
Crit Luallen is scheduled to release the full scope of her audit tomorrow and in anticipation of that Abramson is already trying to clean house but is he?
Think about it Luallen's report will make almost 100 recommendations, not just the 30 people have heard about, and all are very telling. But hey let's start with the lower echelon cronies Abramson has no trouble throwing to the wolves. Instead of focusing on the higher echelon insiders like Jane Driskell, Rick Johnstone, or Deputy Mayor Will Summers, who oversees all of these things I am told, he has chosen to start at the bottom of the barell.
Gabe Bullard over at WFPL did a story yesterday on the shenanigans involving Melissa Mershon and Carol Butler and it is just the tip of the iceberg in my opinion. You can read Gabe's report here: Two Resign In Metro Government Following Audit « The Edit: WFPL's Gabe Bullard blogs the news
What I will bring to light is the following from Luallen's upcoming report:
From the Department of Neighborhoods portion of the audit this is very telling:
"During our FY 2009 audit of accounts payable, transactions selected for testing included an invoice submitted by Metro Department of Neighborhoods in the amount of $15,000. During FY 2009, Metro Department of Neighborhoods was responsible for neighborhood outreach and organizing community events.
This agency housed the divisions of Brightside, Community Outreach, Office of International Affairs, MetroCall and the Mayor’s Special Events Office, and in FY 2009 was funded primarily through the General Fund. In requesting the supporting documentation for this transaction, we were notified that the documentation was under review by Metro Internal Audit.
Upon contacting Metro Internal Audit, we were made aware that the invoice appeared to be fabricated because it did not match the appearance of other invoices submitted by the vendor. Furthermore, additional evidence indicated instances in which several other vendor invoices processed by the Metro Department of Neighborhoods also did not match the vendor’s standard invoice. All of the questionable invoices look basically the same with the exception of the vendor’s logo, which had been copied onto the invoice in most cases.
Evidence indicates that 36 invoices from 15 separate vendors processed between July 1, 2007 and June 30, 2009 appear to be created by someone other than the vendor. These 36 invoices were approved for payment, generating checks to the 15 vendors totaling $368,660.
Because investigations by Metro Internal Audit and Metro Public Integrity are not yet complete, there is a potential that other invoices have been handled in this manner and not yet detected."
Pay particular attention to the bold areas and the beginning of the quoted area.
"This agency housed the divisions of Brightside, Community Outreach, Office of International Affairs, MetroCall and the Mayor’s Special Events Office"
Notice each of these offices are ones Abramson is credited with starting and his favorite projects.
He touts them all the time and takes credit for how great they are yet the evidence now clearly shows otherwise. Carol Butler is a Special Assistant to Abramson and receives $65,000 a year as a part time worker in this Department alone. Yep an insider crony.
Anyone who thinks Abramson is not aware of what his cronies do do not knwo Abramson. He is hands on regardless of how he portrays it.
Now check out the rest. $368,000 apparently paid out to vendors on phony invoices. SO where did the money go?
Have we verified the vendors actually got the money? Have we verified they were paid for actual services or products rendered? Have we determined the real value of those products or services in relation to what was supposedly paid to them?
And how much of the money paid out on phony invoices came back to Abramson's pockets directly or indirectly.
This is but one example of how easy it is to line your pockets with taxpayer money and Abramson has been doing it for years in my opinion of course. He has made himself a rich man off our taxes and anyone who thinks that Mershon and Butler were not working under his orders as part of the scheme is delusional.
Think about it.
You dummy up invoices for $368,000 when the actual cost is say $100,000 less. You take the $100,000 and divvy it up say $50,000 for cash splits and the other $50k "donated for campaign contributions."
You of course then are assured you will continue getting anonymous phone calls on actual bids for projects so you can make sure you are the lowest one bidding and get the government contracts.
Of course those bids are padded enough and the money you funnel back to the machine keeps you getting richer.
It is called pay to play folks and this is but one example of how it is done.
I have even had reports that some of Abramson's favorable vendors have been told to bid higher on some things because they were low enough to win the bid but too low to give the payout. And we pay for it all. Wonder why we have a budget "shortfall?"
And so on and so on.
Now we want folks like Jim King to be Mayor who has had problems staying legal himself. Or Hal Heiner and David Tandy? Both Metro Councilmen who have done nothing to insure transparency so this does not happen.
And Jerry wants to be Lt. Gov with another insider who does the same thing in Beshear though on a larger scale.
Folks stay tuned this audit will prove to be the downfall of Abramson but hopefully many insiders on the Council today as well.
We must stand united against incumbents and career politicians now more than ever. This further my resolve to work towards term limits so career politicians cannot do this to us any longer.
I think this one example is just one reason why it is so important.
Your thoughts?
Monday, March 22, 2010
MONDAY ROUNDUP
It has been an interesting few days to saythe least so get's right to it.
OBAMACARE 101: As we all know by now the Obama healthcare debacle passed last night. Honestly what the heck were they thinking? Business needs help there is no doubt and millions of Americans need health benefits that aren't getting it but this Obama plan falls way short of what we need. In fact in most opinions of major business this will keep them from hiring for new jobs and expanding.
