Conway says his office can investigate Gov. Beshear campaign allegations

Local News

August 31, 2011

By Ronnie Ellis CNHI News Service The Richmond Register Wed Aug 31, 2011, 12:00 PM EDT

RICHMOND — A spokeswoman for Attorney Jack Conway said Tuesday there is no need for Conway to appoint a special prosecutor to look into allegations state workers were pressured into contributing to Gov. Steve Beshear’s re-election campaign because there is no direct conflict of interest for Conway.

Allison Martin said Conway appointed Jim Crawford, commonwealth attorney for Carroll, Grant and Owen counties, to investigate allegations that officials with Sullivan University asked employees to vote for Conway’s Republican opponent, Hopkins County Attorney Todd P’Pool, because the matter involves his political opponent.

But that doesn’t mean Conway’s office isn’t looking into allegations that non-merit employees appointed by Beshear have been pressured to give to Beshear’s re-election campaign.

“It’s our policy not to confirm or deny investigations by our office,” Martin said. She confirmed Conway’s office has received two complaints about solicitation of state employees which “are being handled according to the investigative protocol of this office.”

Conway’s office has been investigating recruitment and student financial aid for students at for-profit colleges and recently received a complaint that Sullivan University officials asked a group of employees to support P’Pool and to contribute to P’Pool’s campaign. Sullivan operates Spencerian College, one of the for-profit schools Conway’s office is investigating.

Sullivan’s attorneys have denied any wrong doing on the part of its officials.

But, when The Courier-Journal and Herald-Leader reported Crawford’s appointment, Republican Party of Kentucky Chairman Steve Robertson called for Conway to appoint a special prosecutor to look into allegations against the Beshear campaign.

“If newspaper articles are the threshold by which the Attorney General decides to appoint special prosecutors, then I demand Jack Conway appoint a special prosecutor or empanel a grand jury immediately to investigate the serious allegations of improper and illegal fundraising against Governor Beshear.”

Robertson accused Conway of ignoring “serious allegations against a governor of his own party.”

But Martin said there is no direct conflict of interest for Conway in any investigation into those complaints against Beshear and thus no reason for a special prosecutor. She cited the policy against commenting on active investigations when asked if Conway is considering a special grand jury to investigate allegations about fundraising by any campaign.

In December, CNHI News reported some state employees were uncomfortable about receiving invitations to a Frankfort fundraising event for Beshear’s re-election campaign.

Then in early August, Robertson filed a complaint with the Executive Branch Ethics Commission, Conway’s office and the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance after he received a signed letter from a state employee complaining he and others were pressured into contributing to Beshear’s campaign.

CNHI News also reported in early August that Dennis Gardner, an employee of the Transportation Cabinet, filed a complaint with Conway’s office that he and others were solicited for contributions to Beshear’s campaign. Gardner subsequently was dismissed for alleged time-sheet violations.

State law prohibits state employees from being directly solicited for campaign contributions unless they are solicited within an appeal to a broader population than state employees. It is also a crime for employers to coerce employees to support a candidate.

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. The Richmond Register is a CNHI newspaper.

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