His election maybe? Isn't it great not having that crook Fletcher in Frankfort any more?

 

BTW, I first read this story this morning in the Philadelphia Inquirer. Wonderful publicity for Kentucky - unlike anything I have seen since the Patton sex scandal.

 

Casino exec in election cash controversy

 

FRANKFORT, Ky. --

A wealthy casino operator is defending an eye-catching

$1 million contribution

to a political group that worked to elect a

pro-gambling governor

in Kentucky.

 

William Yung III, who heads Crestview Hills-based Columbia Sussex Corp., has essentially placed a huge bet that newly elected Gov. Steve Beshear will be able to get the state's long-standing prohibition against casinos lifted.

 

"I make no apologies for helping get Steve Beshear elected," Yung told The Associated Press in an interview this week. "I've got a First Amendment right to spend my money any way I want to spend it."

more...Casino exec in election cash controversy

Bad news travels fast as reporters travel the well worn path to Frankfort seeking the latest story of political corruption.

 

Philadelphia Inquirer: High stakes in Kentucky casino push

Fresno Bee: Casino exec in election cash controversy

Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune: Casino operator defends $1 million contribution to Kentucky's pro-gambling governor candidate

Houston Chronicle: Casino mogul goes all-in for Kentucky development

St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Casino defends $1 million contribution to elect pro-gambling governor

What's wrong with a Casino exec donating money to a campaign? Believe it or not, it happens ALL the time. When someone wants to get someone elected, they donate money. Beshear wasn't shy about his ideas on gambling in Kentucky from day 1, so it's not like he was hiding something.

What's wrong with a Casino exec donating money to a campaign? Believe it or not, it happens ALL the time. When someone wants to get someone elected, they donate money. Beshear wasn't shy about his ideas on gambling in Kentucky from day 1, so it's not like he was hiding something.

Let's see, a casino exec donates $1 million to a group supporting the campaign of a gubernatorial candidate who supports making an illegal activity legal in Kentucky. The candidate, who raised and spent a total of $6.8 million from all of his supporters gets elected and almost immediately declares a budget emergency that will require deep cuts in education spending unless the state legalizes casino gambling post haste.

 

Of course, because Beshear supported casino gambling before Yung made his generous donation, there was no quid pro quo involved (wink, wink, nudge, nudge). There is also no link between the huge donations that engineering and consulting firms make to each gubernatorial candidate every four yearsand the awarding of state contracts.:lol:

Let's see, a casino exec donates $1 million to a group supporting the campaign of a gubernatorial candidate who supports making an illegal activity legal in Kentucky. The candidate, who raised and spent a total of $6.8 million from all of his supporters gets elected and almost immediately declares a budget emergency that will require deep cuts in education spending unless the state legalizes casino gambling post haste.

 

Of course, because Beshear supported casino gambling before Yung made his generous donation, there was no quid pro quo involved (wink, wink, nudge, nudge). There is also no link between the huge donations that engineering and consulting firms make to each gubernatorial candidate every four yearsand the awarding of state contracts.:lol:

 

You act as if this doesn't happen with every candidate? It's really not a big deal. It's just people already trying to find something that Beshear is doing, or has done wrong. Not a big deal at all.

 

He supported making casino gambling legal in Kentucky, of course a casnio executive is going to support his candidacy. Don't lobbyists for companies and interest groups make donations all the time trying to persuade a candidate or politician to do them a favor all the time?

You act as if this doesn't happen with every candidate? It's really not a big deal. It's just people already trying to find something that Beshear is doing, or has done wrong. Not a big deal at all.

 

He supported making casino gambling legal in Kentucky, of course a casnio executive is going to support his candidacy. Don't lobbyists for companies and interest groups make donations all the time trying to persuade a candidate or politician to do them a favor all the time?

If $1 million donations Kentucky gubernatorial campaigns has been common place in the past, please cite a few other examples. I acknowledge that inflation has driven up the cost of influencing state legislation, so please feel free to include a few $half-million examples in your list.

If $1 million donations Kentucky gubernatorial campaigns has been common place in the past, please cite a few other examples. I acknowledge that inflation has driven up the cost of influencing state legislation, so please feel free to include a few $half-million examples in your list.

