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How wealthy donors legally gave even more to the Democratic Party during Beshear’s campaign
Ahead of last month’s governor’s race, London Mayor Randall Weddle and other Kentuckians gave big to a type of political committee that allows wealthy donors to make massive legal contributions. Weddle, whose earlier excess contributions to Gov. Andy Beshear’s reelection effort had drawn regulatory scrutiny, contributed $550,000 on...
News and Notes for Wednesday
Ky. auditor identifies $200k in inappropriate payments from tornado relief fund. These actions include duplicate payments, ineligible individuals receiving payments and overpayments. The bulk of these payments – nearly 89% of them – were related to the more than 200 checks for $1,000 each sent incorrectly to people who either did not request the funds or did not need the money. These payments – referred to as 2nd Assistance Payments in the report – were distributed based on Department of Insurance and FEMA data.
‘I will never leave the labor movement.’
Bill Londrigan admitted it was tough stepping down as president of the Kentucky State AFL-CIO. “It’s also been the greatest honor of my life to be your president for the past 24 years, alongside so many dedicated trade unionists, and have the opportunity to uplift Kentucky’s hardworking men and women,” he said at the close of the labor group’s two-day, 35th biennial convention in Lexington on Tuesday. The gathering united delegates from the state’s AFL-CIO affiliated unions.
KY advocates: It’s time to bury medical debt
It’s estimated that one in three Kentuckians struggles to pay medical bills, and the issue continues to be a driving factor in personal bankruptcy cases. Local organizations are working to address the issue by partnering with debt-buying agencies to relieve residents’ medical debt. Reverend Kent Gilbert, pastor of...
National union leaders light it up at state labor convention
The Kentucky state AFL-CIO held their biennial convention in Lexington this week, and the first day featured three speeches by well-known national union leaders. The speeches were a study in contrasts, with the first being an old-fashioned barn-burner, part stump speech and part revival sermon. The second was much less fiery, but just as determined and important. And the third was a combination of the two earlier speeches, alternating between calm recitation and fiery rhetoric.
Berry Craig honored at AFL-CIO convention
Forward Kentucky contributor Berry Craig has another hat he wears (among many): the webmaster for the KY AFL-CIO website. And last night, at this year’s convention, he was given a special award for that work. The award was presented by Bill Londrigan, outgoing president of KY AFL-CIO, and was...
A new name? Still the same-old
Republican politicians are laboring under the delusion that, if they could just get the nomenclature just right, voters wouldn’t keep rejecting them for their extreme anti-abortion positions. As Senator Josh “Hauling” Hawley told NBC News: “Many voters think [‘pro-life’] means you’re for no exceptions in favor of abortion ever, ever.”
Here we are again, after thinking it couldn’t get worse; Comer going for Dweeb of Year
I swear, by all that’s holy, I’m so sick of writing about the Tompkinsville Twit that I could just spit. But here we are, friends. Every time you conclude our boy, Rep. Jamie Comer (R-WhereverHeHangsHisHatIsHisHome) couldn’t possibly sink any lower, couldn’t demean himself any further, he ups and provides the American public with yet another outrage, the sort that easily establishes himself as frontrunner for the prestigious Dweeb of the Year award.
Google and Facebook owe news publishers $12 billion a year for their content, according to a new study
A recent State of Local News Report revealed that more than 100 newspapers are closing each year in the United States as the news industry struggles to remain profitable. But another recent study places a large share of the blame for those struggles on unfair business practices by Google and Facebook, which are blamed for making billions of dollars off of news content while sharing only a small percentage of that money with the companies producing the content.
Want a clear example of gaslighting? Mike Johnson obliges.
Gaslighting: A form of psychological manipulation in which the abuser attempts to sow self-doubt and confusion in their victim’s mind. Markers of political gaslighting: Downplaying obvious wrongs, discrediting political opponents, encouraging deliberate misinformation, and diverting attention from relevant news. For years now, ever since Donald Trump descended that escalator,...