So much for job growth.
RAND PAUL SIGHTING: Yep Rand Paul was in Louisville this morning telling the world Yarmuth needs to come home. Many agree including me. Rand put together this rally in support of those running for 3rd District House seat Yarmuth currently occupies. Each candidate for that seat was there and spoke including my good friend and partner Ed Martin who is running as well.
Honestly Todd Lally and Jeff Reetz were the only Republicans worthy in that GOP race. Of course my friend Ed Martin can literally steal the show if he can get his message out.
Hausman always seems a bit confused when I have seen him and shows no promise. Broooks Wicker? Well he comes off like a used car salesman and most I spoke with wouldn't vote for him for dog catcher at this point.
Pay attention to Lally, Reetz, and Martin.
ABRAMSON MACHINE: Crit LuAllen is supposed to give us her final report tomorrow on the Metro audit and rumor has it it will not be pretty. There are at least 30 errors that are notable from early reports. In this case since I will not have time tomorrow to read through the entire report I suggets you check out Jake over at www.Pageonekentucky.com he has te htime and relishes looking through these audits. Wish I had the time believe me.
In anticipation of a public scolding Abramson will endure he is already passing thebuck and ridding himself of well.........no one significant.
After al these years and the graft, greed, and corruption of his adminsitration he has chosen to get resignations from 2 of his political hacks who really have no major interests in the finances of Louisville. You can read about it here: Two city officials resign over book payments courier-journal.com The Courier-Journal
Funnily enough, yeah right, he actually thinks throwing us these nobodies will calm the storm. He is mistaken as usual.
To quote frm the CJ story: "Mayor Jerry Abramson said Monday that he had asked for and received Friday the resignations of Melissa Mershon, former Neighborhoods Department director, and Carol Butler, a special assistant to Abramson and also Mershon’s special assistant for international and cultural affairs.
Mershon allegedly failed to comply with city purchasing rules while working on the book, approving three payments of $14,900 to Butler Books — a company Carol Butler’s family owns — without proper bidding, negotiating or a contract."
And my favorite part of the story?
"At the news conference, Abramson described Mershon and Butler as friends “who have devoted decades to public service in this community.”
But, he said, “They made mistakes that violated my trust and more importantly violated the trust of the citizens of this community. I cannot accept such lapses of judgment and violations of the city’s rules and regulations.
Abramson added that he was “shocked” and “extremely personally disappointed” when advised of the situation, but he said he doesn’t believe any laws were violated."
Sorry Jerry this does not fly.
And of course I love how Jerry states Deputy Mayor Summers was one he had investigate. I am sure he did a wonderful job. Sarcasm purely intended.
Let's see Carol Butler is a "Special Assistant" to Jerry and Summers investigates? Gee does the name Butler ring a bell to anyone?
Time to get Abramson out now I prefer through an indictment and that is being worked on assuredly.
Stay tuned.........................
OBAMACARE 101: As we all know by now the Obama healthcare debacle passed last night. Honestly what the heck were they thinking? Business needs help there is no doubt and millions of Americans need health benefits that aren't getting it but this Obama plan falls way short of what we need. In fact in most opinions of major business this will keep them from hiring for new jobs and expanding.
So much for job growth.
RAND PAUL SIGHTING: Yep Rand Paul was in Louisville this morning telling the world Yarmuth needs to come home. Many agree including me. Rand put together this rally in support of those running for 3rd District House seat Yarmuth currently occupies. Each candidate for that seat was there and spoke including my good friend and partner Ed Martin who is running as well.
Honestly Todd Lally and Jeff Reetz were the only Republicans worthy in that GOP race. Of course my friend Ed Martin can literally steal the show if he can get his message out.
Hausman always seems a bit confused when I have seen him and shows no promise. Broooks Wicker? Well he comes off like a used car salesman and most I spoke with wouldn't vote for him for dog catcher at this point.
Pay attention to Lally, Reetz, and Martin.
ABRAMSON MACHINE: Crit LuAllen is supposed to give us her final report tomorrow on the Metro audit and rumor has it it will not be pretty. There are at least 30 errors that are notable from early reports. In this case since I will not have time tomorrow to read through the entire report I suggets you check out Jake over at www.Pageonekentucky.com he has te htime and relishes looking through these audits. Wish I had the time believe me.
In anticipation of a public scolding Abramson will endure he is already passing thebuck and ridding himself of well.........no one significant.
After al these years and the graft, greed, and corruption of his adminsitration he has chosen to get resignations from 2 of his political hacks who really have no major interests in the finances of Louisville. You can read about it here: Two city officials resign over book payments courier-journal.com The Courier-Journal
Funnily enough, yeah right, he actually thinks throwing us these nobodies will calm the storm. He is mistaken as usual.
To quote frm the CJ story: "Mayor Jerry Abramson said Monday that he had asked for and received Friday the resignations of Melissa Mershon, former Neighborhoods Department director, and Carol Butler, a special assistant to Abramson and also Mershon’s special assistant for international and cultural affairs.
