How much more can be said about Jim King. Really. I started an investigation about 1 and 1/2 years ago because I felt that there was some shady campaign finance violations that must be dealt with in order to protect the intent for anyone who runs for office. These were not minor violations there were serious concerns about the money Katie got for her election.
What started out as just one simple question: Is it legal? turned into something much greater. I didn't plan it there was no personal vendetta just thought there were relevant questions to be asked and answered for the sanctity of elections.
Unfortunately King and/or his handlers decided to start spreading rumors about me to other folks including bloggers and media types trying to denigrate myself and my integrity. You can read about that here: Louisville News and Politics: AND THE BEAT OF THE KING GOES ON........ At that point I made it a mission to seek the truth and get answers. This of course as you all know has led to so much information that I have shared through the last 18 months or so that today the King's have become the poster children for all that is wrong with egotistical, arrogant power run amok. Especially when they represent We The People.
The information I get has come from multiple sources and I get calls daily asking me to check out something or other on the King's. Some things I print after investigated that I can substantiate and so many others I do not because I cannot verify. Such is life.
Throughout this time I have been labeled many things a sycophant, cyber stalker, dumbass, one trick pony. Well you get the gist. I have faced my fair share of threats as well from King staffers, or King himself (some have been through the Internet and emails so who knows). No biggie.
What I cannot fathom throughout all of this is where has the mainstream media been and why has King been allowed a free ride until now?
Andy Alcock has been the only reporter even interested in covering the things King has been up to throughout this time until recently. Kudos to Andy. But now the rest are jumping on the bandwagon. All I can say is this.
It is about time. Take a look at the picture above in this article. King purposefully, knowingly laid out a false impression that St. X was supporting him and the alumni was hosting a fundraiser for him. This of course is preposterous as everyone now knows King lied again.
He apologizes now saying the email was only meant for friends and colleagues. I ask this: Do your friends not know how to contact you or you them? Doesn't seem likely that is a problem for friends does it?
Secondly ask yourself this. How did King get the list in the first place? Gaining the list and using it illegally are quite different than responding what your intended audience was. Using it illegally is the key here not who actually received it. And that is the problem with this guy. Knowingly violating any laws he deems as being in the way of what he seeks.
I know how Tierney is trying to spin it (read more about those ties here: Louisville News and Politics: BRIDGE PANEL SELECTIONS: METRO COUNCIL HYPOCRITES) and it does not add up.
Even if we are to believe the email list was garnered off of St. X's email list from the website it clearly states those email addresses cannot be used for solicitation. The school’s website “user agreement” says specifically that the information is not to be used for solicitation. (St. X says King didn’t have authorization to contact alumni courier-journal.com The Courier-Journal)
Are we now to assume that after all the mess King started by trying to manipulate the KREF , a mess that is continuing today, that he still has not learned how to read and obey the law?
The evidence does not add up and quite frankly based on the history of King and his wrongful doings we should demand he step down from the Metro Council at this point as well. We deserve so much better as a citizenry we cannot allow this type of situation to continue.
We cannot say his staff does not know better.
Hell he hired every known campaign strategist in town for this race. SO either ALL of them are idiots OR they are just on the payroll for looks, or simply bought to keep them from working for his competition. It is becoming increasingly clear that King does what he wants.
While I may not have much respect for some of the folks he hired to "run" his campaign I certainly do not think all are idiots. Some are idiots, in my opinion admittedly, but I doubt ALL are stupid enough to tell this clown what he is doing is OK.
And therein lies the rub.
King does what he wants when he wants and the law or anyone in the way be damned. That is not a suitable thing for anyone wishing to represent us.
That is exactly what we do not need in government and it is time to tell him so.
For those who have been bought and paid for to help cover his mistakes I would say get out of the way now and protect yourself. If you think this will help your reputations in any positive way think again and look at yourself in the mirror.
For Jim King quit the Mayoral race and resign the Council. For once in your life do the right thing. To do anything different is an insult to those you seek to represent.
Your thoughts?
Great column and know that your work is appreciated by the community. If King had any sense of what was truly best for Louisville at this point and especially for his family, he'd drop out of this race. Unfortunately, I highly doubt that will happen
ReplyDeleteUm, the email might have been just for close friends and colleagues, but what about the tweet? Cause whenever I want to limit an event to close friends and colleagues- the first thing I do is send out a tweet about it- since twitter only has about 55 million monthly visitors after all and all those people are my friends and colleagues:
ReplyDelete"All Saint Xavier Alumni are invited to a SPECIAL FUNDRAISER on Wednedsday, December 2nd from 6 - 8 PM at Saints Sky...http://--------" (link mysteriously doesn't go to event page anymore)
-twitter.com/King4Mayor
There are actually two different issues in play with this email fiasco. First, of course, is the getting/using of the eddresses. Second, the use of the logo, which everyone seems to be ignoring. I can't even begin to imagine using the logo from my high school (another Catholic school) to promote myself for anything. I hope this causes a backlash among St. X alum.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous #1 I agree and that is the sad part of this whole situation. The family has to suffer for his arrogance and ego. Of course from many accounts I have they have suffered for many years and continue to do so. Sad indeed.
ReplyDeleteCurtis good point. I did not check twitter due to lack of time. That further shows King's intent and he has probably just committed yet another Campaign finance violation I am searching now.
Anonymous #2 Agreed. I am not ignoring the illegal use of the logo I just was time restrained so I went a different direction.
thanks for the comments folks!
Ed - do you have any info on the IPL investigation? Apparently the police public integrity unit has been running a long term investigation and found that IPL inspectors were requiring sexual favors in order to pass inspections. Any charges filed yet? We hear one has already quit and others may be charged.
ReplyDeleteI have actually been trying to verify this for a while now. I did have a couple of people contact me in regards to sexual harassment by Michael Baugh but they have chosen to remain anonymous so at this point I cannot definitely say it has happened.
ReplyDeleteI will check again thanks.
Here we go, from the Courier Journal
ReplyDeleteAn inspector for the Metro Louisville Department of Codes and Regulations was fired after an investigation concluded he exposed himself to a woman while working.
Carl Leonard was fired Nov. 16 and charged with official misconduct in his role as a code enforcement officer. Leonard could not be located for comment Tuesday.
Leonard was suspended without pay Oct. 27 after the department received a complaint and launched an investigation, said Jim Mims, director of the department.
“We take these things very seriously,” Mims said. “The complaint seemed to be valid.”
Louisville Metro Police investigated the complaint as well, and Leonard’s confession to the incident led to his being fired, Mims said.
According to documents obtained from metro government through an open-records request, Leonard went to a woman’s apartment for a routine inspection and exposed himself and made sexual remarks to her.
That violated metro government personnel policies, including responsibility and principles of behavior, and it violated the public trust of a government employee, Leonard’s termination letter said.
Bill Patteson, a spokesman for the Jefferson County Attorney’s office, said a criminal summons for Leonard has been signed by a judge but had not yet been served, so the details of the criminal charges were not public information Tuesday.
Thanks for the update anonymous.
ReplyDelete