Stumbo says he called the meeting after receiving more bad news about the state-managed retirements funds, including a 1.3 percent loss on returns into the Kentucky Teachers Retirement System.
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Republicans boycotted the meeting, calling it a stunt whose sole objective was to use taxpayer money to pay for members’ travel to Frankfort on the same day as a Democratic fundraiser.
The Central Kentucky Democratic Caucus has scheduled a fundraiser for Tuesday in Lexington, about 30 miles southeast of Frankfort, the state capital.
Rep. Kevin Sinnette was one of the Democrats at that meeting who said he was coerced into switching parties.
“I think it is disgusting, disingenuous, and I will not be a part of his charade”, Hoover said in a news release.
In response to Stumbo’s comments, the governor released a statement, saying the democrat’s “erratic behavior and foolish comments are an embarrassment to the Commonwealth”.
He wants to discuss the latest in Gov. Matt Bevin’s Medicaid overhaul and the state’s underfunded pension system.
“There is no correlation between this and any other activity”, he said. Additionally, Stumbo’s state party is under investigation by the Federal Election Commission for receiving an infusion of Hillary Clinton campaign cash. But a spokesman confirmed the tweets were accurate.
Ditto also challenged Meyer’s description of the voicemail left by Bevin, calling it “polite and personal”. Stumbo claims the most serious offense was the use of over $600,000 to cancel a road project in Meyer’s central Kentucky district after he didn’t bow to the demands of the Bevin Administration. Transportation Cabinet officials say construction was delayed because Steve Beshear approved the project without securing the land.
Because of the delay, the state was contractually obligated to pay the contractor, The Allen Company, $625,000 in damages, according to a story by Tom Loftus of The Courier-Journal. In the recording, Bevin identifies himself by name and says he wants “to make sure you understand” the decisions Bevin will make and “I want you to be very aware of the impact of those decisions as it relates to you, your seat, your district”.
In the message, Bevin doesn’t directly mention the disputed road project or Meyer’s decision not to switch parties.
While Bevin declined to comment at the time, when CNHI News published a story based on Sinnette’s account, Bevin called it “an absolute lie”.
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Republican Gov. Matt Bevin left a message on a Democratic lawmaker’s cellphone voicemail on December 17, 2015 that seems to imply he planned to punish the lawmaker for refusing to switch parties.