Mershon allegedly failed to comply with city purchasing rules while working on the book, approving three payments of $14,900 to Butler Books — a company Carol Butler’s family owns — without proper bidding, negotiating or a contract."
And my favorite part of the story?
"At the news conference, Abramson described Mershon and Butler as friends “who have devoted decades to public service in this community.”
But, he said, “They made mistakes that violated my trust and more importantly violated the trust of the citizens of this community. I cannot accept such lapses of judgment and violations of the city’s rules and regulations.
Abramson added that he was “shocked” and “extremely personally disappointed” when advised of the situation, but he said he doesn’t believe any laws were violated."
Sorry Jerry this does not fly.
And of course I love how Jerry states Deputy Mayor Summers was one he had investigate. I am sure he did a wonderful job. Sarcasm purely intended.
Let's see Carol Butler is a "Special Assistant" to Jerry and Summers investigates? Gee does the name Butler ring a bell to anyone?
Time to get Abramson out now I prefer through an indictment and that is being worked on assuredly.
Stay tuned.........................
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
MYVIEWMATTERS RADIO W/ MAYORAL CANDIDATES CHRIS THIENEMAN AND TYLER ALLEN
This has to be one of my personal favorite shows we have done to date. In studio tonight were Mayoral candidates Republican Chris Thieneman and Democrat Tyler Allen. Since Hal Heiner refused to debate Chris, as we had originally planned a Republican primary debate, we decided to go ahead with a forum style show with 2 of our personal favorite candidates in Thieneman and Allen.
Opposite parties but willing to have the discussions that are relevant.
I have to admit I loved the show because both these guys truly seem to care about Louisville and it showed in this format. Both were congenial, informed, and let us see a relaxed side of what they believe.
Great show please listen in below.
Opposite parties but willing to have the discussions that are relevant.
I have to admit I loved the show because both these guys truly seem to care about Louisville and it showed in this format. Both were congenial, informed, and let us see a relaxed side of what they believe.
Great show please listen in below.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
TEAMSTERS ENDORSE SPRINGSTON!
It is a great honor to receive any endorsement in a political campaign but in this case doubly so.
Today I received the endorsement of Teamsters local #783 for my State House District 28 race. As a proud Union member for most of my life I have always understood the fight for fairness and equality in the workplace. I have stood alongside labor in many issues and have railed against the common problems we all share.
Therefore to receive an endorsement from labor recognizing my efforts as someone who walks alongside, and not ahead, is a very humbling experience.
I will continue to work towards equality in the workplace, fairness, and towards creating an economy that provides jobs that pay fair living wages so we all can become successful. Though this is a great honor to be recognized by labor it is only the beginning.
This is the beginning of a long road ahead towards winning this primary and then the General election. The road will be rough but with the collective efforts of all of us we can reach the end successfully.
My sincerest thanks to the Teamsters at local #783 for their efforts in helping make this happen.
Together we can all achieve more than the mediocrity we have been forced to accept.
CATCHING UP: FRANKFORT, JIM KING, ETC, ETC
There are so many things going on and I am right in the thick of a lot of it so I apologize if the news does not get to you quick enough for now. With that said here are some stories of interest:
KING COMMERCIAL: Jake over at the ville voice and page one released Jim King's new commercial to begin airing on Wednesday and you can view it here: Woah: Jim King’s First Mayoral TV Spot. It is a pathetic attempt by King, in my opinion, top portray himself as one of the poor boys who made good and had some missteps along the way.
For those of you who have been paying attention this is just more of King trying to fool somebody.
HE IS STILL under investigation, the whole "family man" thing is a joke considering his history of dealing with women in and outside of his marriage, and the whole accountability thing he speaks of. If he was a man of accountability and transparency he would not be under investigation and hiding behind multiple lawyers to cover up his wrongdoings.
But you have to admit the face lift and botox he had done was pretty good.
FRANK SIMON A HYPOCRITE?: Kudos to Jake once again for outing this story. Frank Simon’s Not Just a Hypocritical Bigot. As you know I am running in the primary against his right hand man the "Reverend" John Brewer who has seen fit to throw some lies out there about me. His robocalls are coming from none other than Frank Simon's office and one has to wonder why.
It seems that gambling is a sin but only for everyone and everything else but NCAA tourneys. Come on guys at least be consistent or not publicize the hypocrisy.
FRANKFORT UPDATES: As many of you know I have been pushing for SB 64 and HB 429 concerning the Ky Department of Fish and Wildlife. While I have been taking many hits for supporting these from the powers that be in the Department, and of course their mouthpieces, I am happy to report that HB 429 passed through the House quite easily as SB 64 did before it.
Kudos to the sportsmen of our Commonwealth for standing up for what is right.
On the flip side SB 53, the semi open primary bill that will allow independents to vote in primary elections, was finally brought out of committee thanks to the diligence of you readers getting involved and forcing Darryl Owens to do his job.
Unfortunately it was shut down immediately when it reached the floor this morning. Thank your local Democrat House members for being so blinded. From what I have been told Owens, Ron Weston, and Larry Clark were the problem. Big surprise huh.