Cameron joins 16 state attorneys general to oppose federal protections for LGBTQ foster youth
Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti is leading a coalition of 17 state attorneys general — including Kentucky’s outgoing AG Daniel Cameron — in fighting a proposed federal rule intended to give LGBTQ kids greater protections in foster care. The proposed rule reflects misguided federal policy, illegally intrudes...
New Poll: Over half of young people extremely likely to vote; youth focused on the economy ahead of 2024 election
Almost a year away from the 2024 presidential election, a majority of young people consider themselves extremely likely to vote. Overall, young people remain more supportive of a Democratic candidate and are concerned about major issues like the cost of living, gun violence, and climate change. Among youth extremely likely...
The pay gap between rural and urban workers is getting worse, according to new financial data
Workers in urban areas traditionally have made more money than rural workers, but the pay gap is getting worse, reports Elizabeth Trovall for Marketplace. “In cities, people earn about 23% more than people in rural areas, according to new data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York,” Trovall reports. “That difference was more like 20% before the pandemic.”
Breaking: George Santos expelled from Congress in bipartisan vote
In a vote that was both bipartisan and lopsided, Rep. George Santos of New York was expelled today from Congress. Santos, who is facing a 23-count federal indictment, was the first person ever expelled from Congress without first being found guilty of a crime or of supporting the Confederacy. He is only the sixth person to ever be expelled.
NKY Medical Society sends open letter to Beshear urging action on gun safety laws
The following open letter was first published as an op-ed in the NKY Tribune. In states where elected officials have taken action to pass gun safety laws, fewer people die by gun violence and suicide. Kentucky is ranked 40 out of 50 states (behind Ohio, Tennessee, and West Virginia) and considered a “National failure” state for lacking basic gun-safety protection.
Thursday News & Notes
UAW making push to unionize Georgetown Toyota plant after strike win in Louisville. Fresh off landmark victories for workers at Louisville’s Ford plant and other automakers, the United Auto Workers union is targeting a second major Kentucky employer. The UAW announced on Wednesday simultaneous campaigns at non-union plants across the South, including Toyota in Kentucky, where nearly 8,000 people work at the company’s largest assembly plant in the world. A spokeswoman for the Georgetown Toyota plant said the company is not commenting at this time. (Herald-Leader)
MOKP w/ guest host Matt Erwin
This week Robert and Matt Erwin discuss this week's news including a train derailment in Rockcastle County, new insights into the Old National Bank mass shooter, Josie Raymond deciding to run for Metro Council, Hunter Biden offering to testify publicly before Jamie Comer's committee, and Mac Brown leaving the Republican Party of Kentucky. Plus, at Matt's request, a little bit of college football talk.
What’s the lesson from Andy’s victory?
Aaron and Kimberly cover big news out of Kentucky, including Michael Adams revisionist history, a shakeup in the Louisville delegation to Frankfort, and some outside money poised to support D gains next November. Then, the Colonels are honored to be joined by election attorney Anna Whites, who will help think through some best practices for better electoral outcomes in our commonwealth. Finally, we'll wrap with a Giving-Tuesday-themed Call to Action!
UAW President Shawn Fain: 'U Are Welcome'
President Joe Biden praised United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain as a union “leader with a backbone like a ramrod” who’s “done one hell of a job.”. Fain is slated to be a featured speaker at the Kentucky State AFL-CIO’s biennial convention in Lexington, Dec. 4-5, with registration on Dec. 3. He’ll share the podium with others including International Brotherhood of Teamsters General Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman, a Kentuckian; United Mine Workers of America President Cecil Roberts, a convention regular; and Sara Nelson, international president of the Association of Flight Attendants-Communication Workers of America. She and Roberts spoke at the 2019 convention.
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Objective news, effective policy, progressive commentary – The progressive voice for Kentucky politics.
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