GREG FISCHER TRANSITION TEAM: SO PREDICTABLE YOU HAVE TO LAUGH

Greg Fischer announced his transition team today and it includes 41 people. Why in the world would you need 41 people for a transition team? Political patronage period. But even more alarming is the fact that it was easy to predict who would be on the team as it includes insiders and hacks from the Abramson machine.

Yep business as usual. At least until the lawsuit is filed and ruled on anyway.

So who did Greg Fischer choose to head the team up? Why none other than Ron Weston whom I have reported on two occasions as being in line for the Deputy Mayor spot. Here is the latest one http://springston.blogspot.com/2010/11/mayor-elect-fischer-time-to-prove-you.html This is his way in. But I also see many other familiar names as well.

Bill Bardenwerper? Maybe you should give this a read and listen: Louisville News and Politics: REALLY GREG FISCHER? THIS IS HUGE?. Or research open meetings violations where Bill Bardenwerper was involved. Yep the machine continues.

Or maybe pay attention to these names listed in the CJ Louisville Mayor-elect Greg Fischer names transition team courier-journal.com The Courier-Journal Fischer also named three vice chairmen: Mary Gwen Wheeler, who is a senior adviser to Abramson on education; businessman Doug Cobb, past president of Greater Louisville Inc.; and Merv Aubespin, a civil-rights activist and retired Courier-Journal editor.

Good to see someone from the CJ actually getting their back scratched for the hard work they have done in favor of the Democrats for so many years. Sorry ole Merv had to be retired first so they could act like this was not political payback. In my opinion anyway lol.

The bright spot?

Apparently now that the deal between Jackie Green and Greg Fischer has come to light, and will be pursued legally I might add, Green was not appointed to the transition team. Yep he most certainly would have been had the public not been privy to the illegal deal made. I love the wording that Fischer has "indicated" he would consult with Green on setting up an environmental office.

Of course it has been publicized that Green was promised something in exchange for his vote and endorsement which is clearly in violation of KRS 121.055 and should have the election thrown out.

And of course don't forget the obvious. Metro Council approved $50,000 of our tax money for the transition team expenses. How will that be spent?

Chad Carlton, Abramson’s spokesman, said the Metro Council has approved $50,000 in funding for the transition. Poynter said that money will be used, starting Monday, to pay him and four other people who served on Fischer’s mayoral campaign staff and will become his paid transition staff and work with the transition team.

Greasing the wheel. Abramson's favorite spin machine doctor Chris Poynter of course gets paid as well as 4 people who worked on the Fischer Mayoral campaign staff?

We are already paying Fischer for his campaign spending eh?

And of course the obligatory political patronage payback: Fischer said Leadership Louisville and the Bingham Fellows, a group of community leaders who study local issues, will help identify people who might serve in his administration.

I will just list these from the CJ for easier reference but notice it includes union paybacks to the UAW, Bardenwerper as referenced above, Middletown Mayor, Shively Mayor, and TARC President.

In addition to Weston, Aubespin, Wheeler and Cobb, transition team members include:

Gabriela Alcalde, public health consultant; Bill Altman, Kindred Healthcare executive; Muhammad Babar, physician; Bill Bardenwerper, zoning attorney; Erica Kellem-Beasley, bank vice president; Nicole Candler, owner, public relations firm; Byron Chapman, Middletown mayor; Tommy Clark, city disabilities program coordinator; Ann Coffey, president Women 4 Women; Sherry Conner, Shively mayor; Jose Neil Donis, publisher and leader in local Latino community; Jonathan Dooley, TARC transit union president; and SteVon Edwards, obesity prevention specialist.

Also, Bill Finn, electrical worker union leader; Jon Goldberg, attorney and arts activist; Eric Gunderson, communications company executive; G.J. Hart, president, Texas Roadhouse; Margaret Handmaker, retired human resources executive; Gill Holland, developer/film producer; Nikki Jackson, Kentucky Personnel Cabinet secretary; and Vince Jarboe, insurance executive.

Lee Lewis, high school computer teacher; Tomiko McDaniel, Ford truck plant assembly line worker; J.K. McKnight, founder, Forecastle Festival; Rishabh Mehrotra, president, SHPS Inc.; Lynnie Meyer, executive, Norton Healthcare; Larry Michalczyk, faculty, University of Louisville Kent School of Social Work; Charlie Moyer, dean, U of L Business School; and Yung Nguyen, president, IVS LLC.

Also, Kent Oyler, entrepreneur, investor; Djenita Pasic, owner, Brainswork USA; Ben Richmond, president, Louisville Urban League; Vidya Ravichandran, president, GlowTouch Technologies; Greg Roberts, president, Muhammad Ali Center; Ann Smith, executive director, Ministries United South Central Louisville; the Rev. Frank Smith, president, Interdenominational Ministerial Coalition; and Mary Ellen Wiederwohl, government relations specialist.

Yep sure looks like things will change huh?