Mayor Fischer’s West Side Story – Lies and broken promises

Louisville, KY – This is a tale of Mayor Fischer’s West Side story. One full of lies and broken promises the West End community has grown far too accustomed to for too many years under Democratic leadership in Louisville. Louisville Politics has been asking for years why the West End continues being ignored and made to live as outsiders in the Louisville dream. This is but one example of why.

One of the key problems throughout Louisville and indeed across the US these days is the lack of economic opportunity, especially in our depressed inner city poor neighborhoods. With that in mind studies were done throughout Kentucky and major employers in Kentucky were asked what was their number one problem with growth and development in Kentucky.

The answer? Lack of an available trained work force.

It made sense and helped explain the sudden rise of the fly by night warehouses that rely solely on temporary workers and hurt the working middle class. These low paying temporary warehouse no skill jobs are permeating Louisville and destroying the potential we once had.

Without a skilled workforce we are pummeling toward a decline that Detroit is facing today.
Governor Steve Beshear himself bought into that argument and announced he wanted to place three regional training facilities throughout the state. Toyota and its suppliers are seeking one for Georgetown, and would presumably get one, so why not Louisville home to 3 of the State’s largest employers Ford, GE, and UPS?

A plan was put in place to develop a regional training facility in Louisville.

In June of 2012, Mayor Greg Fischer assembled a team of union officials, manufacturers, community leaders, JCTC, U of L, as well as, Simmons College President Kevin Cosby to develop a concept and work plan for a world-class regional education and training facility to help improve the skill levels of the Louisville workforce.

This team included representatives from Ford, GE, UPS, the UAW, IUE, Simmons College, JCTC, and many more. Among them from the Mayor’s office were Haley Stevens, Tony Peyton, and Mary Ellen Wiederwohl.

For months Mayor Fischer held regular meetings with local stakeholders at City Hall to advance the new JCTC/Simmons college facility project. The group and the initiative was making huge progress and the project was on the road to fruition.

Finally, after decades of lies, we had a project that would create many opportunities for West Louisville. New jobs, new infrastructure, and a new attitude for a blighted and long forgotten area of our history. A plan that included all the business leaders, and representatives of the union workers, of Louisville working together for the common good.

Imagine, a worker training facility essentially run by Simmons College and JCTC sharing a common area that would be a huge benefit to the forgotten area of Louisville.

What a boost!

Common sense and logic, usually neither of which appear in most projects seemingly, actually prevailed and by including the biggest business leaders of our community, and the unions, the group proved to be a huge success in helping further along our West Louisville.

Black and white, management and labor, State and Local Government officials, both Republican AND Democrat, our largest employers, Ford, UPS, GE, suppliers and many others actually working together and very supportive of the project.

Can anyone remember a project that crossed racial boundaries, political boundaries, or included management and labor working together in a positive way here In Louisville?

Can anyone think of any single project of this caliber or magnitude actually being associated with the West End of Louisville?

Even a local real estate firm volunteered a significant amount of time and effort to assemble a development plan and quietly arranged an opportunity to purchase the tract of land for the new JCTC/Simmons college education and training facility.

This new world-class education and training facility project would have helped change opinions not only in the way Louisville overall perceives Western Louisville, but in the hearts and minds of many in Western Louisville who just want to have a seat at the table.

After decades of being led by lies and deceptions from elected leaders, this was a chance to be inclusive of Western Louisville and have a positive impact on a declining area. It would give West
Louisville what it really needs.

A significant economic infusion into the West Louisville community.

It could, and would help reshape the image of Western Louisville and help them move in a positive direction towards meaningful change.

A change that is badly needed.

New construction, training opportunities that would create much needed jobs, something that would benefit the poorest of our community, and particularly the African-American citizens of the West End, who had been ignored and seemingly forgotten from the civil rights battles of the 1960’s, by Louisville’s Democratic leadership.

Finally, after all of the decades of lies and manipulation, the West End had seemingly arrived and had a seat at the table in negotiations. We could finally work towards eliminating the blight that our elected leaders and we ourselves made due to poor leadership.

The West End would be recognized as a world leader because of the training facility, and finally be proud of being a part of the community.

It would have been a great day in Louisville…. except it isn’t going to happen.
After months and months of hard work Democratic Mayor Greg Fischer pulled the plug, with Simmons College own Kevin Cosby’s blessing, because Fischer wanted the project moved to the East End.

Why?

First the background

As many of you know, the YMCA is building a new facility in West Louisville. The City of Louisville sought federal assistance and secured $1.2 million in community development funds for the project. Miraculously the YMCA last year told Mayor Fischer and the city that they did not want to use the federal funds for the project.

