>> Governor Andy Beshear is in the national conversation as Democrats decide how to move forward in the race for the White House.

>> Kentucky's process for removing voters is challenged in court.

The resignation letter of the former LMPD Police chief is made public Kentucky's new education commissioner begins his job and lays out his mission on this weekend after Independence Day comment is next on KET.

♪ ♪ Good evening.

I'm Bill Bryant fan.

We welcome you to comment on Kentucky.

A look back and some analysis.

All of the week's news in the Commonwealth and the gas on our panel of working Kentucky journalists tonight are Monica Harkins, anchor and reporter for WDRB in Louisville, Mario Anderson, anchor and host of in Focus, Kentucky for Spectrum News.

One and Austin Horn, political reporter for the Lexington Herald-Leader.

Also tonight, most crimes in Kentucky are down, but 2 are happening more often.

And Owensboro remembers a businessman who changed the western Kentucky city and beyond.

We have a lot to Feels like a continuing holiday weekend here.

Let's start with Governor Beshear's trip to Washington where he was one of the Democratic governors who met with President Biden.

Beshear stood out because he is in the conversation as a possible national contender.

Should the president decide that he is going to step aside and his campaign?

The sheer calls that flattering.

>> Well, listen, it's flattering when people mention your name and something like that.

But I think it's a reflection of all the good things going on in Kentucky that that's compared to the rest of the country.

The temperatures been turned down here.

I love being governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

A plan on continuing to be a governor of the Commonwealth.

The Kentucky I'm not going to speculate on this.

Is he running or is he not?

Because he says he's.

>> He's running the only way I would ever consider anything other than this job, which I loved.

If I felt that I could help this commonwealth in special and important twice.

>> We got here, of course, because of President Biden's performance in last week's debate this week, it all seemed to ramp up.

We'll notice that Bashir's name.

Austin was prominent in news articles that distributed nationally.

He was even polled against a Republican former President Donald Trump.

>> I mean, this is a constantly evolving news cycle, right?

It's probably changing, right.

As we're speaking by President Biden's interview with George Stephanopoulos is airing right now.

But for us, the main point there for us in Kentucky.

The main point is Governor Beshear is in that discussion whatever.

Form it he's been mentioned in DC and across the nation as somebody to watch if there is movement on this Democratic ticket.

I do think the discussion around him as kind of congealed around vice president instead of president there's a lots of if statements that need to occur for a Stephen get to that discussion right?

it's it's been very interesting to watch.

And you saw from his response just there.

He he previously has pledged to serve every day of his term.

And I think it was a careful wording.

For him to KET that pledge facially but also leave a little bit of wiggle room with the you know, if it is a job.

>> That I thought could really help Kentuckians that I would take it.

So where we're seeing pretty much every day kind of in drips and drabs.

But Beshear continues to be a part of the state is use clear interest to X right?

>> And it changed.

If you noticed it changed after he went to the White House.

And I think that that's an important differentiation to Austin's point.

But the news cycle is ever changing.

He asked to hear from Biden.

How is your health?

We know from reports might not be from the shares mouth himself because he wasn't one of the people that did post interviews.

But we know that his lack of sleep apparently was debated and discussed.

And now the president says he's going to be trying to get more rest.

So maybe that wasn't exactly what the show was expecting to hear.

And maybe that's why we're starting to hear.

>> If the Commonwealth could benefit instead of well at the will that President Biden do its thing.

>> Yeah, it's been a daily cycle.

We start this past Monday, talking in Frank Front kind of not leading all the way in, but more kind of saying you want to hear more from the for the president.

But then Tuesday night he was on CNN talking in once again from Frankfort.

But then Wednesday night he was in Washington, D.C., where he could have appeared virtually talk with the president, other Democratic governors.

But he made a point to be and the nation's capital in the White House to be in the room for those conversations are being had and, you know, nothing is typically by accident in politics.

Special Kentucky.

>> What we've all seen the share of shut reporters down.

If you didn't want to talk about something there in COVID you know, said, but in this he in fact, in Louisville today, I think he pulled him aside and that discussion, right.

