The United Mine Workers of America President Cecil Roberts takes another shot at the Lunsford-Stumbo ticket, following Attorney General Stumbo’s (D) threats of Steve Earle:

United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) International President Cecil E. Roberts issued the following statement today:

“The unanimous decision by the UMWA Coal Miners Political Action Committee (COMPAC) to not endorse Bruce Lunsford for Kentucky governor was made for all the right reasons.

“The Kentucky COMPAC committee saw little difference between the views of Mr. Lunsford and those of Governor Fletcher-whom Mr. Lunsford endorsed in the last governor’s election-when it comes to issues of concern to working families. It should come as no surprise to anyone that we are not considering endorsing Governor Fletcher for re-election, nor will we. Why then would we consider endorsing Mr. Lunsford?

“The UMWA believes that voters in Kentucky should have the opportunity to vote for a candidate who will keep working families’ issues at the forefront of the next administration in Kentucky. It is readily apparent to us, even at this early stage, that Mr. Lunsford’s record and his views will not meet that test.

“The recent negative public attacks on the UMWA and the union’s Kentucky COMPAC Director, Steve Earle, are unwarranted and outrageous. Let there be no question that the International Union fully supports the decision made by the Kentucky COMPAC Committee, and we fully support Mr. Earle.”

These union guys don’t mess around, do they? The Lunsford-Stumbo ticket continues its freefall…

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Saw this graphic in the latest issue of the The American Prospect and couldn’t help but conclude that we can thank President Reagan for starting us down this slippery slope with his irresponsible economic policies.

I give Reagan a good deal of credit for dealing with the Soviet Union and helping to end the Cold War, but his economic policies were not kind to middle-class America in the long run. There was a noticeable correction during the Clinton years, but right back down after Bush was selected in 2000.

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Absurd.

Administrators of Answers in Genesis’s Creation Museum in Petersburg, Ky. have asked Gov. Ernie Fletcher to grant special police powers to their onsite security force.

Museum officials say they need the gubernatorial action so their 10- to 20-person security team can gain access to better training and equipment to ensure they can handle the crowds and traffic anticipated when the facility opens May 28.

Construction is nearing completion on the $25 million museum, which provides detailed views of the creationist’s argument that the earth was created in six days about 6,000 years ago, as opposed to the multibillion year process that evolutionists espouse.

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What a total outrage. So much for miner safety. Bill Londrigan was right.

From AP:

The sponsor of a bill aimed at strengthening Kentucky’s mine safety laws withdrew his support for the legislation Friday, saying it had been “gutted” by a committee.

Rep. Brent Yonts, the bill’s sponsor, said he wasn’t killing the legislation, but wouldn’t push it either. That could spell trouble for the bill’s chances for success this year.

“It’ll stand as a monument, a memory, for those 16 coal miners who were killed last year of what might have been,” Yonts, D-Greenville, told reporters.

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Living up to the promise the campaign made last month, today the Miller-Maze campaign voluntarily disclosed its 90-day campaign finance information stating it had raised $593,031.40 in the two months they’ve been in the race:

“We are honoring our promise to shine a light on our campaign finances, and we again ask all other candidates to join us.  We believe it is important to lead by example because the people of Kentucky deserve better than the good ole boy politics of the past operating under a shroud of secrecy. Surely the other candidates will join our campaign and disclose their own campaign finances,” Miller said.

“The wrongdoing of the current administration and Ernie Fletcher’s failure to tell Kentuckians who is contributing to his legal defense fund are clear examples of why we need reforms starting with full disclosures. The only way to earn the trust of the people is to trust them with the truth,” he added.

[…]

The Miller-Maze campaign reported almost $600,000 — $593,031.40 — through February 22. Contributions came from all areas of the state from a total of 1,191 donors. Of the total, 65 percent of the funds were raised in Kentucky from 777 donors.  There are no loans to the campaign reflected in the total.

The campaign currently has about 25 fundraising events scheduled between now and the next voluntarily disclosure 60 days before the primary.

Put in perspective, Miller raised more in two months than did our incumbent Governor Fletcher (R) in his last quarter ($592,775), despite the fact that Miller is one of seven challengers for the Democratic nomination.

During the 2003 primary, it wasn’t until the May 9 filing that Speaker Richards (D) reported having reached that level ($599,307). Rebecca Jackson (R) raised $428,521 for her entire campaign (minus Robbie Rudolph’s personal contribution of $333,350) and Steve Nunn (R) raised a total of $305,255.