SB 222 the bill I helped write to help charitable gaming AND the horsemen apparently has been stalled. The reason I am being told is that Greg Stumbo does not want it in the House so it is going nowhere right now. Typical politics. I am being told that Stumbo is working with Patrick Neely of KEEP and wants all the credit for anything relating to gambling and the horsemen so he can bolster his image for his upcoming Governor race announcement. Neely as you know was on board with SB 222 sponsored by Perry Clark from the beginning. Hell Neely was the one that called the meeting to come up with the plan.
Greed once again by KEEP and Stumbo playing politics are the real problem.
Let me make this easy for you Mr. Stumbo. If you want any shot at consideration for Governor from anyone you need to start being the leader you try to convince everyone you are and not the obstructionist you prove to be daily.
From the perspective of myself and the Charitable gamers who have worked their butt off trying to do YOUR JOB for you, free at that, could care less who gets credit for this passing. People are suffering needlessly because of the decisions made by this type of behavior by you guys in Frankfort.
Clean up your mess and pass this legislation so they can get back to trying to help themselves.
Putting people first is what you are charged with doing not lining your pockets or seeking glory for your own ego and agenda.
For KEEP and Patrick Neely? I told you in December we would work together as long as things stayed above board. We did our part you have not instead choosing to work on other agendas behind the backs of those of us who worked in good faith. You have chosen a path of lies and deception and that just will not work for me.
Stay tuned folks there will be more coming on the real KEEP agenda.
That's it for now.........
KING COMMERCIAL: Jake over at the ville voice and page one released Jim King's new commercial to begin airing on Wednesday and you can view it here: Woah: Jim King’s First Mayoral TV Spot. It is a pathetic attempt by King, in my opinion, top portray himself as one of the poor boys who made good and had some missteps along the way.
For those of you who have been paying attention this is just more of King trying to fool somebody.
HE IS STILL under investigation, the whole "family man" thing is a joke considering his history of dealing with women in and outside of his marriage, and the whole accountability thing he speaks of. If he was a man of accountability and transparency he would not be under investigation and hiding behind multiple lawyers to cover up his wrongdoings.
But you have to admit the face lift and botox he had done was pretty good.
FRANK SIMON A HYPOCRITE?: Kudos to Jake once again for outing this story. Frank Simon’s Not Just a Hypocritical Bigot. As you know I am running in the primary against his right hand man the "Reverend" John Brewer who has seen fit to throw some lies out there about me. His robocalls are coming from none other than Frank Simon's office and one has to wonder why.
It seems that gambling is a sin but only for everyone and everything else but NCAA tourneys. Come on guys at least be consistent or not publicize the hypocrisy.
FRANKFORT UPDATES: As many of you know I have been pushing for SB 64 and HB 429 concerning the Ky Department of Fish and Wildlife. While I have been taking many hits for supporting these from the powers that be in the Department, and of course their mouthpieces, I am happy to report that HB 429 passed through the House quite easily as SB 64 did before it.
Kudos to the sportsmen of our Commonwealth for standing up for what is right.
On the flip side SB 53, the semi open primary bill that will allow independents to vote in primary elections, was finally brought out of committee thanks to the diligence of you readers getting involved and forcing Darryl Owens to do his job.
Unfortunately it was shut down immediately when it reached the floor this morning. Thank your local Democrat House members for being so blinded. From what I have been told Owens, Ron Weston, and Larry Clark were the problem. Big surprise huh.
SB 222 the bill I helped write to help charitable gaming AND the horsemen apparently has been stalled. The reason I am being told is that Greg Stumbo does not want it in the House so it is going nowhere right now. Typical politics. I am being told that Stumbo is working with Patrick Neely of KEEP and wants all the credit for anything relating to gambling and the horsemen so he can bolster his image for his upcoming Governor race announcement. Neely as you know was on board with SB 222 sponsored by Perry Clark from the beginning. Hell Neely was the one that called the meeting to come up with the plan.
Greed once again by KEEP and Stumbo playing politics are the real problem.
Let me make this easy for you Mr. Stumbo. If you want any shot at consideration for Governor from anyone you need to start being the leader you try to convince everyone you are and not the obstructionist you prove to be daily.
From the perspective of myself and the Charitable gamers who have worked their butt off trying to do YOUR JOB for you, free at that, could care less who gets credit for this passing. People are suffering needlessly because of the decisions made by this type of behavior by you guys in Frankfort.
Clean up your mess and pass this legislation so they can get back to trying to help themselves.
Putting people first is what you are charged with doing not lining your pockets or seeking glory for your own ego and agenda.
For KEEP and Patrick Neely? I told you in December we would work together as long as things stayed above board. We did our part you have not instead choosing to work on other agendas behind the backs of those of us who worked in good faith. You have chosen a path of lies and deception and that just will not work for me.
Stay tuned folks there will be more coming on the real KEEP agenda.
That's it for now.........
Sunday, March 14, 2010
FIRST MAYORAL POLL IS OUT: SURPRISED?