And that's why this statement makes such a different impact than the statements before.

Not only was this press conference optional and available to the journalist in Louisville.

This was something he KET he was going to be asked about, even though the questions already been asked.

So to change his approach is it's totally something to KET an eye on.

>> Yeah, it just goes to show I mean, in politics it it doesn't hurt.

It never hurts to have your name in the discussion for higher office.

So this is it feels like to Monica's point strategic play.

I'm on the bus.

Your team's part to really get his name out there and maybe some strong strategist see works well and he's continuing to work with the Reno air, Kyra, as his top political consultant, as as one him too.

>> The Burnet Oriole races in a state that elects Republicans like Donald Trump by 25 plus points so that the pact in this together packed the governor.

Beshear is speaking across the country.

So part of that is raising money to be able to use in various ways and the governor's only 46 years old.

So the 2 top candidates there, you know, obviously the closer the the 80's.

So we sure as a 40 years still the kind of figure out what it was a D a Mary.

When you saw that when he formed that pack and started making these trips out of state, he had his eye more on 2028.

>> events kind dictate time in politics, right?

That has an especially Kamala Harris, who's the current vice president people working to figure out what she may do over the next several years.

But a lot of discussion now has also as mentioned, Monica, that the vice president to ideas floating around there.

Kamala Harris King from California may be looking for, you know, southern governor southern type of leader to join her ticket if she moves on later on and we will see, you've got to be sure enters that space.

Well, let's see what some others are saying.

A Republican commissioner of the agriculture jobs and shale makes it clear that he is for Donald Trump for president.

But in an interview with me this week channel acknowledge that he can see the shares political appeal beyond the borders of Kentucky.

>> Governor Beshear is his name is in the head for that.

I think that he would be a tough opponent coming from a red state.

Been a blue state Democrat or a red state Democrat elected governor.

And they would just be interesting to watch what the political climate looks like as we move forward.

But 100% in for Trump have been endorsed him and will vote for him in November.

>> We know Austin, Bashir's and energetic campaigner.

Seldom makes a gaffe on the That was also a trade of his father.

We used to say that would be sheer campaign is on time and on message, end very disappointed in the end that one of the things has been characteristic of this governor.

Would that serve him well, if he were you know, take a staff.

Yeah.

Think kind of the first said when I was thinking about.

>> Lieutenant and earlier race last year when Daniel Cameron was picking his Lieutenant Governor sort of the first kind of Montrezl that people follow when they think about a running mate is do no harm.

So you want somebody who's really disciplined, who will not provide, you know, that foot in their mouth moment where they say something totally wrong that gets taken out of context.

This year's definitely not that guy.

And when you think about other people who might run alongside Kamala You kind of get a batch of people kind of of his ilk Roy Cooper, North Carolina is one.

He's somebody, another Democrat governor.

There's one in a red state.

Josh Shapiro is a Democratic governor in Pennsylvania whose one and a purple state that could be politically advantageous for this this year.

And then this was interesting to I guess our reporter Jonathan Martin of Politico mention William McRaven, who former general and I think former chancellor of the University of Texas, a college system might be considered as kind of a sort of a reassurance to voters and our allies on on a national security kind of basis.

So I look in that pool and Bashir is right up there and somebody I think that a lot of people perceive as a guy who would absolutely take this role if it were offered, I would say to, you know, go to Syria depending what happens with the election cycle.

And Biden administration, you know, they're still.

>> He would be qualified according to some to believe the multiple Cabinet, sir, based off during a transportation or not commerce energy think different things like that.

So, you know, again, we'll see which will see what happens over the next couple years as things pan out, definitely not shying away have a conversation.

Well, as we wrap up this part of the conversation, we we know know what we know.

But Monica, you know it.

It has to be the Bush >> Having other discussions with his family with those who are close to his advisors and so on about the road ahead.

>> Oh, yeah.

I mean, I think we we we don't know what's going on behind closed doors.

But if we already were speculating about a 2028 presidential run, he's already had those conversations with his family.

He talks a lot about being there for baseball games and you can't be in Iowa giving a political speech and make it to the baseball game.

