Author
Tom Loftus
Cameron’s office asks FBI to investigate $202K refunds from Beshear’s campaign, Kentucky Dems
Editor’s note: This story was updated Thursday afternoon with more information. FRANKFORT – The office of Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron has asked the FBI to investigate circumstances surrounding controversial political contributions made to the reelection campaign of Gov. Andy Beshear and the Kentucky Democratic Party last December. On Tuesday, Beshear’s campaign manager?announced that the […]
Beshear campaign, Kentucky Democratic Party return $202,000 linked to London mayor
Editor’s note: This story was updated Tuesday evening with additional responses. The Andy Beshear for Governor campaign and Kentucky Democratic Party have refunded $202,000 in what they determined to be excess political contributions – money originally reported by the campaign and party as donations from numerous members of the family of London Mayor Randall Weddle […]
London, Ky., receives nearly $1.4M state grant. Mayor’s family donors to Beshear, Democratic Party
FRANKFORT – London Mayor Randall Weddle, whose family and associates contributed more than $300,000 to the Kentucky Democratic Party and Gov. Andy Beshear’s re-election campaign, traveled to the State Capitol on Thursday to join Beshear in announcing a nearly $1.4 million grant to the City of London to pay for new sidewalks along Main Street […]
Craft has loaned her campaign $7 million, husband’s trust put $1.5 million into super PAC
Seven immediate takeaways from campaign finance reports filed by candidates for Kentucky governor: 1. Republican Kelly Craft is paying for her own campaign, and appears to be prepared to pay whatever it takes. So far she has loaned a stunning $7 million to her campaign. A trust of her husband Joe Craft has given $1.5 […]
Republican Party of Kentucky rakes in more corporate money for building fund
FRANKFORT, KY – The Republican Party of Kentucky’s push to raise large corporate donations to pay for the renovation and expansion of its headquarters took in another $722,000 during the first quarter of 2023. The largest donor was NWO Resources, of Greenwood Village, Colorado, which gave $500,000 on Feb. 6, according to a report filed […]
Some surprising new players in Kentucky politics are filling Beshear’s campaign war chest
FRANKFORT – The largest batch of contributions fueling the reelection ambition of Gov. Andy Beshear does not come from a personal injury law firm, a highway contractor or other traditional sources of money given to an incumbent Democratic governor of Kentucky. It comes from newcomers to the world of political giving and from a traditionally […]
Top contributors to Beshear and Kentucky Democratic Party
This article has been updated with information from the most recent campaign finance reports filed last week. ?FRANKFORT, Ky. – Gov. Andy Beshear and the Kentucky Democratic Party held a big early fundraising lead over Republicans at the outset of this year when Beshear stands for reelection. Beshear’s campaign manager Eric Hyers said that, because […]
Dick Wilson was an old school reporter and mentor to young journalists
FRANKFORT — In simpler days before news was 24/7 online, good newspaper reporters were prone to an affliction that an old Ohio newsman first identified as “loading dock panic.” It struck in the dead of night, with the poor reporter sitting bolt upright and sweaty in bed, consumed with nagging doubt about a story finished […]
Kelly Craft, her coal exec spouse give maximum $10,000 each to Republican Party of Kentucky
FRANKFORT — Republican candidate for governor Kelly Craft and her husband Joe Craft each contributed $10,000 to the?Republican Party of Kentucky?last month. The two Crafts were among 12 donors who each gave $10,000 to the RPK in February, according to a report the party filed late last week with the Federal Election Commission. Five of […]
Crafts have interests in 20-plus businesses, no worth estimate required in candidate disclosures
FRANKFORT — Republican candidate for governor Kelly Craft recently disclosed that she and her husband Joe Craft have financial interests in more than 20 businesses, primarily the coal giant Alliance Resource Partners LP, which is headed by Joe Craft. Candidates for statewide office were required to file personal financial statements by Feb. 15 covering calendar […]
Kentucky Democratic Party has more money than Republicans heading into governor’s race
FRANKFORT — Just as Democrat Andy Beshear has built a big fundraising lead over his Republican rivals for governor, the Kentucky Democratic Party has amassed a much bigger warchest than the Republican Party of Kentucky at the outset of this gubernatorial election year. In disclosures filed with campaign finance regulators this week, the Kentucky Democratic […]
Record amount spent lobbying Kentucky legislature last year
FRANKFORT — ?A record amount of nearly $24.3 million was spent lobbying the Kentucky General Assembly in 2022, according to reports filed by the hundreds of corporations, associations and other groups registered to lobby the legislature. Reports filed by the groups show that the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce continues to be the biggest-spending group in […]