For the entire 2003 primary, Fletcher raised $2.14 million and Democratic nominee Ben Chandler (D) raised $3.08 million.

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Ready for the next installment of Fletcher Fictions?

From Governor Fletcher’s (R) 2007 State of the Commonwealth Address:

The following is the money spent on "Personnel Cost" for the last eight budget years (Fletcher’s budgets in red):

Actual FY 2002-03 — $3,876,555,172
Actual FY 2003-04 — $3,991,787,020
Actual FY 2004-05 — $4,108,657,030
Actual FY 2005-06 — $4,226,658,727
Revised FY 2006-07 — $4,862,175,300
Enacted FY 2007-08 — $5,049,679,300
Enacted FY 2008-09 — $5,289,154,400

After seeing "personnel" cost increases of just 3.0% and 2.9% in the two years before Fletcher, those numbers increased 2.9%, 15.0%, 3.9% and 4.7% in Fletcher’s four years.

During Fletcher’s four budget years, state government’s personnel costs have increased a staggering 28.7%.

Given that merit employees have never seen their five percent pay increases during any of Fletcher’s budgets, and given that Fletcher claims 2,000 fewer employees since his tenure began, looks like the non-merit workers are making a killing, as are probably countless number of private people and businesses who have been contracted to do work for the state.

Keep this in mind next time Fletcher tries to pat himself on the back for reducing the size of government…

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Attorney General candidate Jack Conway (D) received two significant endorsements today from the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 227 and the Louisville Greater Central Labor Council.

The Louisville Greater Central Labor Council
United Food & Commercial Workers Local 227
back Jack Conway for Attorney General

(Friday, February 23, 2007) Jack Conway received the endorsement of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 227 and the recommendation to the state AFL-CIO by the Louisville Greater Central Labor Council for his bid to become Kentucky ’s next Attorney General.

“I am honored to have the backing of these two great organizations that represent working men and women in Kentucky ,” said Jack Conway. “I am running for Attorney General to promote safety, ensure justice and to champion programs that make Kentucky a better place to live, work and raise a family.”

Gary Best, President of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 227 stated, “The Executive Board and I are proud to endorse Jack Conway for Attorney General of Kentucky. Jack’s unparalleled integrity and character makes him a natural choice for Attorney General. Kentuckians will be well served by his knowledge of the office and his passion and energy for public service. He will protect the public trust.” The United Food and Commercial Workers represent more than 35,000 active and retired working families throughout the Commonwealth.

Ken Koch, vice chair of Louisville ’s Central Labor Council said, “Jack Conway has a strong record for fighting for Kentucky ’s working families. Jack is principled and passionate and will make Kentucky proud. We could not be more proud to recommend Jack Conway to the leadership of the state AFL-CIO.” The Greater Louisville Central Labor Council represents 52 affiliates and 17 AFL-CIO International Unions.

“It is poignant to receive the backing of these great organizations in a week in which one of my possible opponents voted against an increase in the minimum wage,” added Conway . “I fully support an increase in the minimum wage because it is time to move Kentucky forward.” The Kentucky House of Representatives passed House Bill 305, an increase in the minimum wage, by a vote of 89 to 10.

###

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Ronnie Ellis’ latest column adds to the chorus of frustration with House Speaker Jody Richards (D) of late:

Organized labor and advocacy groups aren’t in a compromising mood on minimum wage, mine safety, or the “Boni Bill,” which would strengthen social worker protections. Each is a natural issue for Richards who seemed well positioned in a crowded primary field, with hopes of securing labor’s backing. But leadership’s compromise on minimum wage – and flip-flops on mine safety and the Boni Bill – are hurting Richards.

Richards said he backs all three and changes to the bills are no more than the usual evolution of bills as they move toward passage.

“It’s the way things evolve. I just do what I think is right and move right on down the road,” Richards said.

Maybe so, but Brent Yonts and coal miners are angry about the “hijacking” of Yonts’ miner safety bill in committee, where fellow Democrats “gutted” the bill with no input from Yonts. Richards said he had nothing to do with the changes. Gov. Ernie Fletcher seems to have outmaneuvered Richards politically on the social worker bill, proposing to spend $20 million while the House is offering $2.5 million.

