Ethics loom as another Dem. ticket forms & former Fletcher aide is charged.

Another Democratic ticket is stepping forward to run for the Governor's office. This time, joining the announced tickets headed by Otis Hemsley and Johnathan Miller, is that of Steve Beshear who wants to bring "mature, honest leadership with integrity ... [that's] been sorely missing for some time." Other candidates, including Bruce Lunsford and Gatewood Galbrait (and maybe others) are expected to enter the race soon. Beshear's running mate is Sen. Dan Mongiardo, a "peripheral advisor" to DANPAC, who is facing ethics investigation that Beshear expects to "be resolved very shortly".
Meanwhile, we learn that the Ethics Commission has charged Dan Druen, former indicted and pardoned aide to Gov. Fletcher, with various violations of the merit system laws. Each of the TEN counts carries a possible $5,000.00 fine and loss of state employment. However, Mr. Druen no longer works for the Commonwealth as he was one of those fired by Fletcher at the height of the merit investigation by Greg Stumbo. You can read the charges here. The Commission, through its Counsel, makes clear that others involved with the merit system violations ought to "start sweating".

Update: In an update to this story, the Herald-Leader is quoting Dan Druen as stating today that "[i]n fact, everything I did was pursuant to a directive from my supervisors, top to bottom, including the governor, in advancement of the very initiative that carried his name." This claim is similar to the one Druen made early on in the investigation, wherein he stated that at a meeting he handed the "hit list" to the Gov. who then handed it to Basil Turbyfil, his Efficiency Director. Druen's account of events is disputed by the Transportation Cabinet Secretary, Bill Nighbert, who stated that the Gov. was not involved.