KENTUCKY'S NEW SCHOOL CHOICE PROGRAM IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

GOVERNOR BESHEAR PROPOSES BONUSES FOR ESSENTIAL WORKERS.

THE REPUBLICAN LEGISLATURE SEEM RECEPTIVE IF DETAILS CAN BE WORKED OUT.

MORE ENCOURAGING COVID NUMBERS, BUT HOSPITALS REMAIN BUSY.

SENATOR MITCH MCCO RELENTS ON THE DEBT CEILING AND A FINANCIAL FIASCO APPEARS AVOIDED FOR NOW.

KEENELAND'S FALL MEET IS OFF AND RUNNING ON THIS OCTOBER WEEKEND.

"COMMENT" IS NEXT ON KET.

GOOD EVENING.

I'M BILL BRYANT, AND WE WELCOME YOU TO "COMMENT ON KENTUCKY," A LOOK BACK AT AND SOME ANALYSIS OF THE WEEK'S NEWS IN THE COMMONWEALTH.

AND THE GUESTS ON OUR PANEL OF WORKING KENTUCKY JOURNALISTS TONIGHT AR JOE SONKA, FRANKFORT BUREAU CHIEF FOR THE COURIER-JOURNAL.

LAURA CULLEN GLASSCOCK, EDITOR AND PUBLISHER OF THE KENTUCKY G AND RYLAND BARTON, CAPITOL BUREAU CHIEF FOR KENTUCKY PUBLI RADIO WITH STATIONS IN MURRAY, BOWLING GREEN, LOUISVILLE AND R. WE HAVE A LOT TO DISCUSS TONIGHT.

LET'S BEGIN WITH A RULING BY FRANKLIN CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE TODAY THAT STRIKES DOWN THE SCHOOL CHOICE LAW.

JOE, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

>> Joe: JUDGE PHILLIP SHEPHERD TOOK TWO ISSUES WITH THE NEW LAW SET UP EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY ACCOUNTS, SAID IT VIOLATED TWO ASPECTS OF THE CONSTITUTION.

FIRST OF ALL, IT SAID THAT IT VIOLATED THE PART WHERE YOU CANNOT RAISE OR COLLECT FUNDS TO GO TO PRIVATE SCHOOLING WITHOUT HAVING A VOTER REFERENDUM TO MAKE THAT CHANGE.

AND SECONDLY, HE LOOKED AT THE GEOGRAPHIC ASPECT OF THE BILL WHERE WHEN IT COMES TO FUNDING PRIVATE EDUCATION, IT CAN ONLY BE DONE IN THE MOST POPULOUS NINE COUNTIES IN THE STATE, AND HE'S SAYING THAT YOU CAN'T GIVE THAT BENEFIT TO CERTAIN PEOPLE AND NOT OTHERS IN THE STATE.

AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE IN THEIR ARGUMENTS BEFORE SHEPPARD SAID, WELL, YOU CAN JUST MAKE THE SUPPLY STATEWIDE SO THAT EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO IT.

AND JUDGE SHEPHERD WROTE IN HIS RULING THAT, WELL, I CANNOT REWRITE THE LAW.

THIS IS THE LAW THAT THE LEGISLATURE HAS PASSED, AND IT HAS TO GO AS-IS.

>> Bill: RHODE ISLAND, THIS WAS A HARD FOUGHT BATTLE IN THE LEGISLATURE AND A RELATIVELY CLOSE VOTE.

>> Ryland: IT WAS, AND THAT PROVISION LIMITED THE EDUCATION COUNCIL JUST THE NINE MOST POPULOUS COUNTIES WAS ONE WAY AT THAT SUPPORTERS OF THE BILL WERE ABLE TO GET RURAL LEGISLATORS ONBOARD, ESPECIALLY RURAL REPUBLICANS WHO WERE WORRIED THIS COULD HAVE ENDED UPS ENDING PUBLIC EDUCATION IN THEIR DISTRICTS, AND SO BY LIMITING THAT TO JUST THE MORE URBAN AREAS, SOME OF THOSE RURAL REPUBLICANS WERE A LITTLE BIT MORE WILLING TO GO ONBOARD.

