Steve Beshear criticizes Fletcher's special session call; Fletcher responds.

Gubernatorial Democratic candidate, Steve Beshear, has a news release criticizing Fletcher's call for a special session. Here it is:

(Frankfort, KY) Democratic nominee for Governor Steve Beshear this afternoon expressed his disappointment in Governor Fletcher’s failed leadership.

"I have said all along that a Governor should not take the extraordinary measure of calling a special session in the absence of agreement with the legislature on the agenda and the pressing need for the session," said Beshear. "It is apparent that the Governor did not get such an agreement and that is why it failed."

The Beshear/Mongiardo campaign has proposed an aggressive energy platform that calls for an incentive package to encourage a wide range of energy firms to do business in Kentucky. The plan would also create a cabinet level Secretary of Energy Independence position to organize and focus resources on this effort.

"Mr. Fletcher has had 3 years to put a comprehensive energy plan in place," said Beshear. "His failure to do so, including his complete absence just a few months ago in regards to Rep. Rock Adkins energy bill, should not be subsidized by the taxpayers of Kentucky. Especially given that Kentucky has already given out $400,000 for a feasibility study that won’t be completed until April of 2008."

The Beshear/Mongiardo Fueling Kentucky First plan, available at www.SteveBeshear.com, would create a $60 million Kentucky Energy Fund to help jump-start the development of alternative fuels and new clean coal technology industries. By providing $15 million in incentive grants and research funding each year, the Kentucky Energy Fund will create a public/private partnership that will make Kentucky a national leader in the production, distribution and sale of home grown fuels like corn ethanol (fuel produced from burning corn), bio-diesel (clean burning alternative fuel commonly made of soy, animal fats and/or wastes, or vegetable oils), and cellulosic ethanol (ethanol blend of grasses and agriculture wastes, such as switch grass and stalks), as well as clean coal (coal that is purged of some minerals and impurities) and coal to liquid and coal to gas technologies.

By dramatically ramping up the private sectors ability to produce alternative fuels to power our cars and trucks, as well as investing in renewable and other clean power generation technologies, Kentucky can become one of the first states to become energy independent - while providing a well needed boost to our rural economies across the state.

Here is Fletcher's response:

FRANKFORT, Ky. - Marty Ryall, Campaign Manager for Governor Ernie Fletcher, today called on Steve Beshear to stop gambling with Kentucky jobs.

Ryall said, "Steve Beshear could be the first politician in history to have a negative impact on economic development while not holding office. By influencing the house leadership to walk out on their duties he sends a clear signal that the good old boy politics of the past is ready to pick up where they left off three and a half years ago."

Ryall said, "It is clear that Steve Beshear has no interest in jobs coming to Kentucky that do not involve casino gambling. By joining the Democratic house leadership to celebrate their walk out yesterday he sent a clear signal that his one issue campaign continues."

"He has joined in a walk-out that could cost Kentucky billions of dollars in economic development and thousands of jobs for petty partisan politics. True leaders roll up their sleeves and go to work conducting the people’s business. They don’t tuck their tails and run away. It is evident that Steve Beshear hopes to better sell his argument for casino gambling by further depressing areas of the state that are in desperate need of new jobs, Ryall added.

Ryall concluded, "Kentuckians deserve more in an energy plan than what Steve Beshear is offering. He has offered a plan that was pilfered from another candidate in Iowa, and a plan to burn energy to light the neon signs of casinos all across the Commonwealth. The first shows a lack of vision for Kentucky; the other demonstrates a sell out to the fool’s gold of casino gambling."

Meanwhile, Fletcher's office has released a letter they sent to Speaker Jody Richards a proposed meeting to discuss the special session impasse. I will update any significant developments from this meeting as any becomes available. Stay tuned.