So those conversations have already been had.

I mean, if you think about just event calendars in general, when you have a family, a partner, those conversations are already going on and especially with strategists in long-term planning.

There's a lot going on that we don't know the details of.

>> His office announced this afternoon he'll make a trip to Japan and South Coming up next.

Well, next week, I think so.

That was sort of interesting timing in the middle of all of this as well.

>> Talk about worldliness trying to get a bigger view.

Some might say, oh, it's just a Kentucky governor and now he's going across the the big ocean here and changing his perspective, possibly right on time.

>> Secretary of State Michael Adams has said that cleaning up Kentucky is voter rolls has been a top priority for him, but his efforts are under challenge now in a lawsuit.

This is people should get notice before their purged from the rolls.

Austin.

>> The Kentucky INS for the Progress sued over this law will be interesting to see as the reactions kind of continue to trickle out what the Bashir offices, opinion of this lawsuit is this I think touted as a bipartisan bill when it was passed in 2021.

Beshear at the very least signed it.

So we'll see where it goes in the Western District.

I don't believe it's been assigned yet, but it's definitely a lawsuit to watch the Cold Front lines.

9,000 new voters have the have gone on the roads and then and he's removing of those who are >> deceased and some you or maybe or in another state or something of that nature.

He said his goal is that somebody not be able to vote in more than one state.

Kentucky's new education Commissioner Robbie Fletcher's started to his new duties on Monday, July.

1st, the Kde put out a release saying that Fletcher brings in all and added to do the job but also talked about how he would marvel is a child about his mother's ability to do the math for the family grocery bill in her head money.

He said if his mother had that she would maker selections and come within pennies point was we have a lot of smart Kentuckians out there who deserve opportunities.

>> And I was very impressed that it was very impressive and made the very well that it didn't matter that his parents, he said never got the opportunity to graduate from high school.

>> But look at the real-life education that they were able to give themselves and to be able to then give give him as a first generation college student.

I think the thing that he is really putting out there is saying that education can not only lead to an academic well-being and background, but also a social and worldly experience.

He said he because of the academic team that he was on for the very first time he was able to go to like a sporting event into the movie theater.

And he's just saying there are so many things that kids should be exposed to and we can do that with better education opportunities.

>> And he says also he plans to be out about across Kentucky, watching various involving students that are receiving education.

He wants to be right there with the students cross the families and so we'll see again how that process for him.

Do you think that the fact that he's a product of that, he's been a local superintendent, he was on the academic team.

He knows have Kentucky classrooms and education works.

>> Will be a benefit to assuming this role.

>> It should be.

But office of a watch live from the General Assembly who, you know, the Senate voted to from him and for the position.

But, you know, the city.

>> We'll see how exactly I hope it's not too much to him like he didn't bite off more than he could chew here.

I think, you know, we've got a really big state and you're say you're going to be at all the events and the 120 probably the best a camera.

Yeah.

Mario's Point about the General Assembly watching in political tight rope and Kentuckyian this job, Austin has become you know, politicize job in recent years.

It's a little bit of Fletcher begins his right in the middle of a battle over a constitutional amendment about to.

>> School choice.

How much of a balance is it for him to champion public schools?

Well, also realizing that the super majority in both chambers of the state legislature put that amendment on the ballot.

>> It's got to be You know it.

You're charged with.

Sort of being the defender of public schools may be not politically, but operationally, at least in the state.

And, you know, there have to be people tugging at him on all sides of this issue constantly.

And he's somebody who was able to thread that political needle and his confirmation process.

As you pointed out.

But he's going to have to KET threading that needle over and over and over again until this November, because, you know, Republicans are really hot about this amendment by and large.

And then there's a public school community that.

We don't have polling to necessarily back this up, but it sure seems like will be on the other side.

So where he lands on that?

I don't But I think he's Martin County background and his academic team background as somebody who the academic team as well will help him in the future.

It will be a lot to watch a woman there right?

>> Well, there are lots of opioid abatement projects going on in the state, funded by a settlement over produce farmers, marketing of opioids over the years.

The U.S. Supreme Court is now cast to a lot of doubt on that settlement.

