Tuesday, May 04, 2010
Candidates Get Into The Swing Of It
KENTUCKY....
With the May primary not far away, some candidate rivals are really getting into the swing of it. Lt. Governor Daniel Mongiardo has filed a seven-page complaint with the Executive Branch Ethics Commission against Attorney General Jack Conway. Mongiardo alleges Conway has violated public trust by accepting more than $70,000 in campaign donations from utility executives and lobbyists while serving as the taxpayers’ advocate against excessive rate hikes. Mongiardo says, “If a lawyer pocketed money from the plaintiff while he was representing the defendant, the lawyer would be disbarred.” A spokeswoman for Conway’s campaign, says the complaint is baseless, and, while Conway challenges utility rate hikes, it is the responsibility of the Public Service Commission to set rates. John Steffen, the commission’s executive director, says the agency’s board will decide May 14th what to do with the complaint. Mongiardo says, even if the commission has not made a decision on it by the May 18th election, he will continue to pursue the complaint. Conway’s campaign has released a TV ad equating Mongiardo to a pig feeding at “the public trough” while highlighting his state pension benefits, his use of a $30,000-a-year housing allowance and his travel expenses as lieutenant governor.
With the May primary not far away, some candidate rivals are really getting into the swing of it. Lt. Governor Daniel Mongiardo has filed a seven-page complaint with the Executive Branch Ethics Commission against Attorney General Jack Conway. Mongiardo alleges Conway has violated public trust by accepting more than $70,000 in campaign donations from utility executives and lobbyists while serving as the taxpayers’ advocate against excessive rate hikes. Mongiardo says, “If a lawyer pocketed money from the plaintiff while he was representing the defendant, the lawyer would be disbarred.” A spokeswoman for Conway’s campaign, says the complaint is baseless, and, while Conway challenges utility rate hikes, it is the responsibility of the Public Service Commission to set rates. John Steffen, the commission’s executive director, says the agency’s board will decide May 14th what to do with the complaint. Mongiardo says, even if the commission has not made a decision on it by the May 18th election, he will continue to pursue the complaint. Conway’s campaign has released a TV ad equating Mongiardo to a pig feeding at “the public trough” while highlighting his state pension benefits, his use of a $30,000-a-year housing allowance and his travel expenses as lieutenant governor.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 2:53 PM 
