In the interest of fairness I have to point out that I know District 16 Republican candidate Chip Sobel on a personal basis. Make of that what you will, I also know many establishment Republicans on a personal basis including Ken Fleming, Kelly Downard and a whole host of others.
Which brings me to this.
Longtime Republican incumbent Kelly Downard has decided to step down opening the door for new opportunities. A longtime fan of Downard, I admit I found it odd that he stepped down now after the passing of late Council President Jim King, but he has earned retirement. In my opinion he has done a great job representing District 16 and a great asset to Louisville government as well. I just flat out like the guy, sue me.
The problem for me is that the establishment GOP, including Councilman Downard have endorsed Scott Reed for the seat. That is the last person that should represent District 16 or anywhere in my opinion.
Reed doesn't want the job period. What he wants is an ego inflator, privilege, and free money. He had his behind handed to him when he tried to take on Bob DeWeese in District 48 back in 2012. And rightfully so. Sources tell me that he lied about his co founding the Louisville Tea Party, and quite frankly if he really is "tea party," and yes there are questions about that from some tea party loyalists themselves, then Reed most definitely would not fit in Louisville as an elected Councilman.
Especially since the Republicans are in the minority. Besides he doesn't want the job.
Need proof? Reed decided to file for 48th District State Rep seat again this year, once DeWeese announced he was stepping down of course, and then Reed abruptly dropped from that race blaming it on "considerable thought and prayer" and filed for Council.
Why?
Prayer had nothing to do with it. Backdoor wheeling and dealing did as usual. The fake Christian crap is yet another old game we should all be sick of. We don't need false prophets, we need people who will work for us. The backdoor games is what has screwed we the people long enough.
According to my sources, and in my opinion I agree based on witnessing this stuff firsthand many times, GOP Vice Chair, and former Metro Councilman Ken Fleming decided to run for the State seat and made a deal with Reed. Get out, run for Council, and we will supply endorsements and work to get you the seat. Fleming and the GOP wanted no part of a primary because Fleming could actually have looked bad. Believe me I know.
That is how it goes folks. Backdoor deals to protect the establishment in Fleming irregardless of the citizens of District 16, or the citizens of Louisville once again. This is the year to say no more as we have seen nationally in the Presidential election. This type of scamming for the personal gain of someone seeking office tells us all we need to know about Scott Reed, Ken Fleming, and the entire GOP in Kentucky.
Perhaps we should talk about his campaign finance reports and search through them. The last time I checked he had reported around $3000 in donations, not bad for a Council run but it is problematic on the surface. How is he paying his campaign bills as there is no record at last check of him loaning any money to his campaign?
Since he has been passing out push cards, mailers, flyers, whatever since at least February, we have had more reporting dates since then, and miraculously no real records accounting for it. Even if he is using his dad's printing business it must be reported and accounted for.
Not to mention his hiring Phillip Ammon as his campaign chairman, folks that isn't cheap either. It raises many red flags, and rightfully so. A successful businessman?
The reality is when you dig you find that Reed has not done much on his own. His family has, but him personally? Not so much. His biggest claim to fame is being a Vice President for his family owned V.G. Reed, a local printing company. Yep a job given to him by his dad. If rumor is correct, it is a job where he doesn't really do anything. Then Scott Reed actually had the arrogance to try and attack his opponent Chip Sobel for being a blue collar worker.
I do wonder how Reed keeps that job though as it appears he can't even do that right. One would think that as VP you would worry about quality control and how the public perceives your work, since you rely on customers to stay in business. Yet somehow his own mailers went out with errors. See for yourself:
More importantly, one has to ask how "efficient" he can be at a job he says he wants but clearly isn't "efficient" enough to pay attention to detail in his quest for it.
I am the typo King myself, I admit it freely and always have, but I don't brag about being an executive with my family's printing company. I don't ask for your vote, and then can't even pay attention to my own details.
I could go on and on, go through the family turmoil, and any and everything else, but the reality is that we need real representatives on the Metro Council today more than ever. Believe me it will all come out after the primary anyway. It is inevitable that the democratic machine will out it if he goes against Gil Holland in the fall. Those who serve for their own ego and do not earn the paycheck we give them must not be allowed to continue.
Establishment backdoor deal makers are the last people we should ever elect. That is why Louisville loses......every......single......time.
In the Council District 16 Republican primary I suggest Chip Sobel. Whoever wins will face Gil Holland in the general, and believe me I have plenty to say about Holland in the fall, but for now elect someone who will work to earn your trust and vote, not that of the establishment elitist.
In my opinion, that man is Chip Sobel.
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Great, Thanks for sharing.
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