Let's get to it shall we? The following was taken off the WHAS website story:
Republican Primary Poll results:Margin of error +/- 4.7%
Thieneman 34%
Heiner 30%
Robertson 6%
Undecided 30%
Democrat Primary Poll results: Margin of error +/- 3.9%
Fischer 20%
Tandy 17%
King 12%
Allen 8%
Farnsley 4%
Moxley 3%
White 2%
Marshall 2%
Undecided 32%
While Hale Heiner has been bragging behind the scenes that he is leading BIG in the Republican primary for awhile now we find the truth to be different. Welcome to the spin machine.
It is no surprise to many that Thieneman is leading the race right now for Republicans. Chris has fought against the Democratic machine for years while Heiner has spent his Metro Council days being insignificant and approving every budget Abramson has brought before him.
So much for leadership and changing eh?
Heiner has also tried to make the library tax defeat his baby yet when he proposed his own "plan" to fund libraries it disappeared and he has not made a priority of it since 2006. So much again for the leadership. While he has been out trying to paint Thieneman as someone who did not get a new library plan established Hal is the insider candidate who had the ability to pursue it and chose not to.
When the NTS, MSD, and the relation to Lake Forest story comes there will be even more to question here.
On the Democratic side Fisher currently leads with Tandy a close second.
Really folks?
You have non labor friendly union buster Fisher leading the way. Check out Jake over at www.pageonekentucky.com for more on this. Fisher will push Louisville further down the low wage service economy scale so favored by the Abramson regime we will never crawl out of the hole.
Tandy at number 2? Tandy cannot even address the Cordish issues and transparency without looking like a fool. He has also had years as a Council member to invigorate some sort of plan that would help Louisville and what has he done? Hell West Louisville has even lost more ground with him on the Council.
Tandy has done absolutely nothing for fear he could not be elected if he pissed off the machine. That is the problem. He is led around and told what to do and like a robot he does it.
Leadership?
The best he has done is stand with his friend Hal Heiner and announce a $300,000 forgiveable loan to yet another person or interest who does not need it in the Starks Building. Great loan to give for $2.80 service economy jobs that will not further Louisville. Take the $300,000 and use it for real development with local small business. Tandy should bow out now he has no substance to offer.
King? What the heck can we say about King. He is the most unethical, self serving, ego driven one in the bunch in my opinion. The fact he is still in this race is only because the investigations are not over yet. Here are some things to remind you of this moron:
Louisville News and Politics: YES IT IS TRUE: CRIMINAL CHARGES FILED AGAINST KING ATTORNEYS
Louisville News and Politics: THE SPORT OF KINGS: KING SAGA CONTINUES
Of course you know there have been many articles outlying this atrocity.
And that brings us to Tyler Allen.
Tyler is probably the class of this field on the Democratic side. Knowledgeable, forward thinking, and not part of the machine. Though he has been portrayed as a one trick pony by the Courier because of 8664 nothing can be further from the truth.
Check out his live show each week online and get involved with him. He is certainly the best choice in this Democratic field in my opinion.
For myself, I would love to see Chris Thieneman and Tyler Allen face off in November. Both outsiders to the machine. Both successful businessmen.
More importantly both "owe" absolutely nothing to the Democratic machine party entrenched or anyone else for that matter.
It is time to free up the Louisville leadership landscape away from the East End mentality only and see what can be done if we had nontraditional candidates elected. Ones that will include all South, West, and East fairly with no hidden agendas.
What say ye Louisville?
Republican Primary Poll results:Margin of error +/- 4.7%
Thieneman 34%
Heiner 30%
Robertson 6%
Undecided 30%
Democrat Primary Poll results: Margin of error +/- 3.9%
Fischer 20%
Tandy 17%
King 12%
Allen 8%
Farnsley 4%
Moxley 3%
White 2%
Marshall 2%
Undecided 32%
While Hale Heiner has been bragging behind the scenes that he is leading BIG in the Republican primary for awhile now we find the truth to be different. Welcome to the spin machine.
It is no surprise to many that Thieneman is leading the race right now for Republicans. Chris has fought against the Democratic machine for years while Heiner has spent his Metro Council days being insignificant and approving every budget Abramson has brought before him.
So much for leadership and changing eh?
Heiner has also tried to make the library tax defeat his baby yet when he proposed his own "plan" to fund libraries it disappeared and he has not made a priority of it since 2006. So much again for the leadership. While he has been out trying to paint Thieneman as someone who did not get a new library plan established Hal is the insider candidate who had the ability to pursue it and chose not to.
When the NTS, MSD, and the relation to Lake Forest story comes there will be even more to question here.
On the Democratic side Fisher currently leads with Tandy a close second.
Really folks?
You have non labor friendly union buster Fisher leading the way. Check out Jake over at www.pageonekentucky.com for more on this. Fisher will push Louisville further down the low wage service economy scale so favored by the Abramson regime we will never crawl out of the hole.
Tandy at number 2? Tandy cannot even address the Cordish issues and transparency without looking like a fool. He has also had years as a Council member to invigorate some sort of plan that would help Louisville and what has he done? Hell West Louisville has even lost more ground with him on the Council.
Tandy has done absolutely nothing for fear he could not be elected if he pissed off the machine. That is the problem. He is led around and told what to do and like a robot he does it.
