Democrats in throes of power withdrawals, use dirty politics to reclaim power

Kentucky Democrats think power is their birthright. When the voters, in their wisdom, see fit to take power from the Democrats and give it to the Republicans, the Dems whine like spoiled brats. And they use every dirty trick in the book to get their power back.

We've seen it happen on a statewide basis with Greg Stumbo's persection of the Fletcher administration over alleged misuse of the state merit system. And it's happening in local governments, as well, especially in counties where voters have ended years of Democratic strangleholds on power. What's going on in Morgan County is a good example.

It's already been chronicled here how Stumbo and his cronies have opened a super-secret grand jury investigation in Morgan County, and how the Democrats have been floating rumors that the investigation concerns alleged misdeeds by GOP County Judge-Executive Tim Conley, who is up for re-election.

Now there's a one-two punch in "the Bluegrass county of the mountains."

As a Republican county judge in Morgan County, Conley's a rarity. Democrats have had a stranglehold on that county for years. Conley's victory four years ago was a resounding upset when he replaced the retiring Sid Stewart. But by being a Republican county judge, Conley found himself at odds with his fiscal court. All the magistrates are Democrats. And one powerful local Democrat, State Rep. John Will Stacy, has made no secret of his open contempt and dislike for Conley.

The Democrats on the fiscal court have fought Conley tooth and toenail over nearly every initiative he has proposed, but Conley has persevered. He has developed excellent relationships with federal and state officials and that has paid off for his county.

Morgan, like many small Kentucky counties, has financial difficulties. Conley inherited a great deal of bonded indebtedness. Paying off those debts has put the county in dire financial straits through no fault of Conley's.

Yet it was a sneak attack recently when the county's finance officer gave a bleak fiscal picture at a recent court meeting, then an out and out political ambush when the Democrats on the fiscal court voted to take everyday purchasing authority away from Conley and give it to a committee of three magistrates.

Oh, did we mention that one of the magistrates who conveniently was named to that committee is Conley's Democratic opponent in the Nov. 7 election?

This act came despite no damning auditor's report from Crit Luallen's office. And that's a surprise, given the frequency with which Luallen has injected herself and her office into local elections this year. But even without a Luallen prompting, and despite the fact that the state had always approved Morgan's budgets and financial reports, the Democrats on the court hijacked Conley's authority and gave themselves fodder for negative ads to run in the last week of the campaign.

Will anyone be surprised if in next week's local newspaper and on the local radio stations over the next few days, all sorts of ads come out accusing Conley of fiscal mismanagement? The ads will say he's under investigation for misappropriating county funds and the situation is so bad that the Democrats on the fiscal court, including the county judge nominee, had to ride in on their white horses to save the day.

Democrats in Kentucky just can't accept the fact that voters are beginning to see through them and not buy their lies anymore. Counties like Knott and Breathitt and Floyd may not be ready to embrace Republicans, but many other traditionally Democrat counties are. Morgan is one. Fleming and Owen, two other longtime Democrat strongholds, have also elected GOP judges in recent years. (We haven't heard if the Democrats in Flemingsburg have pulled any dirty tricks against Larry Foxworthy, but we sure wouldn't be surprised).

Quite simply, Kentuckians are getting tired of being under Democrat bondage. And the Democratic power elite can't stand it!

When Democrats lose power, they will do anything within their grasp -- legal or not, ethical or not, above-board or not -- to get power back. The attacks on Gov. Fletcher's administration are prime proof. The shenanigans in Morgan County are more proof. They simply can't realize that the people are beginning to recognize the failures they've been and are rejecting them and their polices. Either that, or they realize it but just don't accept the will of the people.

Here's hoping that Tim Conley fights back strong and turns back the disgusting, dishonest, out-of line challenges to his authority and his candidacy.