Personnel Board Postpones Investigation

• {Kentucky}...The Kentucky Personnel Board postponed a decision Friday on an anonymous request for another investigation into whether political appointees in the Department of Agriculture have been illegally transferring into protected positions to avoid being let go in an upcoming change of administration. Investigators will have to work through a maze of rhetoric to determine whether the complaints have merit or if they resulted to attack Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer, a Republican lieutenant gubernatorial candidate. Democratic Party Chairman Dan Logsdon says, "Kentuckians have every right to wonder what on earth is going on at Farmer's department." In a meeting Friday, the Personnel Board, which serves as a watchdog of sorts over the hiring and firing of state workers, voted to delay action on the latest request until after an administrative hearing officer reviews the matter, a process that could run into next year.