PACs, lobbyists, others give big to GOP

by Tom Loftus, @TomLoftus_CJ –  FRANKFORT, Ky. – June was another strong fundraising month for the Republican Party of Kentucky. The party took in $208,700 during the month, spent $104,900 and had $1.6 million in the bank as of June 30. Those figures are from a report the RPK filed late last week with the Federal Election…

Bevin says lawmaker lied in alleging threat

by Tom Loftus, @TomLoftus_CJ – FRANKFORT, Ky. – Republican Gov. Matt Bevin on Wednesday angrily denounced as “an absolute lie” the recently reported comments of Democratic state Rep. Kevin Sinnette who said Bevin tried to bully him into switching to the Republican Party last December. But later Wednesday Sinnette stood firmly behind his comments during a…

TV personality Jean West named to state post

by Deborah Yetter, @d_yetter – Jean West, a longtime Louisville television news personality and health journalist, has been appointed communications director for the state Cabinet for Health and Family Services. The cabinet, one of the state’s largest agencies, oversees areas including public health, Medicaid, social services, child protection and aging services. West will report to cabinet Secretary…

Evan Bayh makes Senate run official

by Joseph Gerth, @Joe_Gerth – Former U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh filed his paperwork and announced Wednesday that he would run to return to the U.S. Senate for the state of Indiana. Former U.S. Rep. Baron Hill shocked the Hoosier state on Monday when he announced that he was withdrawing from the race, opening the way for…

Consultants Carville and Matalin say police forces need more pay, better training, more minority officers in light of recent tragedies

by Kevin Wheatley, @KWheatley_cn2 – LEXINGTON — Hours before President Barack Obama and former President George W. Bush spoke at a memorial for five Dallas police officers slain in a racial shooting attack by an African-American veteran last week, political consultants James Carville and Mary Matalin offered their thoughts on police-race relations on the closing day of the Southern…

Beshear: New University of Louisville board should not make ‘important or long-term decisions’ until case resolved

By Chris Otts – LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – The newly reconstituted University of Louisville Board of Trustees – which holds its first meeting Wednesday afternoon – should avoid making “important or long-term decisions” until the court fight over the board’s legitimacy is resolved, according to Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear. But Gov. Matt Bevin’s top…