Occasionally, the 13th Floor has taken note of the hiring scandal bedeviling Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher (pictured left). An investigation by state Attorney General Greg Stumbo (pictured right) has resulted in 13 indictments, so far. Fletcher's strategy has been to brazen it out, pardoning aides and denying wrongdoing.
It's in that context that Fletcher's proposed budget is so intriguing. He wants to cut funding for Stumbo's office by $2.1 million over the next two years.
"If [Stumbo] focuses his resources on what he is supposed to be doing, he will have plenty of resources to accomplish his goals," Fletcher told reporters. Fletcher admitted he was tempted to cut Stumbo's budget even more, but resisted.
It's true that Fletcher also wants to cut other executive departments, including his own office. But given the ongoing legal fight, which is ultimately about whether Fletcher abused his powers for political purposes, his move inevitably raises questions about what Fletcher really thinks Stumbo "is supposed to be doing."