With $1.2 million in funds available and not being used, what do you do?

Enter the team working on the regional training facility project. The work group saw an opportunity to redirect the YMCA federal community development funds to the new regional training facility initiative and quickly developed a plan.

The next step of course was to get Mayor Fischer’s approval for the grant money, that the YMCA did not use, to be redirected for the project.

Recommendations were made to Mayor Fischer and the Metro Council members to redirect the available funds to purchase approximately 8.5 acres of land on 8th Street, between a JCTC education facility and Simmons College, to build the new education and training facility.

All the pieces were in place, there was affordable land available, over $1.2 million to get it off the ground and running, with millions more available through federal grants, and it was a perfect opportunity to prove that the West End was vital.

It was the perfect fit for JCTC and Simmons College since JCTC representatives were already working jointly with Kevin Cosby at Simmons College.

Since Simmons, a historically black private co-ed college founded in 1879, was returning to its roots as Louisville’s first industrial worker education and training center during the early 1900s, how could one not see that this was the perfect fit?

What a great testament to what we as a community could accomplish when working together!

Finally we could change the attitudes that had permeated throughout the West End community from lying politicians.

With all of this in mind, the project group didn’t just have an idea. They developed it.

They worked tirelessly to bring it together. Top managers and labor working together for a common good in our community. They put together a plan and provided presentations. They invited city officials and advisors to the site so they could see firsthand the opportunities and seek support for the project.

All were impressed, including Mayor Fischer, who was so excited he told some ‘that this facility in West Louisville would be good,’ for Louisville. Yep he was excited all the way up until a decision had to be made and he ……dropped the whole plan.

Why did Mayor Fischer pull the plug?

It really is simple. Politics and money.

Many people say that Mayor Greg Fischer doesn’t make any economic decisions unless they benefit his campaign manager or other political ‘Friends of Greg.’

Political insiders have indicated that Mayor Fischer’s sister, and JCTC Board Chairman Lynn Fischer, who is also the CEO of Catalyst Learning, a worker training firm, did not want the project next to Simmons College. Conflict of interest? You bet but one thing was clear.
Lynn wanted the facility wholly owned and operated by JCTC on the east side of Louisville.

Why JCTC and the east side?

Based on our more than 20 year history of failed leadership in the West End, led by by former ‘Mayor for life’ Jerry Abramson, as well as the current lies by the Fischer administration, and his Democratic party partners, it seems there is a mindset by the Democratic political machine in Louisville.

Like his predecessor before him, Jerry Abramson, (remember poorer, blacker, and older?), Fischer appears to be following in those same footsteps by this decision and has proven once again what the people of the West End should know about this project and why they were left out once again.

Simply put?

Assuredly there would not be many people of color at that location.

Speculation?

Perhaps, but the Democratic leadership in this town has a long record of empty promises and lies when it comes to bringing people of color to the table, much less have a voice, in many economic opportunities, and Fischer in many opinions is no stranger to that mindset as well.

What is more disturbing is that Simmons College own President Kevin Cosby agreed with the change.

Why would he agree to something that would once again screw the African-American community and destroy their faith?

What promises or financial contributions were made to Reverend Cosby in exchange for walking away from the West End community?

We will answer that one in a future article but rest assured Cosby has profited well from the disparities of the racial divide.

In the meantime, why does Mayor Fischer continue to follow the path of his Democratic predecessors, who time after time, provided nothing but lies and empty promises to West Louisville?

The answer is obvious. West Louisville continues allowing it.

Why does West Louisville continue supporting and electing these liars?

There will be more forthcoming.

There are federal investigations currently underway regarding Mayor Fischer and the Democratic machine that include potential fraudulent land deals, similar to the dealings and investigation of Trenton, NJ Mayor Tony Mack.

Mack was recently arrested for fraudulent land deals involving federal funds.

Buckle up Louisville and enjoy the ride.

You ain’t seen nothing yet…..

Listen Monday and Thursday from 7-8pm at The Ed Springston Show. Also visit Louisville Politics for more details and in depth coverage of local political and news issues.

Let Us Be Grateful to God

Reprinted with permission of  www.ilocalnews.com/louisville

By jpcaldwell

August 12, 2018 - 11:30am 

The Preamble of the 1792 Constitution of the Commonwealth of Kentucky defines the purpose of the Constitution and reads “We, the people of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties we enjoy, and invoking the continuance of these blessings, do ordain and establish this Constitution.” The Kentucky State legislature, in 2002, adopted "Deo gratiam habeamus" as Kentucky’s official Latin motto. The Latin motto in English, “Let us be grateful to God,” expresses “the sentiment” of our Constitution’s Preamble, according to Members of the 2002 General Assembly. People who are “grateful to God” generally believe in God and follow one of the great Bible covenants between the Lord our God and we the people - the Ten Commandments.