AT ANY RATE, ATTENDED UP BECOMING ONE OF THE PARTS THAT THE JUDGE FOUND TO BE UNCONSTITUTIONAL WITH THIS BILL LAUNCHING JUDGE SHEPHERD, TOO, MENTIONED THAT THE TAX SCHEME THAT IS IN THE BILL ISN'T CONSTITUTIONAL EITHER BECAUSE HE'S SAYING THAT IT WASN'T -- THE DONATIONS THAT THE PUBLIC MAKES TO THESE EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY ACCOUNTS NOT TRUDEAU NATIONS.

THEY ARE A SHIFT -- NOT TRUE DONATIONS.

THEY ARE A SHIFT IN TAX LIE PARKING LOT.

YOU'RE BASICALLY OWING WHAT YOU TOE STATE AND GIVING IT TO THEY ARE OPPORTUNITY ACCOUNTS AND THAT'S NOT CONSTITUTIONAL EITHER.

>> Bill: SO THE BILL IS TOSSED FOR NOW.

WILL THIS BE APPEALED?

>> Lawrence: I WOULD SAY LIKELY IT WILL BE.

>> Bill: DOES IT LOOK LIKE THE LEGISLATURE COULD COME BACK AND DO SOME SURGERY AND MAKE SOME CHANGES TO THIS AND MOVE FORWARD FORWARD?

THIS THAT'S A GOOD YEP.

THIS IS MODEL LEGISLATION IF YOU LOOK ALERT OTHER STATES THAT HAVE THIS LINED -- THESE MECH ZIPS MOVING FORWARD OR MECHANISMS MOVING FORWARD IN IN PLACE P THE AMERICAN CHAIN COUNCIL WHICH IS HAD A CONSERVE COUNCIL, THEY HAVE A TEM PLASTIC THIS ON THIS WEBSITE.

I DON'T KNOW.

I DON'T KNOW IF OUR LAWMAKERS GET WITH ALEC AND REVISE AND PERSONALIZE IT TO KENTUCKY OR -- >> IF YOU APPLY IT STATEWIDE YOU MIGHT LOSE THOSE VOTES.

>> THAT'S TRUE, TOO, LIKE RYLAND WED -- THE RURAL LAWMAKERS DIDN'T WANT THESE -- IN THEIR SMALL COUNTIES TO DISRUPT THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEMS THERE.

>> SO IT WAS THREADING A NEEDLE TO BEGIN WITH.

WE'LL SEE WHERE IT GOES, BUT AN IMPACTFUL RULING TO THE IN THE CIRCUIT COURT THERE IN FRANKLIN COUNTY.

THERE COULD BE SOME OTHER INTERESTING SCHOOL ISSUES COMING UP IN THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION THAT STARTS IN JANUARY.

KENTUCKY EDUCATION COMMISSIONER DR. JASON GLASS TOLD ME IN AN INTERVIEW FOR WKYT'S KENTUCKY NEWSMAKERS THAT HE WILL PUSH FOR MORE MONEY TO MAKE SURE THAT FUNDING IS EQUALIZED AMONG SCHOOLS, AND HE CLEARLY HOPES THE LEGISLATURE WILL SHOWY ARE STRAIGHTEN WHEN IT COMES TO CURRICULUM.

>> I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT STUDENTS GRAPPLE WITH DIFFICULT ISSUES.

THAT'S HOW WE LEARN, IS THROUGH CHALLENGE AND BEING UNCOMFORTABLE SOMETIMES AND LEARNING THE POSITIVES IN AMERICAN HISTORY AND SOME OF OUR DARK CHAPTERS.

WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IT ALL AND THINK ABOUT HOW WE CAN GROW FROM THAT AS PEOPLE AND AS A NATION.

SO I OPPOSE EFFORTS HAD TO LIMIT CLASSROOM DISCUSSIONS.

>> CLEARLY, RYLAND, COMMISSIONER GLASS ANTICIPATES SOME POTENTIAL LAWS ON THAT OR BILLS AND DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT CAN AND CAN'T BE TAUGHT IN SCHOOLS.

>> THIS SEEMS TO BE IN REACTION TO A FEW REPUBLICANS FILING BILLS, ATTEMPTING TO PREVENT SCHOOLS IN KENTUCKY FROM TEACHING CRITICAL RACE THEORY OR AT LEAST WHAT THEY CALL CRITICAL RACE THEORY.

