While the men mentioned above are fine people and would make excellent Senators, as a Kentuckian who desperately wants McConnell defeated I have a personal favorite to run against him. His name is Greg Stumbo, our current Attorney-General who investigated the corrupt current Republican Governor, Ernie Fletcher, for his illegal hiring practices. He also was a very accomplished Attorney General. I want to share some of his accomplishments with all of you, and show why I am supporting him, and hoping to enlist help from many of you to convince him to run.
First, I want to talk a little about him as Kentucky's Attorney General. In his office, he made protection of Kentucky's children from predators a top priority. In times where more and more crimes are being committed against children, Stumbo fought back. Here is a link to a video of a sting ordered by Stumbo to put criminals who would prey on children behind bars:
http://www.youtube.com/...
Now, I would like to show a few of the things that show what Greg Stumbo fought for as Attorney General of Kentucky:
First, Against Delta Natural Gas Company:
Attorney General Stumbo filed documents today challenging a request by Delta Natural Gas Company’s for a $5.64 million increase in its rates. In a case pending before the Kentucky Public Service Commission, the Attorney General maintains that the company should receive no more than $3.4 million.
"The company has asked for an unjustifiable increase in its rates and we intend to challenge it in order to keep our rates as low as possible," said Stumbo. "In a time when people are already being pushed to the brink on energy prices, it is essential that my office continue to serve as the consumer’s primary advocate before the Public Service Commission and argue for reasonable rates."
Delta, along with other natural gas providers, is also requesting Commission approval for ratemaking changes which will unfairly guarantee profits in the future, according to Attorney General Stumbo.
"A utility is a monopoly and its rates should be set in a manner which enables the company an opportunity to earn a reasonable profit – not a guarantee of the profit," contended Stumbo. "Delta wants to earn a profit regardless of how well it is run, even if it provides poor service. My Office of Rate Intervention will continue to battle against the company’s request for guaranteed profits."
Delta serves over approximately 38,000 customers in 23 counties.
http://www.kentucky.gov/...
He is a leader on the fight to make sure that every vote in Kentucky is counted fairly:
Attorney General Greg Stumbo today demanded that electronic voting machine manufacturers immediately correct security flaws identified in an independent review by experts in California.
The Attorney General’s letters to Hart InterCivic and Diebold Election Systems, Inc. require the voting machine makers to immediately upgrade their products or face a lawsuit by Kentucky.
"Security upgrades are needed immediately to ensure voter confidence in the upcoming election," said Attorney General Stumbo. "Waiting and hoping for the best is not an option when the problems are obvious. Kentucky deserves the same prompt corrective action as California."
Stumbo’s call for action was publicly criticized by Secretary of State Trey Grayson yesterday.
"I cannot share Mr. Grayson’s do-nothing attitude," commented Stumbo. "Kentucky is a first class state that deserves the same voter security and protection as the California Secretary of State demanded and received."
In a letter responding to Secretary of State Grayson yesterday, Stumbo explained the need for immediate attention to voting machine flaws. Among the action items identified by Stumbo were the following:
The voting machines are barred from use in California until the security flaws are fixed. Kentucky deserves the same protection.
Optical ballot scanners touted by Secretary Grayson would not fix the defective machines. Security upgrades must be implemented.
Kentucky erroneously certified the same machines now known to be faulty, requiring an immediate reexamination.
"The solution to this problem is plain to me," Stumbo concluded. "Voting machine manufacturers must repair what is broken and provide ample support to our hard working County Clerks as they conduct free and fair elections. The voters, the County Clerks, and the Commonwealth of Kentucky deserve no less."
http://www.kentucky.gov/...
Stumbo has shown that he will fight to protect fair elections, and that is desperately needed in the Senate. Stumbo is right inline with Americans and Kentuckians on this important issue. Our right to vote.
