The Political Bridge

Thanksgiving Wishes from the Major Republican Candidates in the 2010 Kentucky U.S. Senate Race

Here are snippets from Joe Arnold's (WHAS-TV) piece on this topic.

 

Trey Grayson
 Thanksgiving began as a simple celebration of life and an appreciation of the blessings of freedom. Our forefathers celebrated their arrival to this land of open possibilities, and each subsequent generation of proud Americans has built upon that example of strength and sacrifice.

 

Rand Paul

We are especially grateful to all those who sacrificed their lives to defend our Constitution and make this possible. We are grateful to all the patriots still working for freedom, thousands of whom we've had the privilege of meeting in recent months

 

Read More: Click Thanksgiving Wishes

The New York Times Profiles Dr. Rand Paul(R): An Unexpected Contender in the 2010 Senate Race in KY

· FRANKFORT, Ky. — Representative Ron Paul proved to be a surprising presence in the presidential race in 2008. Now his son, Dr. Rand Paul, has become an unexpected contender in the 2010 Senate race in Kentucky.

Capitalizing on a hearty distrust of government and an anti-Republican-establishment fervor among conservatives, he has used the Internet to raise more than $1.3 million since he began his campaign in August.

To read this proflile click here

Why is KY Attorney General Jack Conway(D) Stonewalling Questions about a Multi-Million Dollar Investment In Kinder-Morgan, a Texas Energy Company?

NEWS RELEASE

November 20, 2009 
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 Contact: Kim Geveden
(502) 682-2010
[email protected]

Annette Lee
(502) 498-4008x230
[email protected]

Conway's Refusing to Explain Why He Invested 91% of Stock Holdings - up to $4.98 Million - in Company that Calls Investments in Clean Coal Technology "Wasting Enormous Sums of Money"

Did Conway Invest in Kinder-Morgan in Spring 2009 to Enrich Himself if Cap and Trade Passed?

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FRANKFORT --- Yesterday at the Kentucky Association of Counties candidate forum, Attorney General Jack Conway continued stonewalling on questions about his multi-million dollar investment in Texas energy company Kinder-Morgan, one of the largest transporters of natural gas in the United States. He deflected answering questions about his own finances by saying Daniel Mongiardo also owns stock in a natural gas company.

“How does Jack Conway justify  investing millions  in a Texas energy company that advocates replacing Kentucky coal with natural gas, a company in which Conway stands to profit at the expense of Kentucky’s coal industry, the thousands of Kentuckians it employs, and Kentucky consumers who would  have to pay higher electric rates?  For Jack Conway to profit at the financial expense of Kentucky families is nothing less than outrageous,”  said Kim Geveden, Mongiardo campaign spokesman.

Conway’s investment in Kinder-Morgan came in Spring 2009 came at the same time Congress was trying to pass ‘Cap & Trade’ legislation. According to Natural Gas Week, if a ‘Cap & Trade’ bill passes Congress, use of natural gas will increase significantly while use of coal will go down.

“If ‘Cap & Trade’ passes, which Jack Conway previously supported, he stands to make a huge personal profit at the expense of Kentucky coal  and Kentucky families who will have to pay significantly higher electric rates," said  Geveden.

 

Mongiardo readily acknowledged at the candidates forum owning $24,000 (less than 3% of his stock holdings) worth of stock in a natural gas company that he purchased more than 16 years ago in 1993.  In sharp contrast, Jack Conway refused to divulge even when he made the up to $4.98 million investment in Kinder-Morgan energy, a substantial 91% of his entire stock assets.

Conway refuses to answer simple questions about his staggering investment in this known anti-coal energy company:

• How much does Conway have invested in Kinder-Morgan Energy?
• From where or from whom did Conway get the  millions to invest in Kinder-Morgan?
• What is the specific date Jack Conway invested in Kinder-Morgan?  Was it in the days surrounding the launch of his campaign and establishment of his $5 million “margin” account at Hilliard Lyons?
• What is Conway’s relationship with Sara Morgan who contributed the double maximum – $4,800 – to his campaign on September 30, or her husband, Richard V. Morgan, the co-founder of Kinder-Morgan Energy?

  “For Conway to equate a $24,000 investment made 16 years ago with his multi-million dollar investment in Kinder-Morgan barely 16 weeks, ago, while ‘Cap and Trade’ legislation was being debated and passed in the House of Representatives is completely ridiculous,” said Geveden. “Voters have a right to know the extent of Conway’s investment and personal relationship with Kinder-Morgan.  And Jack Conway has an obligation to provide them with that information, directly and honestly,” he added

 

Republican vs. Republican in a Testy Exchange at a U.S. Senate Candidates Forum in Louisville, KY

NKY.com blog on Kentucky Politics

Rand Paul’s official campaign site shows an entry was posted on his campaign blog…that says he believes Guantanamo Bay should be shut down – a viewpoint in direct conflict with his views today..