Monica.

>> Yeah, I think the long and short of this is that once the Supreme Court has gotten involved and said, hey, this isn't going to work, you're going to go back to the drawing board.

It's an issue for the families and the people really waiting to see the money in their communities.

If you think about how quickly drug addictions grab a hold of people and how quickly it is to overdose, the longer you wait to get someone into treatment, the more at risk they are of death.

And that's exactly what the money would go to fight.

So this is just prolonging the process of those families, seen relief even more.

>> That said this all rolls out.

Well, a crime out this week from Kentucky State Police shows the crime is down in many categories.

That numbers for 2023 show homicides, robbery, kidnapping, sex offenses and gambling charges were all down.

Mario, there were 2 areas of concern.

The stood out, though, animal cruelty and human trafficking.

Both saw increases.

That's right.

And they do.

A cruelty of Ksp says that there's a 35% increase during the year 2023.

>> and between the information they didn't mention that they thought the awareness efforts that are happening across the state but also across the country are helping get people were involved in arresting sure.

Those are those that may be one of the contributing factors in why those numbers are higher.

But that's a an area that they're going continue to tackle and the state legislature to pass a bill, a lull Athens that addresses animal cruelty and torching dogs and cats and making it a Class D felony goes into effect here soon in July.

So we'll see if they get to those numbers go down at all.

But definitely a high interest by K S P was also the Safer Kentucky Act which passed in had some controversy back in the session.

But it will.

>> It will increase penalties for some crimes.

Sure.

Well, there's that's one of the bills that still has.

A lot of conversations are so many prongs to the state of Kentucky Acton.

>> Still, a lot of legislation is being worked out of the Supreme Court, weighed in on the homelessness for related treating camping and whether police can arrest someone if they're out and that area Sunday into place where people can sleep overnight.

So you will see how the State of Kentucky Act continues to move forward as goes into effect in July.

We'll note effect of that ruling was they said, yes, they can be can be charged.

>> The resignation letter of former LMPD Police Chief Jacqueline going to the royal became public this weekend.

It spoke of a toxic culture and divisiveness.

It shed some light on her tenure, Monica and on her departure.

>> Oh, yeah.

I think that she line it all out for us.

The biggest question before the release of the resignation letter was, was she asked to resign or did she resign on her own resolve?

And the very first thing it said following the mayor's request for resignation.

And I think that was really kind of a hey, I I didn't want to be taken off.

And so then she goes forward and says that they're normally probably not this long of a resignation letter.

But I think that people need to know there's a divide and there are people that want the old way.

And there are people that were trying to clean up LMPD and make it better.

It's not really surprised that she said that there's problems an LMPD because that he OJ is already involved.

The community is already involved.

It's more so her saying I tried my best to change it and they the people didn't want to change within the institution, which is where there is a problem.

>> The mayor did not further comment.

All right.

Said leave it to the letter, which I was kind of surprised because our mayor is pretty quick.

>> To to give us comment, he is one to really offer an additional here.

There.

Anything all he said.

I'll leave it to the letter.

Where does appear things go from here with LMPD?

>> Oh, boy, I think a lot of people are looking to interim chief acting chief Icij should say Paul Humphrey in the sense that he's a Louisville guy.

He grew up here.

He's been here through all of the different changes.

But what I think people, especially journalists are going to be looking into during this period is what does his involvement look like in all the tumultuous LMPD drama, if you will, because his name wasn't in the forefront yet.

So did he get away with anything?

I don't know.

But that's what we're going to be looking into is the options are considered what it looks like.

He could potentially be the long-term.

>> Oh, yeah.

From the outside looking in, especially the viewers, they already love them.

>> All right.

Thanks to 6 police chief in 4 years for Louisville Metro Police Department.

So you think they would look for some stability?

You know, right, Mario, you that when your program in Focus, Kentucky recently interviewed a Kentucky Transportation Secretary Jim Gray and all that airs later this month.

What does a?

>> What does he seem to be most eager to get the most important things he wants to make sure that the projects throughout KET in the state are on track and they're completed as they are.