Richards said removing an automatic cost of living adjustment to the minimum wage and maintaining an exemption for those who earn tips reflects federal legislation and might make the bill more palatable in the state Senate. But proponents aren’t happy. On top of that, while the other six Democratic candidates for governor are out trying to raise money, develop platforms and organize campaigns, Richards keeps to his grueling legislative schedule.

The latest concern by organized labor and some other groups is whether Richards will ultimately drop the ball over the keeping the gubernatorial primary runoff, even after it seemed that a House committee put the matter to rest earlier this week.

There are real concerns that Richards is going to screw this up and kill the runoff effective this election, well after the filing deadline and less than three months before the election, and only strengthen the hand of two candidates who couldn’t possibly win a run-off: Bruce Lunsford (D) and Steve Henry (D).

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Not that anyone really thought that Governor Fletcher (R) would do the right and ethical thing and reveal the contributors who donate to his personal legal defense fund this year earlier than spring 2008:

Ryall put out a statement saying the governor had no intention of releasing the names until the ethics report due early next year.

“Greg Stumbo spent millions going after Governor Fletcher on a political witch hunt. We are not going to release the names of those who are contributing to the governor’s defense and open them up to retribution by an overzealous attorney general. The names will be released, as required by law, when Greg Stumbo is out of office and they are beyond his grasp,” Ryall’s statement said.

It’s astounding that this guy doesn’t have a clue how bad his actions look to the general public. From the beginning of the Merit investigation nearly two years ago it’s been delay, stall, lie, hide, pack the courts with cronies, and refuse to ever be honest with the public. He just keeps handing his opponents ready-made campaign commercials.

Fletcher is as politically inept as they come…

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Mark Hebert picks-up what we’ve talked about a great deal of late, namely the growing friction between House Speaker Jody Richards (D) and organized labor:

Here’s an excerpt:

The nice guy, try-to-please-everyone Richards has boxed himself into a corner with the labor unions that might have supported him in the governor’s race. Some of them are ticked off about three bills that have Richards’ fingerprints on them: The mine safety bill, the “Boni Bill” and the minimum wage bill. All three have been gutted or watered down during their tour in the house. The original versions of all three were backed by unions. And the unions are blaming Richards. In his zeal to make folks happy, Richards has had trouble saying “no” to anyone, according to house members. That includes coal companies, Rep. Harry Moberly (who doesn’t want to open up the budget for projects and programs) and restaurants who don’t want the minimum wage to apply to their staff members who get tips.

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I couldn’t help but crack-up when I came across Bruce Lunsford’s (D) declaration when he announced his candidacy last month:

“I had my maiden race,” Lunsford said in a recent interview. “I got banged around out of the gate and shuffled down the backside and couldn’t get there. But this time I’m going to have a cleaner trip.”

Of course, since then, organized labor has organized against him and then there’s the continuing fallout from running mate Greg Stumbo’s (D) threats:

Earle said Stumbo told him, “You stabbed me in the back, and now I’m going to stick a knife in yours.”

Earle said he responded, saying, “Are you threatening me, Mr. Attorney General?” And he recalled Stumbo saying, “I’m going to get even with you guys. You know how it works.”

At another point in the conversation, Earle said Stumbo told him that when Lunsford is elected the UMW “wouldn’t get anything from us.”

[…]

Wells said he received a similar call Monday in which Stumbo said “he would get even with our organization and any organization that took a similar position.”

Stumbo denied that as well and said he doesn’t have any problems with the unions. He said he believes many miners and state employees will support the Lunsford-Stumbo ticket.

His problem is with Earle and Wells. “They are not a credit to the people they represent,” Stumbo said. “I believe both of these individuals are working with other campaigns.”

Asked if he had any proof of that, Stumbo said, “No, that’s my belief.”

Earle and Wells denied having ties to any campaign and challenged Stumbo to provide facts.

“Is that the way he does his job as attorney general? Basing things on his belief?” Wells asked.

By the way, are Stumbo’s comments an indication of the type of positive campaign that Lunsford promised this time?

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I’m told that former Lt. Governor (and current gubernatorial candidate) Steve Henry (D) has refused to attend a candidate forum this spring sponsored by the NKY chapter of The Women’s Network, and instead offered to send his wife, Heather French Henry, angering this growing and influential statewide organization of nearly 1,000 politically active members, each of whom will certainly vote in the Democratic primary.

