{Kentucky}...Jim Rutledge, an Ohio attorney from Columbus and chairman of the political committee Restoring America, filed paperwork last week with the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance to enable the group to make independent political expenditures in Kentucky. In a series of ads, the group blames Governor Steve Beshear for more than 90,000 lost jobs since he took office and blames him for long rides on school buses for Louisville students. Restoring America claims Beshear has mastered the art of the payoff, pocketing hundreds of thousands in campaign contributions from energy and utility companies. Yet Beshear appoints public service commissioners who set our utility rates. Sarah Jackson, executive director of the state Registry of Election Finance, says the Kentucky Constitution prohibits any candidate for public office from accepting direct contributions from corporations, but it does allow individuals to give up to $1,000 per election to a campaign. Jackson says, while it's true that Beshear's campaign has accepted many donations from people who work for energy and utility companies, as has David Williams' campaign, there's no evidence that he has taken money from any of the companies that employ those workers. The Williams' campaign says it is not involved with Restoring America. At least two Kentucky TV stations have declined to run the attack ads.