Leadership?
The best he has done is stand with his friend Hal Heiner and announce a $300,000 forgiveable loan to yet another person or interest who does not need it in the Starks Building. Great loan to give for $2.80 service economy jobs that will not further Louisville. Take the $300,000 and use it for real development with local small business. Tandy should bow out now he has no substance to offer.
King? What the heck can we say about King. He is the most unethical, self serving, ego driven one in the bunch in my opinion. The fact he is still in this race is only because the investigations are not over yet. Here are some things to remind you of this moron:
Louisville News and Politics: YES IT IS TRUE: CRIMINAL CHARGES FILED AGAINST KING ATTORNEYS
Louisville News and Politics: THE SPORT OF KINGS: KING SAGA CONTINUES
Of course you know there have been many articles outlying this atrocity.
And that brings us to Tyler Allen.
Tyler is probably the class of this field on the Democratic side. Knowledgeable, forward thinking, and not part of the machine. Though he has been portrayed as a one trick pony by the Courier because of 8664 nothing can be further from the truth.
Check out his live show each week online and get involved with him. He is certainly the best choice in this Democratic field in my opinion.
For myself, I would love to see Chris Thieneman and Tyler Allen face off in November. Both outsiders to the machine. Both successful businessmen.
More importantly both "owe" absolutely nothing to the Democratic machine party entrenched or anyone else for that matter.
It is time to free up the Louisville leadership landscape away from the East End mentality only and see what can be done if we had nontraditional candidates elected. Ones that will include all South, West, and East fairly with no hidden agendas.
What say ye Louisville?
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
SB 64 PASSES THROUGH SENATE
Quick update. As many of you know I have been in Frankfort quite a bit working on legislation on behalf of Charitable Gaming and the horsemen in our Commonwealth. So far SB 222 has been received favorably by many and I expect a committee vote in the near future.
In the meantime I received word today that SB 64, a bill I have been fighting for to bring transparency and accountability to the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife, has passed on the Senate floor and now goes to the House for a vote.
Finally, we are seeing some positive action in Frankfort.
In the meantime SB 53, the bill designed to allow independent voters a voice in primary elections, continues to be stalled in the House by Rep. Darryl Owens who is refusing to let it go to the floor for a vote.
It is time for Darryl Owens to realize his job is not to stall bills at his whim but to allow them to be voted on. There is legislation before you that deserves a floor vote. Grow a pair and let your vote speak for you. It is time the minority quit being ignored in Frankfort.
I will keep you informed as the session continues to move forward.
In the meantime I received word today that SB 64, a bill I have been fighting for to bring transparency and accountability to the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife, has passed on the Senate floor and now goes to the House for a vote.
Finally, we are seeing some positive action in Frankfort.
In the meantime SB 53, the bill designed to allow independent voters a voice in primary elections, continues to be stalled in the House by Rep. Darryl Owens who is refusing to let it go to the floor for a vote.
It is time for Darryl Owens to realize his job is not to stall bills at his whim but to allow them to be voted on. There is legislation before you that deserves a floor vote. Grow a pair and let your vote speak for you. It is time the minority quit being ignored in Frankfort.
I will keep you informed as the session continues to move forward.
MYVIEWMATTERS RADIO SHOW: DISTRICT 19 DEBATE GETS HEATED!
For weeks now we have been letting people know that the MyViewMatters Radio Show would be airing a live debate between Republican Candidates for Metro Council District 19. This was a new venture for us and for the local radio community to be involved in.
I must say I was not disappointed.
Due to a possible conflict of interest, as I have stated publicly I support a candidate in this race, in the interest of fairness to all candidates I did not participate in this debate. Many thanks to Clint Hardy of Ky GrassRoots radio for filling in as co host with Ed Martin.
Though we are still working on a solution with Clear Channel on live simulcasting with Ky Grassroots Radio they will be podcasting the debate on Friday night at 7 PM. Thanks guys.
Both Ed and Clint did a great job and I look forward to the MyViewMatters Radio Show setting the standard for bringing future radio on air debates to the listening public.
My sincerest appreciation to Kaven Rumpel, Jerry Miller, and Daniel Osborne for agreeing to the debate and being forthcoming in answering to their potential constituents. Hopefully, we have opened the door to bringing interest to the smaller local races that affect so many of us on a daily basis and usually are the ones that are bineg ignored.
Additionally, Louisville Mojo's John LaFollette decided to follow the debate through a live blog at www.louisvillemojo.com thus helping get even more people involved in local politics.
Many thanks to Louisville Mojo for going the extra mile to get the candidates messages to the voters.
Great first on air radio debate for the show and for the candidates. Good luck to all!
I must say I was not disappointed.
Due to a possible conflict of interest, as I have stated publicly I support a candidate in this race, in the interest of fairness to all candidates I did not participate in this debate. Many thanks to Clint Hardy of Ky GrassRoots radio for filling in as co host with Ed Martin.
Though we are still working on a solution with Clear Channel on live simulcasting with Ky Grassroots Radio they will be podcasting the debate on Friday night at 7 PM. Thanks guys.