He also fought against another utility that sought to raise its prices 25% on hardworking Kentucky families:
Attorney General Greg Stumbo filed documents today challenging a request by Kentucky-American Water Company for a $13.2 million increase in its rates which would increase monthly bills by 25 percent. In a case pending before the Kentucky Public Service Commission, the Attorney General contends that the company should receive no more than $4.8 million.
"The company has asked for an excessive increase in its rates and I am standing firm for consumers," said Stumbo. "It is wrong when utility companies constantly file for unjustifiable rate increases, as Kentucky-American has done here. My office will do everything it can to defeat this outrageous proposal."
The Public Service Commission, which must approve the Company’s request, will hold a hearing on the matter on September 18, 2007.
Kentucky-American serves over 118,000 customers in 11 counties. The company last filed for a rate case in 2004 and asked for $6.6 million but was awarded only $3.6 million.
http://www.kentucky.gov/...
Now, this next one is personal to me. I am a costumer of Atmos Energy and Greg Stumbo also fought them and won a large decrease in the increase on my gas bill:
Attorney General Stumbo today signed an agreement with Atmos Energy Corporation which reduces a pending natural gas rate increase by nearly half of the amount Atmos originally sought. The agreement limits Atmos to a general increase of $5.5 million, a decrease of slightly more than $4.9 million, or 47.1%, from its original request of approximately $10.4 million.
In addition to the amount of settlement, Atmos has agreed to withdraw two provisions from its original request which would have guaranteed recovery of certain costs without giving the Public Service Commission and the Attorney General any meaningful opportunity to evaluate those costs.
"Under this agreement, Atmos customers will experience a much smaller increase in their natural gas rates," said Attorney General Stumbo. "I will continue to closely scrutinize all utility rate increases to ensure consumers are not being required to pay more than is reasonable."
The Public Service Commission, which must approve the settlement, will hold a hearing on the matter on July 10th, 2007.
Atmos Energy serves almost 173,000 customers in central and western Kentucky.
http://www.kentucky.gov/...
He also alerted federal investigators to evidence to fight Gasoline Price Gouging:
Attorney General Stumbo today contacted members of the United States House and Senate regarding gas price gouging evidence amassed during an 18-month probe by the Office of the Attorney General. Stumbo addressed a letter to members of committees investigating national gas pricing and studying a possible federal price gouging statute, as well as to Kentucky’s entire Congressional delegation.
Stumbo's letter notes that Kentucky is the first state to sue a major oil refinery for violation of gas price gouging laws. On May 10, 2007 Stumbo filed an action alleging that Marathon Oil Corporation and two of its subsidiaries overcharged consumers more than $89 million in the months following hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The letter offers to share evidence of price gouging with federal legislators in response to a Congressional subpoena.
"We will protect Kentucky consumers from profiteering by oil companies, but a national solution is needed for this growing problem," Attorney General Stumbo said. "Reliable information is the key to wise lawmaking, and Congress should examine our evidence of profiteering as it debates this issue."
The letters were sent to the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (Chair Jeff Bingaman, NM); U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (Chair Daniel Inouy, HI); The House Committee on Energy and Commerce (Chair John Dingell, MI); and The House Committee on Education and Labor (George Miller, CA).
Some matters currently pending before the committees follow: Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation - S.94–Gasoline Consumer Anti-Price Gouging Protection Act; House Committee on Energy and Commerce Committee - H.R. 1252–Federal Price Gouging Prevention Act; House Committee on Education and Labor Committee - H.R. 1252–Federal Price Gouging Prevention Act; Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on May 15, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. about Short-Term Energy Outlook: Summer 2007: Oil and Gasoline.
"Gas price gouging is not only an issue here at home, but it’s of national concern," said Attorney General Stumbo. "My litigation team and national experts in the field of petroleum pricing have reviewed voluminous amounts of evidence in this case – evidence that may be helpful to those reviewing gas price gouging on the national level."
