CN|2 Politics

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is trying to feed a narrative that U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell is obstructionist-in-chief after this week’s back-and-forth on the U.S. Senate floor over judicial nominations. On the Senate floor Wednesday, McConnell criticized Senate Democratic leaders for selectively taking up judicial nominees. He called it a “manufactured crisis” and part of a “culture of intimidation” extending from the White House. For instance, McConnell said, while Democrats moved to confirm a federal judge for the District of Columbia,... Read more 

As U.S. farmers increasingly rely on genetically modified crops to boost their yields, that has spawned new questions for makers of finished food products, including America’s official drink that’s distilled here in Kentucky. Bill Samuels Sr., the founder of Maker’s Mark, says genetically modified organisms don’t affect the end product of bourbon even though the liquor must be composed of at least 51 percent corn (and must be aged in new charred white oak barrels). But he said if consumers... Read more 

With the Eastern Kentucky coal industry losing steam, the region needs more investment in job retraining funded by the coal industry itself, suggested environmental lawyer Tom FitzGerald. FitzGerald, speaking at a Louisville forum Tuesday on coal regulation, said he wants to see a portion of coal severance tax money go toward a trust fund for job education. Coal severance taxes are paid by mining companies to counties for the effects of extracting the coal and transporting it on county... Read more 

After handling contentious executives, a Louisville-based management consultant decided to apply his board room approach to controversial public policy issues. T. Alan Claypool, founder of TAC4 Solutions, figured if he could help diffuse tense workplace situations, then surely he could get people of opposite philosophies to see some common ground — and perhaps stumble upon solutions. It’s like marriage counseling for policy junkies. Claypool has dubbed these forums “Tackle” sessions. And on Tuesday, coal regulation — specifically whether Kentucky should... Read more 

Kentucky Democrats are doing plenty of thinking and talking and diligence doing, but not a whole lot of running yet when it comes to the 2014 U.S. Senate race against Republican U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell. Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes is still gathering information from national Democrats about how to take on the Senate Republican leader, who will have as much as $25 million in his campaign account. She told reporters Wednesday morning that she was still undecided and... Read more 

Speaking to a familiar crowd at the Woodford County Farm Bureau on Tuesday night, independent candidate in the 56th House race John Mark Hack showed off his agriculture policy experience but also his opposition to a key initiative for many horse owners in that district. The forum was the first time Hack, Democratic nominee James Kay and Republican nominee Lyen Crews met to face voters in the special election race to represent voters from Woodford County, western Lexington, and eastern... Read more 

While Senate and House leaders acknowledge that they will have to draw new legislative district lines in a special session this fall, State Sen. Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, said the House needs to stick to its own map and butt out of the Senate’s business. Two federal court challenges have been filed to force lawmakers to act on redistricting. This week, House Speaker Greg Stumbo responded to the federal lawsuit and included a suggested Senate map . However, Thayer said Stumbo’s suggested... Read more