Posted on 03/18/2013 6:39:50 PM PDT by Colonel Kangaroo
FRANKFORT — Former Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer was charged Monday with 42 counts of violating the state ethics law, the most ever issued against an individual by the Executive Branch Ethics Commission.
"We have not seen misuse of office at this level in the nearly nine years I've been with the commission," executive director John R. Steffen told reporters.
The previous high for ethics charges against an individual was 16, Steffen said.
The ethics panel also charged seven other people, six of whom are former or current employees of the state Department of Agriculture. The final person charged was Farmer's sister, who works for the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance.
The ethics panel now will initiate administrative proceedings against the charged individuals to determine whether the alleged violations occurred. If the charges are found to be true, the commission may issue a cease-and-desist order, issue a public reprimand, recommend removal from office and set a fine of up to $5,000 per violation.
The charges against Farmer, a popular University of Kentucky basketball player in the 1990s, included misuse of state employees, misuse of state resources, improper use of grants and improper use of "Kentucky Proud" marketing funds...
(Excerpt) Read more at kentucky.com ...
Something tells me that he’ll be selling insurance or used cars in the next decade.
these charges are bad news.... so many, so rampant....
Richie Farmer was elected Kentucky’s Commissioner of Agriculture in 2003 and 2007. He was elected first and foremost because he played basketball at the University of Kentucky and secondly because of his last name’s obvious relationship to agriculture. He, to the best of my knowledge, possessed no expertise in farming or agriculture. He abused his office by violating laws and ethics. He should be held responsible for his actions. That being said, if he had been a Democrat instead of a Republican no one would have even heard about his indiscretions.
That being said, if he had been a Democrat instead of a Republican no one would have even heard about his indiscretions.
You must be from here in Kentucky because you sure know how things work around here. Not only did these charges originate during Farmers run for Lieutenant Governor they were stretched out by the Ky Dems and their Media buddys to stop any future runs by Farmer.
That being said, if he had been a Democrat instead of a Republican no one would have even heard about his indiscretions.
You must be from here in Kentucky because you sure know how things work around here. Not only did these charges originate during Farmers run for Lieutenant Governor they were stretched out by the Ky Dems and their Media buddys to stop any future runs by Farmer.
Yep! And I’ve heard similar accusations against the Attorney General here in Ky.
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