 

I'm not sure of the amount of any donations, I'm just saying it happens. Regardless, does the amount really matter? It's all the same, as they're all donating for the same reason. To convince the candidate to do something for them...it happens in both parties...and it's not a big deal.

 

 

 

 

----------------

Now playing: Atreyu - Someone's Standing On My Chest

via FoxyTunes

I'm not sure of the amount of any donations, I'm just saying it happens. Regardless, does the amount really matter? It's all the same, as they're all donating for the same reason. To convince the candidate to do something for them...it happens in both parties...and it's not a big deal.

 

 

 

 

----------------

Now playing: Atreyu - Someone's Standing On My Chest

via FoxyTunes

I think that my point was that corruption has been common in Kentucky state politics for many years.

 

However, as I pointed out above, newspapers from coast to coast apparently agree with me that something about Yung's contribution to the Beshear campaign smells.

 

I hope that those who railed against Fletcher for questionable hiring practices are happy with having a traditional Democratic governor in Frankfort. A donation of $1 million when Beshear's campaign cost him less than $7 million is a pretty gaudy contribution to the cause.

I think that my point was that corruption has been common in Kentucky state politics for many years.

 

However, as I pointed out above, newspapers from coast to coast apparently agree with me that something about Yung's contribution to the Beshear campaign smells.

 

I hope that those who railed against Fletcher for questionable hiring practices are happy with having a traditional Democratic governor in Frankfort. A donation of $1 million when Beshear's campaign cost him less than $7 million is a pretty gaudy contribution to the cause.

 

 

There's nothing corrupt about a donation. I believe you and those papers are jumping the gun a bit.

 

 

 

 

 

----------------

Now playing: Bullet For My Valentine - Cries In Vain

via FoxyTunes

Political contributions of $1 million or more are becoming common in state-level elections, said Rachel Weiss, spokeswoman for the National Institute on Money in State Politics.

 

Beshear, who raised and spent about $6.8 million on his campaign last year against former Gov. Ernie Fletcher, insists Yung's contributions bought him no favors. Yung would have to apply for a casino license just like anyone else, Beshear said.

 

End of story. From one of the links you posted above.

"It would be naive for anybody to believe that a $1 million contribution to a fund that helped elect a pro-casino governor is not going to position the contributor in a favorable way," said John Mark Hack, head of the antigambling group Say No To Casinos.

 

After Beshear took office in December, Yung's privately held company, Columbia Sussex, paid $7 million for a site in northern Kentucky to build a casino. Yung called the property "prime real estate" that he can easily resell if Beshear's casino proposal flops.

I agree. If it walks like a duck...

I agree. If it walks like a duck...

 

"It would be naive for anybody to believe that a $1 million contribution to a fund that helped elect a pro-casino governor is not going to position the contributor in a favorable way," said John Mark Hack, head of the antigambling group Say No To Casinos.

 

 

:laugh: Says the head of the ANTIGAMBLING group Say No To Casinos. His opinion isn't biased at all. :lol:

I've heard this somewhere before. Hmmm where was it?

 

If Bill Yung spends $7 million for a piece of property, that's a pretty good indicator that it will pass in the form he wants.

"It would be naive for anybody to believe that a $1 million contribution to a fund that helped elect a pro-casino governor is not going to position the contributor in a favorable way," said John Mark Hack, head of the antigambling group Say No To Casinos.

 

 

:laugh: Says the head of the ANTIGAMBLING group Say No To Casinos. His opinion isn't biased at all. :lol:

I never said that it was, but just that I agree with his opinion.

 

If you see nothing wrong with special interest groups dumping million dollar donations into Kentucky gubernatorial campaigns to influence legislation, that is certainly your right. However, I believe that it is symptomatic of a broken system.

 

I also believe that voters should have been made aware of Yung's donation before casting their votes in November. People get the government that they deserve and apparently most Kentuckians are not bothered by the appearance of corruption as long as a Democrat wins the election.

I've heard this somewhere before. Hmmm where was it?

 

http://www.bluegrasspreps.com/showpost.php?p=2661929&postcount=157

 

I'm not sure, I can not access that link.