Within hours, the (Trey) Grayson camp issued a statement saying “Rand Paul proved today … that he is practiced in the Washington art of flip-flopping.”

Paul campaign manager David Adams denied the charge,,, it(closing down of Gitmo) ”was posted on his Web site six months ago unbeknownst to..

To read more about this data click Grayson vs.Paul

Watch WHAS-TV'S Coverage of U.S. Senate Candidates Forum (11/19/2009)in Louisville, KY

2010 Kentucky Senate Update: Conway(D-KY) Admits Investing Up To $4.98 Million in Texas Energy Company in Spring of ‘09

NEWS RELEASE

November 19, 2009 
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Kim Geveden
(502) 682-2010
[email protected]

Annette Lee
(502) 498-4008x230
[email protected]

 

Conway Stands to Make Huge Profits At The Expense of Kentucky’s Coal Industry & Consumers

Conway Stonewalls Answering Why He Invested Over 90% of His Assets in Kinder-Morgan Which Will Profit from Cap and Trade

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FRANKFORT – The campaign for Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate Jack Conway admitted for the first time on Tuesday that in the Spring of 2009, on the eve of his Senate announcement, Conway invested up to $4.98 million in Kinder-Morgan Energy, a Texas energy company that is the largest distributor of natural gas in North America with 37,000 miles of pipelines.

Kinder-Morgan executives have been outspoken in their call for replacing coal with natural gas.  Kinder-Morgan CEO Richard Kinder wrote an op-ed published in the Houston Chronicle, saying investing in clean coal technology would be “wasting enormous sums of money.”

Conway’s investment in Kinder-Morgan came at the same time Congress is trying to pass ‘Cap & Trade’ legislation. According to Natural Gas Week, if a ‘Cap & Trade’ bill passes Congress, use of natural gas will increase significantly while use of coal will go down.

“How does Jack Conway justify investing millions in a Texas energy company that advocates replacing Kentucky coal with natural gas, a company in which Conway stands to profit at the expense of Kentucky’s coal industry, the thousands of Kentuckians it employs, and Kentucky consumers and small businesses who would have to pay higher electric rates?  For Jack Conway to profit at the financial expense of Kentucky families is nothing less than outrageous,”  said Kim Geveden, Mongiardo campaign spokesman.

According to Geveden, Conway is stonewalling answering the following questions:

• How much does Conway have invested in Kinder-Morgan Energy?
• From where or from whom did Conway get the  millions to invest in Kinder-Morgan?
• What is the specific date  Jack Conway invested in Kinder-Morgan?  Was it in the days surrounding the launch of his campaign and establishment of his $5 million “margin” account at Hilliard Lyons?
• What is Conway’s relationship with Sara Morgan who contributed the double maximum – $4,800 – to his campaign on September 30, or her husband, Richard V. Morgan, the co-founder of Kinder-Morgan Energy?

“If ‘Cap & Trade’ passes, which Jack Conway previously supported, he stands to make a huge personal profit at the expense of Kentucky coal and Kentucky families who will have to pay significantly higher electric rates. Kentucky’s economy and families cannot afford Jack Conway,” said Geveden

 

Bluegrass Politics.Com, KY: Mongiardo (D-KY) claims that Conway(D-KY) Invested between $1 million and $5 million in Texas Energy

Conway reported in August with the U.S. Senate clerk that he had invested between $1 million and $5 million in Kinder-Morgan Energy in 2008, Mongiardo’s campaign (spokesperson Kim Geveden said)

 Geveden also repeated earlier comments that Conway needs to explain why he has more than 90 percent of his wealth invested in a Texas energy company that advocates using natural gas to replace Kentucky coal.

 Conway has countered by saying he would never do anything to hurt Kentucky coal.

To Read More; Click Texas Energy

News Release from the Dr. Dan Mongiardo(D-KY) Campaign for U.S. Senate:Attorney General Jack Conway(Dem candidate for U.S. Senate)Fails to Report Huge Investment in Kinder-Morgan Energy of Texas on State's Executive Branch Ethics Form

 

NEWS RELEASE
November 17, 2009   
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Kim Geveden
(502) 682-2010
[email protected]

Annette Lee
(502) 498-4008x230
[email protected]

 

Conway Invests in the Millions on Texas Energy Products over Kentucky Coal Workers  

"Jack Conway's apparent failure to report the Kinder-Morgan stock and the fact he owns millions in a Texas company that would cost Kentuckians their jobs while he makes huge profits all raise serious questions that Conway needs to answer to Kentucky voters," said Geveden.