Even though Henry was offered three different dates in March, April and May to attend the group’s monthly meeting program, he refused to attend, and offered to send Heather instead of his female running mate, Renee True, who is actually on the ballot. In February, both Steve Beshear (D) and Jonathan Miller (D) appeared before the group. I’m told that the rest of the candidates, except Henry, are scheduled.

Why is Henry ducking this group? Why wouldn’t he offer his running mate before his spouse?

By the way, I think this organization rocks. They formed only a few years ago and are led by an impressive group which includes Lil Press, Kim Garmer, Kathy Groob, Joni Burtner and Nancy Hoffman, growing like crazy, and really flourishing. Last year’s gala with Helen Thomas was awesome and incredibly successful. This group has begun flexing its muscle within the Democratic Party and are a force to be reckoned with. I strongly encourage Democratic women in Kentucky who are looking to get more active in politics to get in touch with this group and either join an existing chapter or start your own. Click here to go to their website.

I also believe that the future of state politics is going to be led by grassroots organizations like The Women’s Network and much less by a centralized political party — regardless of who’s in charge at KDP. Henry is crazy not to aggressively court this group, yet alone blow them off like this.

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The Northup-Hoover campaign have just issued a press release blasting Governor Fletcher (R) for not releasing the names of 2007 donors to his private legal defense fund until the spring of 2008.

Here’s an excerpt:

The troubling aspect is that Ernie Fletcher will now spend the better part of the year raising money for a fund that will be shielded from public view, instead of leading this state in an effective way.

These legal expenses are not just costs he has incurred during the Grand Jury investigation, the pardons and the numerous court actions to repress evidence. Governor Fletcher will incur additional legal expenses as litigation continues.”

“This is just another reason why Ernie Fletcher can’t be reelected,” said Barry Peel, Northup-Hoover Campaign Spokesman. “The time and effort he spends on his Legal Defense fund, is that much less time he has to solve the problems facing our schools, dealing with the issues facing our over-taxed small businesses or pushing any real agenda during the legislative session.”

Poll after poll has showed that the public has simply lost confidence in Ernie Fletcher making him unelectable. Furthermore, the public will likely not appreciate Ernie Fletcher taking advantage of a loophole that allows him to raise money and not disclose its source.

“The only safeguard the public has that politicians do not exchange special favors for fundraising is timely and regular and full disclosure,” concluded Peel. “We hope that Ernie Fletcher will release the names of his donors to this fund.”

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Unbelievable. I’m beginning to wonder whether Lunsford-Stumbo are really going to be around for the May 22 primary…

Two Union Leaders Say Stumbo Threatened Them
By Joseph Gerth, The Courier-Journal

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Two Kentucky labor leaders said today that Attorney General Greg Stumbo threatened them and their members with retribution for refusing to consider endorsing him and his running mate Bruce Lunsford in the governor’s race.

Stumbo, who is running for lieutenant governor on a ticket with Lunsford in the May 22 Democratic primary, acknowledged making the calls but denied making any threats.

He said he was upset with the unions and thought it was unfair of them to exclude his ticket from the endorsement process.

The allegations were made by Steve Earle, a lobbyist for the United Mine Workers union, and Charles Wells, executive director of the Kentucky Association of State Employees.

[…]

Earle said Stumbo called him Monday after the UMW sent out a press release announcing its decision not to consider endorsing the Lunsford-Stumbo ticket.

Earle said Stumbo told him, “You stabbed me in the back, and now I’m going to stick a knife in yours.”

Stumbo denied that.

“He is a pathetic liar,” he said.

Wells said he received a similar call Monday in which Stumbo said that “he would get even with our organization and any organization that took a similar position.”

Bruce Schreiner has an extended AP story on this issue and the broader matter of organized labor rejecting any notion of a Bruce Lunsford (D) candidacy:

Labor leaders haven’t forgotten, or forgiven, Lunsford for backing Fletcher.

“We just feel like we can’t trust him with his track record,” said Lee A. Jackson, president of the Kentucky Association of State Employees, which represents 3,000 state workers and whose board of directors voted not to support Lunsford.

[…]

UMW official Steve Earle and KASE executive director Charles Wells said they received calls from an angry Stumbo after leaders of their unions rejected Lunsford.

“He told me the United Mine Workers would live to regret it,” Earle said.

Wells said he had never heard Stumbo so angry. “He did say that he would get even with those labor organizations that had decided to do this,” Wells said.

