FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky’s Democratic attorney general sued his state’s Republican governor on Monday, saying he overstepped his authority when he ordered budget cuts for state colleges and universities without legislative approval.
Republican Gov. Matt Bevin has proposed $650 million in state spending cuts over the next two years as part of a plan to begin paying down the state’s public pension debt, estimated at more than $30 billion. Part of that plan included budget reductions of 4.5 percent, or $41 million, for the state’s colleges and universities in the last three months of the fiscal year.
State lawmakers rejected that plan. They have still not approved a two-year state spending plan, but neither the House nor the Senate included current-year cuts for colleges and universities in its budget proposal.
But Bevin cut their budgets anyway, and Attorney General Andy Beshear gave Bevin seven days to rescind his order. Bevin ignored him.
On Monday, Beshear announced he had filed a lawsuit in Franklin County Circuit Court. He calledBevin’s order “unconstitutional and illegal.”
“I do not take any joy or satisfaction out of this action,” Beshear said at the news conference. “Over the last seven days, it was my hope that the governor would listen to reason, comply with the law and rescind his order. He did not.”
Bevin spokeswoman Jessica Ditto responded that the governor’s office strongly disagrees with Beshear’s action and “will respond as necessary in court.”
Beshear wants a judge to issue an injunction forcing the governor to release the funds to each university, his office said in a news release. Beshear is requesting expedited review by the court.
The lawsuit further escalates what has become a political feud between Bevin, Beshear and the attorney general’s father, former Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear. Before Bevin took office, he called Steve Beshear an “embarrassment” after the then-governor appointed his wife to an unpaid position to the board of directors for the Kentucky Horse Park.
Steve Beshear has also started a nonprofit organization dedicated to opposing Bevin’s attempts to undo the state’s health care exchange.
“This is not political,” Andy Beshear said Monday. “It’s not Democrats versus Republicans. It’s not about upcoming or future elections. It’s not Bevin versus Beshear. It’s not even about pensions versus higher education. It’s about the law and my duty as attorney general to enforce it. And it’s not personal. No governor has the power to do what this governor has done.”
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I really appreciated former Governor Beshear, and I can’t wait for the next Governor Beshear. Folks can say what the will about dynasties, but I’m increasingly impressed with the new AG. He stepped out of the gate swinging for the fences, and I suspect crazy ass, bagger Bevin will keep him extremely busy.
Is Bevin really that stupid? I mean even for a pubbie…
Look when your own party, legislators and AG all say no, it does mean something to fly in their faces. Given almost unanimous opposition, what does Bevin think the KY Supreme Court will do? Will he ignore them too?
Can he be recalled? Anyone here know KY’s statutes on a recall petition?
Certainly it can’t cost very much to inform Kentucky youth Jesus rode a dinosaur and all Muslims are going to hell. Once that knowledge is imparted what else could they possibly need to know?
http://www.politicususa.com/2016/02/21/kentucky-governor-bevin-facing-impeachment-petition-month-office.html
He can’t be recalled, but he can be impeached and it’s nearly impossible to do that much. The voters of KY are stuck with Bevin, and I think a lot of us damn well deserve to be. Let him work his magic over the next four years and I do believe KY voters will be begging for a Democratic governor.
But the Koch’s bought that cut when Bevin got the job.