>> Mapped out based off of the construction plans.

there's 3 mega projects.

The governor Beshear campaigned on a back in 2019.

And those are the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor project in northern Kentucky.

The Mountain Parkway in eastern Kentuckyian also the I-69 will hire a crossing in western Kentucky.

Secretary Gray is all about making sure that those projects are going forward as planned.

No delays and limited as possible.

But then also to 5.2 billion dollar Transportation Road Project plan that is overseeing 4400 employees across the transportation cabinet.

So make sure all with what's the phrase a cross in the the T's and dot the I's.

>> Well, before, you know, he has a construction is, but it's his life and business and so on.

But yet he acknowledged to you that he's been surprised by some of the duties he has had to take on as Transportation Secretary K literally said duties as a sign.

And, you know, when he agreed to become the is asked by Governor Beshear.

>> None of the disaster relief and emergency things were on that job description, of course.

But he said he's enjoyed being able to be alongside the governor to figure out the ways to navigate all these tragedies and and since that have happened, but that is just All the other things are happening as it relates to roads and highways interstate and things like that.

Also, Senator Mitch McConnell has been all over the state in recent weeks talking about his priorities after he leaves Senate leadership indicating and talking about the fact that after November he is still a U.S. senator from Kentucky.

>> You get any sense as you hear what he's saying and and try to read between the lines, whether he will run for another term in 2026.

Or are retired that year.

>> I think he leaves little room between the lines to read much of You know, he's he's been a politician for a long time.

So he's mastered the art of the, you know, careful statement is unusually gifted with But at the same time, I think when you talk to most people behind the he is 82 years old.

And I think a lot of people do expect that there will be an open seat in 2026.

That's not to say that he can't run.

You know, Chuck Senator Chuck Grassley, an Iowa ran.

I think maybe even more advanced age but we'll see.

But that's generally the the kind impression that I get from Republicans and Democrats alike behind the scenes now say how Rogers congressman in the House, he's 86 years old, a prison riot.

>> Southern and eastern Kentucky.

So Mitch McConnell being 82 that many more and there's been this a sort of quiet hall talk that he could be interested in the appropriations role if the.

>> The particular if the Republicans were to take control, right?

That's right.

U.S. Susan Collins, a Maine, she's the current vice chair and you think the in in DC if the dinner, if the if the Democrat Republicans take over the chamber, she may get bumped up to that.

But Mitch McConnell, he's Mitch McConnell.

So he wants that position.

He could have that the potentially and then the continue to be the most powerful people in the country to allocate a federal dollars to Kentucky, but also across the country as we're less than a month away from Fancy Farm Austin.

McConnell indicate he will.

He will be there.

We don't know exactly what to who will go on Saturday.

August 3rd, we have those 2 amendments.

That's the only statewide issues on that.

But that's really not upon us.

I mean, there's not as much of a kind leading up to it.

>> I expect it to, you know, maybe be the Jamie Comer show to some extent that's kind of his the base of support down there.

And as whisper start to build about maybe the next office that you might want to occupy.

That's governor who knows.

But I do think on the other side there will be a good amount talk about the school choice going, quote, amendment and a lot of, you know, I think, gee, years from Democrats against it and who knows.

We may see somebody like Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman has been a strong opponent of the amendments.

Monica, very quickly.

Some cleanup in Louisville after a year of want >> Yeah, West Louisville got hit kind of spur of the moment, if you will, on the 4th of July.

A lot of folks celebrating doing their cookouts things of that nature right in the middle of the afternoon.

They got hit.

We saw trees down.

We saw damages, but thankfully no injuries.

And I think that's the biggest thing.

>> Folks in Owensboro, remembering prolific businessman and philanthropist, David Hawk or Senator McConnell called Hawker a true business titan.

He develop Wesley in Park Plaza and Owensboro is Towne Square Mall and generously gave back to the community hawkers company grew and would eventually develop more than 40 shopping centers in 13 states and residential other Some said that the they tried to push him at times to move to a bigger city.

But he always considered home.

Hocker was 83.

That is comment on Kentucky.

We thank you for joining us.

Have a good week ahead.