As most of my neighbors know and believe, “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor” is one of the Ten Commandments. The Commandment condemns lying and obligates people to honor the truth. Dictionary.com defines a lie as “a false statement made with deliberate intent to deceive.” How often do we see our elected State and Local government officials, judges and law enforcement officers make false statements with deliberate intention to deceive the public? All of the time, according to reports; and, “that’s not Kentucky,” as Attorney General Andrew Beshear likes to say.

There was a time when members of the press would actually hold elected government officials accountable for their actions. Today, news reports exposing corruption and holding public servants accountable for their actions are few and far between. A well written, fact-based and unbiased story used to send tremors throughout any fraudulent political or corporate operation. Now, we the people have to read fake news stories through bias interpretation lenses in order to identify the truth from the lies and deceit. Where are the good reporters of yesterday who truly exposed right from wrong, good from bad and fraud from truth?

The founding Statesmen of our great Commonwealth were a God-fearing people with a conviction for honesty, integrity and justice. These highly respected Statesmen of 1792 formed our great Commonwealth with a structure of government for the people and by a people truly grateful to Almighty God. Our elected public officials of today appear to have lost their moral compass and any conviction for the truth and justice.

Louisville’s failed Mayor Gregory Fischer, for example, appears to lie at every turn as convenience dictates, according to news reports. I sometimes wonder if Mayor Gregory Fischer can truly no longer distinguish the difference between a lie and the truth, whether he testifies under oath, or not. Unfortunately, no one seems to have the ability to hold Mayor Gregory Fischer accountable for his lies, deceit and/or criminal activities. How can we the people of Louisville hold our elected government officials accountable and align governance with the written principles of our Commonwealth? Let us be grateful to God.

Listen Monday and Thursday from 7-8pm at The Ed Springston Show. Also visit Louisville Politics for more details and in depth coverage of local political and news issues.

Louisville’s Failed Leadership is Criminal

By jpcaldwell

August 5, 2018 - 12:24pm

One of the top duties and responsibilities of the Mayor of Louisville is to enforce the laws of the local government, according to KRS 67C.105 (5). Mayor Gregory Fischer has truly failed to carry out these important public duties entrusted in him by the people he represents. Violent crime rates have escalated to the highest levels in five decades and homicides have doubled under Mayor Gregory Fischer’s watch, according to news reports.

Louisville’s top public safety official Mayor Gregory Fischer has enabled a rise in violent crime rates to record levels over the past seven years and the people in our community suffer the consequences. Louisville ranks as one of the deadliest cities in America, according to a survey by an association of major city police chiefs. A similar study by Areavibes.com says that 92% of cities in the United States are “more safe” than Louisville. The study claims Louisville residents have a 1 in 20 chance of becoming a victim of crime, and I am an experienced data point of this ugly statistic.

Mayor Gregory Fischer’s three 2011 leadership “pillars,” or goals, to create “well paying” jobs, “improve education” and be a “more compassionate city” continue to crumble, while violent criminal activity in our city hits record levels.

Mayor Gregory Fischer FAILED his 2011 objective for “well paying” jobs in Louisville. Corporations will NOT move well paying jobs to an unsafe community with record level violent crime rates. People make up companies. Qualitative factors such as low crime rates, good public education systems and other quality of life factors drive company decisions to open high paying job facilities in safe communities. Unfortunately, Louisville does not qualify.

Mayor Gregory Fischer FAILED his 2011 objective to “improve education” in Louisville. Four of the Ten “Worst Performing Public Schools” in the nation for the 2016-2017 school year are Louisville public schools, according to NeighborhoodScout school rankings. Please help us understand what Mayor Gregory Fischer has been doing the past seven years to own 40% of the ten worst public schools in the country.

Mayor Gregory Fischer FAILED his 2011 objective for Louisville to be a “more compassionate city.” Google Dictionary defines compassion as “sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others.” It appears Mayor Gregory Fischer’s path to increase “sympathetic pity and concern” is to enable record levels of violent criminal activity and, in turn, increase “the sufferings or misfortunes” of the victims. I do not believe the path traveled is the outcome Karen Armstrong intended for her movement.