[…]

Earle said that Stumbo would have received a friendly reception from the UMW had he sought another term as attorney general. But Stumbo should have anticipated the unreceptiveness from unions when he joined Lunsford’s team, Earle said.

“He chose the company that he’s keeping,” Earle said.

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Governor Fletcher (R) can’t stop lying about job growth in Kentucky during administration:

“There are 100,000 more people working in Kentucky today than when I took office.”

According to Fletcher’s own budget office:

• Employed Kentuckians when Fletcher took office (Dec 2003): 1,785,700
• Employed Kentuckians per last budget office analysis (Nov 2006): 1,845,500
• Employed Kentuckians according to preliminary Labor Dept Dec 2006 report: 1,848,000

Through December 2006, that would total 62,300 jobs, not 100,000.

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Gotta give House Speaker Jody Richards (D) credit for putting Governor Fletcher (R) in his place over his disingenuous complaining that the House won’t open the budget in a non-budget year.

From the Bowling Green Daily News:

“He’s had ample opportunity to make meaningful improvements to this cabinet, and he chose not to,” Richards said. “Now he’s seeking to gain political footing with an issue that affects the most vulnerable Kentuckians - the abused elderly, disabled and children.”

[…]

“The governor is stubbornly refusing to follow the directives of the General Assembly and find $2.5 million out of a $4 billion budget to fund these emergency measures. Yet he was able to find unbudgeted millions to spend on lawyers’ fees to pay for costs associated with his administration’s hiring scandal,” Richards said.

Well done.

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Miller-Maze is living-up to the promise they made last month and will voluntarily disclose its campaign finance information tomorrow as part of its transparency in government proposal. They’re going to walk-the-walk as well. It’s easy to talk about ethics and transparency. It’s an entirely different thing to pony-up and disclose.

This is a good move and they should be commended for making a real effort to let the voters know who’s funding their campaign. Unfortunately, current state campaign finance laws don’t require any disclosure until April 5th!

How many other campaigns will follow suit and agree to do the same thing?

MEDIA ADVISORY
THURSDAY, FEB. 22, 2007
CONTACT: CAROL ANDREWS
859-276-7505 OR 615-347-0193

MILLER-MAZE TO VOLUNTARILY DISCLOSE 90 DAY CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORT TOMORROW

LEXINGTON – The Miller-Maze campaign will voluntarily disclose campaign finances for the 90-day pre-election period tomorrow afternoon, Friday, February 23, 2007 . During a January 25 press conference outlining the candidates’ plan for restoring trust in government, Jonathan Miller and Irv Maze proposed a 90-day and 60-day pre-election report for disclosure of campaign finances.

Miller and Maze said they would voluntarily disclose for those periods this primary election, and tomorrow’s disclosure will provide information on the 90-day period ending today at midnight .

The Miller-Maze Administration will return responsible government to the people of the Commonwealth. The people of Kentucky deserve to be able to trust the people who serve them in state government. To do that, we must implement reforms in campaign finance and lobbying, and ensure accountability and openness in government.

Jonathan Miller and Irv Maze will bring transparency to state government by implementing meaningful reforms. Part of that is campaign finance reform:

Campaign Finance Reform:

The Miller-Maze Administration will take up Secretary of State Trey Grayson’s task force proposal for a 60-day pre-election report and expand it to 90 days.

• The Miller-Maze campaign will voluntarily report 90 and 60 days before this May’s primary election and before this November’s general election.

Meanwhile, Governor Fletcher (R) again demonstrates why transparency in fundraising matters so much during an election year:

In addition to raising money for his re-election bid, Gov. Ernie Fletcher is on a fund-raising drive to help pay his legal bills that remain from the 16-month state hiring investigation.

But any money he raises for the “Governor’s Legal Defense Fund” this year won’t have to be disclosed to the public until the spring of 2008 — long after he is either re-elected or defeated.

Lt. Gov. Steve Pence said that was too long to wait in an election year.

“I think the governor would probably be best served by making a full disclosure, especially during the campaign year,” said Pence, who got elected with Fletcher but whose relationship with the governor has grown chilly over the past year.