FRANKFORT---According to federal and state financial disclosure reports, Attorney General Jack Conway failed to disclose on his 2008 Kentucky Financial Disclosure report that he purchased $1 million-$5 million of Kinder-Morgan Energy (LP) stock, a Texas energy company that favors developing natural gas over developing clean Kentucky coal.

As reported in last Monday's Courier-Journal, according to his U.S. Senate Personal Financial Disclosure Report filed with the Senate Clerk on August  13, 2009, Conway reported investing between $1 million and $5 million dollars in Kinder-Morgan in 2008.

However, a review of his 2008 State Financial Disclosure Report filed with the Kentucky Executive Branch Ethics Commission on April 8, 2009 shows that nowhere does Conway list the Kinder-Morgan stock purchase.

"When it comes to Jack Conway's financial ties to the Texas-based energy company, Kinder-Morgan, the more we learn, the more foul the smell.  It is bad enough that Jack Conway's largest financial asset---worth millions---is stock in a Texas energy company that favors natural gas over developing clean Kentucky coal. Now, it appears Attorney General Conway did not disclose the Kinder-Morgan stock purchase on his 2008 Kentucky financial disclosure report. Jack Conway has serious questions to answer," said Kim Geveden, campaign spokesman for U.S. Senate candidate Daniel Mongiardo.

"Which financial report accurately reflects Jack Conway's financial holdings - his financial disclosure statement filed with Kentucky's Executive Branch Ethics Commission or his Financial Disclosure statement filed with the U.S. Senate Clerk?  What is Jack Conway's explanation for the discrepancy? Did the Attorney General purchase $1 million to $5 million shares (91% of his entire financial assets) of Kinder-Morgan stock in 2008 or 2009?  Exactly, how much does Conway have invested in Kinder-Morgan?" asked Geveden.

"But most importantly, Jack Conway needs to explain why he has more than 90% of his wealth invested in a Texas energy company that advocates using natural gas to replace Kentucky coal---that will destroy tens of thousands of Kentucky jobs and cause electric rates to soar,"  said Geveden.

Kinder-Morgan is one of the largest natural gas transporters in North America.  It controls over 37,000 miles of pipelines to transport natural gas throughout the United States and Canada. According to a July Houston Chronicle op-ed by Richard Kinder, CEO of Kinder-Morgan, to address climate change, "natural gas and nuclear are the only answers for the next 10 to 20 years," while developing clean coal technology will waste "enormous sums of money.

Not only is over 90% of Conway's assets invested in Kinder Morgan, but according to Conway's 3rd quarter  FEC report, Sara Morgan, the wife of founder William V. Morgan, has contributed $4800 to Conway's campaign.

According to Natural Gas Week, natural gas use will go up as natural gas is substituted for coal under cap and trade legislation.  As reported over the summer, Jack Conway said he supports cap and trade legislation.

"No matter what Jack Conway says on cap and trade now, his investments tell the real story. If cap and trade passes, natural gas use will go up while coal use will go down. As a result, Jack Conway will make huge profits on his natural gas holdings, while Kentucky families lose their jobs and pay higher electric bills.  Kentucky families simply can't afford Jack Conway," said Geveden.

 

Senator McConnell is Trying to Kill Three Birds with One New York City Fundraiser

Senator McConnell should accomplish three things vis-a-vis the New York fundraiser cited below. He shows support for two moderate Republicans in key primaries.  He also gives Cathy Bailey(R-KY) a clear negative message about running for U.S. Senate.  I doubt that Ms. Bailey, a former U.S. Ambassador and Republican National Committeewoman, would run for Senate without Mr. McConnell's blessing.

From the Washington Post, November 17, 2009

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is making his candidate preferences known in two Republican primaries -- hosting a fundraiser in New York City on Dec. 7 to benefit former New Hampshire attorney general Kelly Ayotte and Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson, who is being challenged by Rand Paul, the son of Texas Rep. RonAyotte will face at least two candidates in the GOP primary -- businessmen Ovide Lamontagne and Bill Binnie.

Joe Arnold's WHAS Blog: Conway's(D-KY) Close Ties to Natural Gas Interests

Not only is over 90% of Conway’s reported financial assets invested in Kinder-Morgan, but according to Conway’s 3^rd quarter FEC report, Sara Morgan, the wife of co-founder William V. Morgan, has contributed $4800 (the maximum allowed by law) to Conway’s campaign.

Kinder-Morgan is one of the largest natural gas transporters in North America.  It controls over 37,000 miles of pipelines to transport natural gas throughout the United States and Canada.  

To Read More: Click Conway