Williams says Beshear intends to appoint Kelly to bench

[ccharles000]

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Senate President David Williams said Wednesday that he expects Gov. Steve Beshear to appoint Majority Leader Dan Kelly to a vacant circuit judgeship as part of an effort to remove Republicans from the Senate.

In July Beshear, a Democrat, named Republican Sen. Charlie Borders to the Public Service Commission, and his seat was won by Democratic Rep. Robin Webb of Grayson in a special election.

Webb's victory narrowed the Republican majority in the Senate to 20-17, with one independent who caucuses with the GOP.

Williams, R-Burkesville, said the governor's tactics are damaging his chances of passing important measures that require bipartisan support.

“This governor who said (as a candidate in 2007) that it didn't matter whether it was a Republican idea or a Democrat idea, has no idea of what he's doing as far as the political atmosphere up here. He's poisoning it,” Williams told reporters Wednesday at an impromptu news conference.

Beshear spokesman Jay Blanton said the governor has a record of working in a bipartisan manner with the General Assembly. He cited efforts to maintain education funding despite the recession as well as passage in June of bills to expand economic development incentives and create an authority to allow progress in building the Ohio River bridges at Louisville.

But Blanton added, “The governor has consistently said that during elections he will support Democrats and people who support his agenda.”

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20090902/NEWS01/909020411/Williams+says+Beshear+intends+to+appoint+Kelly+to+bench