Both Ed and Clint did a great job and I look forward to the MyViewMatters Radio Show setting the standard for bringing future radio on air debates to the listening public.
My sincerest appreciation to Kaven Rumpel, Jerry Miller, and Daniel Osborne for agreeing to the debate and being forthcoming in answering to their potential constituents. Hopefully, we have opened the door to bringing interest to the smaller local races that affect so many of us on a daily basis and usually are the ones that are bineg ignored.
Additionally, Louisville Mojo's John LaFollette decided to follow the debate through a live blog at www.louisvillemojo.com thus helping get even more people involved in local politics.
Many thanks to Louisville Mojo for going the extra mile to get the candidates messages to the voters.
Great first on air radio debate for the show and for the candidates. Good luck to all!
Sunday, March 7, 2010
HOUSE DISTRICT 28: COME ON BREWER A DEBATE DEBATE?
The Rev is at it again apparently this time concerning debates. There is no question I have agreed to debate anytime anywhere with no caveats. For me Incumbent Democrat Charlie Miller does not have to be there. His choice not mine.
You can read the Rev's stance below:
Because we desire to serve the best interests of District 28 in Southwest Louisville,we would happily agree to a debate that met the minimum following four conditions:
1) any debate must be conducted in the 28th district and open to the constituents of the district
2) any debate must be conducted face to face
3) questions must be submitted by registered voters of the 28th district
4) all eligible, major party candidates must be present for any debate......
Interesting to note the Rev feels he can demand conditions or anything else for that matter. The Rev has not scheduled a date for any debate, since he is the one making demands perhaps he should start there first. Set a date and time I will happily oblige.
According to Brewer the debate MUST meet HIS conditions before he would debate.
I have always freely participated in debates WITH NO CONDITIONS demanded on my part.
Check with debate organizers for the 2006 Mayoral race and ask them what my demands were. They were zero.
While Abramson had demands for the debates, I myself had none. Absolutely zero and that has always been my stance.
The problem with the Rev and his demands are simple.
For starters there should be no demands on any debate or open dialogue with the people you purport to represent. We have that problem now and one reason why I am running is to change that mindset. Elected leaders choosing who they want to listen to when they are elected to represent ALL fairly and equally is wrong at any level. All voices should be heard. That is their job.
Secondly, it is known that incumbent Democrat Charlie Miller would not debate in 2006 in the General election so why in the world would he choose to debate now in a REPUBLICAN primary race?
Since the Rev Brewer is fairly confident his 4th "minimum condition" would not be met it allows him to use that as an excuse NOT to debate or meet "face to face." You have to love the spin. I always thought "men of God" were truthful. Guess I was wrong again.
This is a REPUBLICAN primary race and incumbent Democrat Miller has no opposition in his primary race. Why would anyone agree to debate in another person's race that does not include you?
Who has the right to demand EVERYONE should attend or it does not happen? If 2 show up you have the "debate" period. To think that anyone believes they have the power to control the intent of another is beyond me.
Brewer knows this and yet he still makes Miller being there one of his "conditions."
The next step will be to "preach" to the masses about how he is the only one who reached out yet in essence knowing full well it just isn't gonna happen with the 4th condition included. I cannot speak for Charlie Miller but he has proven time and again he does not like debates.
Reverend I suggest instead of being deceitful, or trying to spin like politicians do (or Reverend's apparently) as we have come to expect, do yourself a favor and read this carefully.
I will debate anytime anywhere UNCONDITIONALLY as I have always said. Set it up I will make it there. I could care less about any "conditions" as I have never had to set conditions on anything when it comes to speaking with the people. I am the "unconditional" candidate for ALL we seek to represent equally and fairly.
I would suggest you remember one thing though.
I AM your competition until May.
I have stated publicly and emphatically anytime anywhere.
If you truly want a "face to face" debate then quit allowing yourself an out by setting a condition you know will not happen by including Mr. Miller who is not a candidate in this REPUBLICAN PRIMARY race at all.
Before making demands you should perhaps think about what you are demanding. Here is a freebie.
The type of face to face meeting you are proposing is a FORUM not a debate. Set up a forum if that is what you seek. I will be there. That is the venue open to ALL the candidates for our race in District 28. I would not set up any conditions that Mr. Miller must attend though because chances are he will not.
As a matter of fact forums would require no "conditions" be met as it would create a true opportunity for open dialogue with the people we seek to represent.
Perhaps you would prefer a face to face "town hall" type meeting. This meeting would allow the actual attendees to directly be involved in questioning with no caveats. I will be there as well if you choose this path.
Of course this would be an unconditional type arrangement thereby eliminating any excuses by your "conditions" and allow you a way out of the "face to face" you keep harping on. I will be at a forum, debate, or town hall your choice. Let me know when and where.
I will even make it easy for you. Here is my cell, the one your friend James Young already has since he has called it a few times, (502)417-5383. Just let me know where to be at least 30 minutes prior so I have time to get there.
But really. A debate debate?
Some of us don't have to caveat speaking with the people in any type forum by hiding behind "conditions." I for one am ready to oblige.........