UPDATE (11:44 AM): Tom Loftus has this update with a late-morning story on the Courier-Journal’s website:

“I presume that it’s all legal,” Pence said “But it’s not a question of what can we can legally do, the question should be what should we do. The governor controls a lot of projects, he controls a lot of appointments, he controls a lot of money. I don’t think it’s unreasonable at all to say who’s giving you money for your benefit for this legal defense fund, especially now in a campaign year. I think it’s important.”

[…]

Robbie Rudolph, the secretary of Fletcher’s executive cabinet and his running mate in the Republican primary, said he knew few details of the defense fund but intends to contribute.

“It’s been general conversation for the past year. There’s been ongoing discussions about a fund,” Rudolph said. But as for the details, he said, “I don’t know if there is a fund, I don’t know if anything’s being raised — I just know that we’ve talked about that for 18 months.”

Could Robbie Rudolph (R) be less believable?

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Couple of quick things on the Democratic state House’s unimaginable stalling on passing mine safety legislation out of committee:

Herald-Leader editorial takes a whack at House Speaker Jody Richards (D):

A House speaker who can’t get a bill out of committee looks ineffectual — not a great recommendation for someone trying to be governor.

Also, in follow-up to yesterday’s comments by state AFL-CIO President Bill Londrigan questioning whether committee chairman Jim Gooch (D) was in the pockets of the coal industry, comes this document that a reader sent me this morning. It’s an application to join the Western Kentucky Coal Association. Check out who is listed after “cc” at the bottom of the form:

That certainly adds a little extra to Londrigan’s assertion, doesn’t it?

UPDATE: The Courier-Journal has a good story on this issue.

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While I agree with the prosecutors on the very questionable constitutionality of unelected judges presiding over cases, I think the modifications to the Senior Judge Program in the House today is well needed and definitely a step in the right direction. This is an important program but one that was in dire need of modifications, which largely appeared to have happened with this development.

The age-restrictions and the mandate that judges who lose re-election are not eligible are important. The former keeps costs down (mostly because of the cost of health insurance) and the latter is simply good government.

If the voters toss you out of office, you ought not be able to re-appear in the same job nevertheless. This will require eligible judges to make calculated assessments about running for re-election or not. Though, I believe this modification would not disqualify (rightly so) judges who lose elections to other seats (e.g., circuit judges running for appellate court).

However, let’s hope there will be an attempt (or a provision in the final legislation) to mandate a formal review at how much this program is really costing taxpayers.

Committee Approves Bill Extending Senior Judge Program
Brandon Ortiz, Herald-Leader

A bill that would extend the senior status judge program until 2012 and tighten eligibility for it passed the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, despite opposition from prosecutors who question the program’s constitutionality and cost.

[…]

House Bill 465, sponsored by Rep. Rob Wilkey, D-Scottsville, and Rep. Arnold Simpson, D-Covington, extends the sunset and bars judges who lost re-election – a major point of criticism by the Kentucky Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Association – from participating.

It would also require judges younger than 60 to have at least 20 years of actual judicial service to be eligible.

Currently, it’s possible for judges in their 50s to participate if they have eight years of judicial service and enough government service to meet the “rule of 75.” The judge’s age plus judicial and governmental service transferred into the Kentucky Judicial Form Retirement System must equal at least 75.

[…]

Jefferson Commonwealth’s Attorney R. David Stengel said the program violates Kentucky’s constitution because the senior judges are unelected.

“We can’t really litigate it because we would litigate it in front of the people who put it together,” Stengel said.

Credit to Reps. Rob Wilkey (D) and Arnold Simpson (D) for their effort.

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Jack Brammer is reporting the following explosive charge on why the mine safety legislation has not moved out committee in the Democratic-controlled House:

State AFL-CIO President Bill Londrigan told reporters after a rally for a coal-mine safety bill that House Natural Resources and Environment Committee Chairman Jim Gooch has received more than $25,000 in campaign contributions from the coal industry and that he does private business with the industry.

As I mentioned last week, these sort of obstacles are only going to create more friction between House Speaker Jody Richards (D) and organized labor. Considering labor’s very public rebuke of Bruce Lunsford’s (D) candidacy over his positions, Richards is not doing his own candidacy any favors with this development.

Recall last week’s story on this matter:

Steve Earle, a lobbyist for the United Mine Workers of America, said he had been assured that leading Democratic lawmakers would support the mine safety bill.

“If we don’t get mine safety legislation through this session,” Earle said, “we’re going to hold people accountable.”

This is not smart politics for Richards and Gooch.

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