The body of the letter reads: "After an 18-month investigation, my office filed the first lawsuit of its kind by a state Attorney General against a major oil refiner alleging price gouging. In the groundbreaking complaint, filed on May 10, 2007, I have alleged that Marathon Oil Corporation, and two of its subsidiaries, Marathon Petroleum, LLC and Speedway SuperAmerica, LLC, broke Kentucky’s price gouging law, KRS 367.372, et seq. This complaint is available on our website at www.ag.ky.gov.
The voluminous documentation obtained in this probe reveals that Kentucky consumers were overcharged by $89 million in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Obviously, this evidence is highly relevant to federal price gouging review and subsequent policy making. My office would be pleased to share this information in response to a Congressional subpoena."
Attorney General Stumbo further offers his assistance in answering any questions regarding the investigation.
http://www.kentucky.gov/...
As you can clearly see, Stumbo is not afraid to take on and fight the most powerful, or fight for the most helpless. He definately puts the needs of his constituents over those of Corporate America.
Having been in politics a while, he has made some mistakes and enemies. Republicans are quick to attack:
An out-of-wedlock child; a guilty plea to public intoxication; 19 years as Kentucky House floor leader, where enemies are made as easily as friends.
Northern Kentucky Republicans were happy Tuesday to pull out the baggage from Democrat Attorney General Greg Stumbo's past.
Stumbo "is well-known but he has a lot of negatives," said Crescent Springs lawyer Lawson Walker, a former state legislator and GOP party official, who was attending the State of Northern Kentucky address in Erlanger.
"Mitch McConnell has been a great senator," Walker said. "There is no question he has ethics and (is) a very strong leader. We don't need to lose the leader of the Republican Party in the Senate. That helps Kentucky, no matter what party you're in."
Which brings me to why I am pulling for Stumbo to get in the race. His respose to all of this:
In an interview Tuesday from his home in the eastern Kentucky mountains, Stumbo said he isn't afraid of what the Republicans might bring up about his past.
"Where I come from, playing tough is nothing new in politics," Stumbo said. "Don't think I'm not used to that.
"I think Senator McConnell has some skeletons in his closet, too. If he chooses that route, I promise him that it will be a two-way street."
http://news.nky.com/...
Not only has this man worked for Kentuckians as Attorney General, exposing the illegal hiring practices of our Governor, working to protect our children, and working against excessive rate increases from utilities, but Greg Stumbo is a political fighter. He is not afraid to roll up his sleeves and get in the pit and sling the mud right along with McConnell and the Republicans. Just watch this short youtube video and you will see what I mean:
http://www.youtube.com/...
Now I am sorry this was a little long, but the Kentucky Senate race of 08 is very important to me being a Progressive living in the Western Kentucky city of Paducah. I really want to see McConnell beat in many ways just as much as I want to see a Democrat in the White House. I am not trying to insult any of the fine Democrats here that are considering a run at McConnell, but I honestly believe that Greg Stumbo is our best shot. He has served in Kentucky government, has won a statewide election as AG, and has many accomplishments to point to from that time in office.
Most of all he is a fighter!! When McConnell and Co. start pulling that Rovian type campaigning Greg Stumbo will stand up and smack them right back in the mouth with it. He will fight fire with fire which is exactly what we need!! As a Kentuckian I vowed to keep everyone informed when I found a candidate I think we could win this seat with. After researching the known options I have concluded that person is Attorney General Greg Stumbo and would be very excited about his candidacy. I am begging as many of you as possible to help me make this happen.
Now, Greg Stumbo has launched an exploratory site to assess whether to run or not. It is still under construction but has a message from AG Stumbo and an email address where you can contact him with any ideas or input. Please go to his site and contact him and encourage him to run, and lets Ditch Mitch McConnell in 08 with a Democratic fighter, Greg Stumbo!! Here is a link to the Stumbo Explaratory site, check it out!!:
http://stumbo2008.com/
With help from National Democrats, we can send McConnell packing!!! Please help recruit and support Greg Stumbo.
Greg Stumbo- KY Senate 08!!!!
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