Today Kentucky Legislators Start A "Special" Session. Well, Ain't That Special!?
It’s going to be wild in Frankfort
By Ronnie Ellis
Frankfort — FRANKFORT — If you enjoy “reality” programs and train wrecks, then you may wish to visit Frankfort this week. Hallway veterans say it’s going to get nasty.
It’s supposed to be about a deficit in the Medicaid budget, fiscal responsibility and protecting the vulnerable. But it’s about the governor’s race. Gov. Steve Beshear wants a second term and Senate President David Williams wants his job. Williams, of course, must first win the Republican primary against Louisville businessman Phil Moffett and Jefferson County Clerk Bobbie Holsclaw, but most consider him the favorite in the primary.
As negotiations between the Democratic-controlled House and Republican-controlled Senate on Medicaid broke down, one House Democrat said Beshear and Williams “have been itching for a fight since the session began and now they’re going to have it.” Each of them accuses the other of politicizing the debate just as each maintained until the final days of the session that the campaign wouldn’t affect the session.
Now it’s personal. Williams even lashed out at Republican House Minority Leader Jeff Hoover for the latter’s statement that House Republicans couldn’t support cuts to education as a way to fix the Medicaid shortfall. Williams said Hoover doesn’t really speak for his caucus, and some House Republicans squirmed, talking out of both sides of their mouths, telling Williams they didn’t agree with Hoover’s statement.
But even they — Jim DeCesare was the exception — conceded Hoover twice asked them if they supported the Senate plan and “no one, not one person, raised a hand,” as Lonnie Napier put it. More than one House Republican reportedly warned Williams that Hoover has the backing of his caucus and asked him not to draw a line in the sand over Medicaid and cuts to education.
Williams repeatedly questioned Beshear’s ability to manage the budget and government, unsurprising either for a Republican or a candidate for Beshear’s job. But he also questioned Beshear’s integrity, claiming Beshear submitted language in last year’s budget bill establishing specific spending targets on reducing political appointees and personal service contracts and then vetoed that language after lawmakers passed the budget. Beshear flatly denied the language was in his proposal, saying lawmakers added it. Then Beshear took the unprecedented step of naming Williams in his order calling a special session.
On Wednesday, Beshear accused Williams of taking a “my way or the highway” approach to negotiations — then worded the call to rule out Williams’ position that cuts to other services are necessary to prevent even greater shortfalls next year. The day concluded with an unpleasant exchange on the Senate floor when Sen. Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, referred to the governor by his first name and Sen. Tim Shaughnessy, D-Louisville, responded by calling Thayer a “Yankee.”
Thursday began with Beshear and Williams exchanging charges and insults on talk radio. Beshear appeared to say the problem was Williams and “some fat guys” in the Senate. He later denied saying it, explaining he stumbled by trying to choose between two words, fellows and guys. It was difficult to determine from the tape exactly what Beshear said. It didn’t sound like he actually said “fat guys” but it was difficult to say what he said instead. Williams responded by saying Beshear used a “school-yard taunt” which showed he is “weak and shrill.” Even before that exchange, several lawmakers and lobbyists said they couldn’t remember a nastier climate surrounding the legislature.
That is the atmosphere in which the two sides return Monday to work out a deal on Medicaid in a special session. Good luck.
Ronnie Ellis writes for CNHI News Service and is based in Frankfort. Reach him at rellis@cnhi.com. Follow CNHI News Service stories on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ cnhifrankfort
By Ronnie Ellis
Frankfort — FRANKFORT — If you enjoy “reality” programs and train wrecks, then you may wish to visit Frankfort this week. Hallway veterans say it’s going to get nasty.
It’s supposed to be about a deficit in the Medicaid budget, fiscal responsibility and protecting the vulnerable. But it’s about the governor’s race. Gov. Steve Beshear wants a second term and Senate President David Williams wants his job. Williams, of course, must first win the Republican primary against Louisville businessman Phil Moffett and Jefferson County Clerk Bobbie Holsclaw, but most consider him the favorite in the primary.
As negotiations between the Democratic-controlled House and Republican-controlled Senate on Medicaid broke down, one House Democrat said Beshear and Williams “have been itching for a fight since the session began and now they’re going to have it.” Each of them accuses the other of politicizing the debate just as each maintained until the final days of the session that the campaign wouldn’t affect the session.
Now it’s personal. Williams even lashed out at Republican House Minority Leader Jeff Hoover for the latter’s statement that House Republicans couldn’t support cuts to education as a way to fix the Medicaid shortfall. Williams said Hoover doesn’t really speak for his caucus, and some House Republicans squirmed, talking out of both sides of their mouths, telling Williams they didn’t agree with Hoover’s statement.
But even they — Jim DeCesare was the exception — conceded Hoover twice asked them if they supported the Senate plan and “no one, not one person, raised a hand,” as Lonnie Napier put it. More than one House Republican reportedly warned Williams that Hoover has the backing of his caucus and asked him not to draw a line in the sand over Medicaid and cuts to education.
Williams repeatedly questioned Beshear’s ability to manage the budget and government, unsurprising either for a Republican or a candidate for Beshear’s job. But he also questioned Beshear’s integrity, claiming Beshear submitted language in last year’s budget bill establishing specific spending targets on reducing political appointees and personal service contracts and then vetoed that language after lawmakers passed the budget. Beshear flatly denied the language was in his proposal, saying lawmakers added it. Then Beshear took the unprecedented step of naming Williams in his order calling a special session.
On Wednesday, Beshear accused Williams of taking a “my way or the highway” approach to negotiations — then worded the call to rule out Williams’ position that cuts to other services are necessary to prevent even greater shortfalls next year. The day concluded with an unpleasant exchange on the Senate floor when Sen. Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, referred to the governor by his first name and Sen. Tim Shaughnessy, D-Louisville, responded by calling Thayer a “Yankee.”
Thursday began with Beshear and Williams exchanging charges and insults on talk radio. Beshear appeared to say the problem was Williams and “some fat guys” in the Senate. He later denied saying it, explaining he stumbled by trying to choose between two words, fellows and guys. It was difficult to determine from the tape exactly what Beshear said. It didn’t sound like he actually said “fat guys” but it was difficult to say what he said instead. Williams responded by saying Beshear used a “school-yard taunt” which showed he is “weak and shrill.” Even before that exchange, several lawmakers and lobbyists said they couldn’t remember a nastier climate surrounding the legislature.
That is the atmosphere in which the two sides return Monday to work out a deal on Medicaid in a special session. Good luck.
Ronnie Ellis writes for CNHI News Service and is based in Frankfort. Reach him at rellis@cnhi.com. Follow CNHI News Service stories on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ cnhifrankfort
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