Why would a company choose to create “well paid jobs” in one of the most dangerous cities in United States? How did Louisville end up with 40 percent of the ten worst performing public schools in the nation? How can a city become more compassionate for others during a time when 1 in 20 residents are victims of a crime? What say you, Mayor Gregory Fischer? Why would the residents of Louisville want to continue this path of FAILED government leadership?

Wake up Louisville. It is time for change. We can and should do better!

Listen Mondayfrom 7-8pm at The Ed Springston Show.

Corruption in Kentucky Courts

By jpcaldwell

July 29, 2018 - 4:57pm

The people of the Commonwealth of Kentucky are granted due process of law, “without delay,” by Section 14 of the state’s Constitution.

Section 14. Right of judicial remedy for injury – Speedy trial.
All courts shall be open, and every person for an injury done him in his lands,
goods, person or reputation, shall have remedy by due course of law, and right
and justice administered without sale, denial or delay.
 --  Constitution of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

How may judges in the Commonwealth of Kentucky have denied people their right to due process in Kentucky courts of law?  There are judges in the Louisville Courts who have intentionally delayed any action on legal complaints of injury under Kentucky law. Why are Kentucky judges able to deny citizens their Constitutional right to due process of the law?  Are elected judges as susceptible to public corruption as other elected officials?

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia believed “power tends to corrupt.” Does the political structure of the Kentucky Courts and judicial system enable too much power and corruption by those elected to uphold the laws of the Kentucky Constitution and protect citizens’ rights? Do we need the state legislature to enact laws that limit the number of terms for Kentucky ‘s judges, similar to the term limits of other State elected officials?

According to Andrew Beshear, the “Attorney General’s primary obligation is to the people … [and] … to protect public rights and interests by ensuring that our government acts legally and constitutionally.” What has Attorney General Andrew Beshear done to ensure Kentucky judges are protecting the constitutional rights of the people he serves? Justice Scalia used to say, “if you're going to be a good and faithful judge, you have to resign yourself to the fact that you're not always going to like the conclusions you reach. If you like them all the time, you're probably doing something wrong.“ Has Andrew Beshear truly fulfilled his obligatory duties of Attorney General to the people of the Commonwealth?

How many courts in the Commonwealth have judges breaking the law by denying the Constitutional right of due process of law to its people? U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis once said, “if the government becomes a lawbreaker, it breeds contempt for law; it invites every man to become a law unto himself; it invites anarchy.” Are the judges and political leaders of our great Commonwealth breeding contempt of our laws? Justice Brandeis also believed that our elected officials and judges are “subject … to the same rules of conduct that are commands to the citizen.” No person is above he law.

The Kentucky Constitutional right of due process of law must be enforced by the judges and officials elected by the people to protect those rights. “Whatever disagreement there may be as to the scope of the phrase "due process of law," said U.S. Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., “there can be no doubt that it embraces the fundamental conception of a fair trial, with opportunity to be heard.” Attorney General Beshear must verify that Kentucky judges and courts are protecting the people he serves before considering greater public responsibilities like governing our great Commonwealth. What say you, Attorney General Andrew Beshear?

Listen Monday from 7-8pm at The Ed Springston Show.

FBI and SEC tainted by Obama admin

For months now we have been hearing about disgraced FBI agents Peter Strzok and Lisa Page. Their illegal attempts to cover up information against Hillary Clinton, their working to undermine a Presidential election on her behalf, and so much more. It seems this all goes even deeper and I outlined a lot of the political abuse within the SEC long ago in another case.

This case is no different.

JOHNSON TO REMAIN ON COUNCIL.....AS IT SHOULD BE

The Metro removal hearing case against Dan Johnson ended about the way it began. With many in disbelief.

I could not understand how the "charging committee" council members even fathomed that somehow Johnson could be removed on hearsay and hearsay alone. At the end of the day that is exactly what this boiled down to.  Like it or not justice prevailed today with Johnson being allowed to keep his seat, at least until they can figure out some trumped up charge to remove him for later.

JAY MORGAN v. FORD MOTOR CO. FINALLY!

A lawsuit was filed today against Ford Motor Company by former Ford Director of Government Affairs, Jay Morgan. You may recall we have been the exclusive source of several stories regarding Jay Morgan, Ford Motor Company, and current Louisville Metro Mayor Greg Fischer. They can be found right here. 

While the current lawsuit against Greg Fischer is still ongoing, regarding alleged libel/slander by Fischer that resulted in the termination of Morgan by Ford, a lawsuit Fischer has never consented to deposition or discovery for to date. It must also be mentioned that it appears, at least to me, to be nothing short of political malfeasance or cover up regarding the entire case to date, resulting in Morgan finally taking Ford Motor Company head on as well.

Good for him.

The complaint can be read here.