You can read the Rev's stance below:
Because we desire to serve the best interests of District 28 in Southwest Louisville,we would happily agree to a debate that met the minimum following four conditions:
1) any debate must be conducted in the 28th district and open to the constituents of the district
2) any debate must be conducted face to face
3) questions must be submitted by registered voters of the 28th district
4) all eligible, major party candidates must be present for any debate......
Interesting to note the Rev feels he can demand conditions or anything else for that matter. The Rev has not scheduled a date for any debate, since he is the one making demands perhaps he should start there first. Set a date and time I will happily oblige.
According to Brewer the debate MUST meet HIS conditions before he would debate.
I have always freely participated in debates WITH NO CONDITIONS demanded on my part.
Check with debate organizers for the 2006 Mayoral race and ask them what my demands were. They were zero.
While Abramson had demands for the debates, I myself had none. Absolutely zero and that has always been my stance.
The problem with the Rev and his demands are simple.
For starters there should be no demands on any debate or open dialogue with the people you purport to represent. We have that problem now and one reason why I am running is to change that mindset. Elected leaders choosing who they want to listen to when they are elected to represent ALL fairly and equally is wrong at any level. All voices should be heard. That is their job.
Secondly, it is known that incumbent Democrat Charlie Miller would not debate in 2006 in the General election so why in the world would he choose to debate now in a REPUBLICAN primary race?
Since the Rev Brewer is fairly confident his 4th "minimum condition" would not be met it allows him to use that as an excuse NOT to debate or meet "face to face." You have to love the spin. I always thought "men of God" were truthful. Guess I was wrong again.
This is a REPUBLICAN primary race and incumbent Democrat Miller has no opposition in his primary race. Why would anyone agree to debate in another person's race that does not include you?
Who has the right to demand EVERYONE should attend or it does not happen? If 2 show up you have the "debate" period. To think that anyone believes they have the power to control the intent of another is beyond me.
Brewer knows this and yet he still makes Miller being there one of his "conditions."
The next step will be to "preach" to the masses about how he is the only one who reached out yet in essence knowing full well it just isn't gonna happen with the 4th condition included. I cannot speak for Charlie Miller but he has proven time and again he does not like debates.
Reverend I suggest instead of being deceitful, or trying to spin like politicians do (or Reverend's apparently) as we have come to expect, do yourself a favor and read this carefully.
I will debate anytime anywhere UNCONDITIONALLY as I have always said. Set it up I will make it there. I could care less about any "conditions" as I have never had to set conditions on anything when it comes to speaking with the people. I am the "unconditional" candidate for ALL we seek to represent equally and fairly.
I would suggest you remember one thing though.
I AM your competition until May.
I have stated publicly and emphatically anytime anywhere.
If you truly want a "face to face" debate then quit allowing yourself an out by setting a condition you know will not happen by including Mr. Miller who is not a candidate in this REPUBLICAN PRIMARY race at all.
Before making demands you should perhaps think about what you are demanding. Here is a freebie.
The type of face to face meeting you are proposing is a FORUM not a debate. Set up a forum if that is what you seek. I will be there. That is the venue open to ALL the candidates for our race in District 28. I would not set up any conditions that Mr. Miller must attend though because chances are he will not.
As a matter of fact forums would require no "conditions" be met as it would create a true opportunity for open dialogue with the people we seek to represent.
Perhaps you would prefer a face to face "town hall" type meeting. This meeting would allow the actual attendees to directly be involved in questioning with no caveats. I will be there as well if you choose this path.
Of course this would be an unconditional type arrangement thereby eliminating any excuses by your "conditions" and allow you a way out of the "face to face" you keep harping on. I will be at a forum, debate, or town hall your choice. Let me know when and where.
I will even make it easy for you. Here is my cell, the one your friend James Young already has since he has called it a few times, (502)417-5383. Just let me know where to be at least 30 minutes prior so I have time to get there.
But really. A debate debate?
Some of us don't have to caveat speaking with the people in any type forum by hiding behind "conditions." I for one am ready to oblige.........
SENATE SURVEY RESULTS IN: MONGIARDO AND PAUL AHEAD BY DOUBLE DIGITS
Survey USA has released their latest poll results for the upcoming KY Senate Primaries to fill the seat being vacated by Sen. Jim Bunning. The survey continues to show few surprises and is basically the same as we have known for some time.
In a head to head poll in the Democratic primary Lt. Gov. Dan Mongiardo leads by 18 points over AG Jack Conway with a 45% to 27% edge. 19% are undecided and 9% committed to others.
On the Republican side Rand Paul still has a commanding lead over Trey Grayson leading by 15 points, 42% to 27%, with 19% undecided and 11% committed to others.
You can view the complete results here: SurveyUSA Election Poll #16314
In a head to head poll in the Democratic primary Lt. Gov. Dan Mongiardo leads by 18 points over AG Jack Conway with a 45% to 27% edge. 19% are undecided and 9% committed to others.
On the Republican side Rand Paul still has a commanding lead over Trey Grayson leading by 15 points, 42% to 27%, with 19% undecided and 11% committed to others.
You can view the complete results here: SurveyUSA Election Poll #16314
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