YEAH.

THIS HAS BEEN -- BECOME A BIG POLITICAL FOOTBALL, AND AT LEAST FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS THERE WAS A LOT FERVOR THE IN LEGISLATURE.

IT'S LIKELY SOMETHING THAT THE COME BACK UP ONCE THE SESSION STARTS.

I ALSO IMAGINE AT THAT TIME THERE WILL BE ANOTHER DISCUSSION TO COME UP ABOUT WHAT EXACTLY CRITICAL RATES THEORY IS, WHICH IT SEEMS LOOK A LOT OF -- A LOT OF THESE LAWMAKERS ARE, ONE, CRITICAL RACE THEORY ISN'T TAUGHT IN KENTUCKY SCHOOLS.

IT'S A HIGH -- A HIGH CONCEPT KINDS OF LAW SCHOOL FORM OF THINKING AND ACADEMIC FRAMEWORK, SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT JUST DOESN'T END UP IN A K-12 EDUCATION, BUT IT CERTAINLY -- IT WILL LIKELY END UP BEING A BIG POLITICAL BATTLE ONCE THE LEGISLATURE RETURNS.

>> COMMISSIONER GLASS WENT ON TO SAY HE BELIEVES THIS IS SOME NATIONAL POLITICS BEING VISITED ON KENTUCKY RIGHT NOW.

>> OH, WE SHOULD EXPECT TO SEE A LOT MORE OF THAT AS THIS YEAR GOES ON, AS THIS ELECTION YEAR GOES ON WITH 100 PLUS SEATS THE IN LEGISLATURE PLUS CONGRESSIONAL RACES TAKING PLACE.

>> INTERESTING YEAR AHEAD.

ALSO THIS WEEK, GOVERNOR BESHEAR PROPOSED USING $400 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDS TO GIVE BONUSES TO FRONT PIPELINE KENTUCKY WORKERS.

>> AND AS WE ARE ON MONDAY 18, ALMOST 19 OF THIS PANDEMIC, IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE SOMETHING OUT THERE TO CONTINUE TO PUSH THEM TO MOVE ON, SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO, SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD CALL A REWARD OR A HERO BONUS.

>> JOE, THE GOVERNOR SAYS THERE'S A LOT TO WORK AT.

HE INDICATES HE'LL BE GIVING MORE SPECIFICS NEXT WEEK.

BUT REPUBLICANS, FROM WHAT WHAT WE UNDERSTAND BE ARE RECEPTIVE BUT THERE ARE DETAILS TO BE WORKED OUT THERE AS WELL.

SO THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS.

>> YEAH, SO THE BASIC FRAMEWORK IS FRONTLINE ESSENTIAL WORKERS WOULD GET THEIR BONUS AFTER WORKING TWO FULL YEARS OF -- THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, SO THAT WOULD BE SOME TIME AFTER NEXT MARCH, AND WE'RE NOT REALLY ENTIRE CLEARLY YET WHO IT'S GOING TO BE DEFINE AN ESSENTIAL WORKER.

BESHEAR HAS MENTIONED THAT HEALTH CARE WORKERS SHOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE, SENATE REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN DURING BESHEAR TO CALL A SPECIAL SESSION, BUT HE ALSO WANTS TO ADD FIRST RESPONDERS TO THAT.

HE WANTS TO ADD GROCERY WORKERS, CERTAIN FACTORY WORKERS AND EDUCATORS.

SO THAT'S A LARGER POOL OF AP APPLICANTS FOR THAT KIND OF MONEY AND HE WANTS TO DO IT WITH THE $400 MILLION OF THE REMAINING OR THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT FUNDS THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET NEXT MAY, SO IT WON'T BE RIGHT EXACTLY IN MARCH IF WE EVEN GET THE NEXT $1 BILLION IN MONEY FOR THAT.

>> RYLAND, WHERE THE MONEY COULD GO IN TERMS OF WHERE THE MONEY TO GO AND SENATE MAJORITY LEADER DAMON THAYER IS QUICK TO POINT OUT THERE WERE BUSINESSES THAT WERE FORCED TO SHUT DOWN AND HE BELIEVES THERE MAY BE SOME RESPONSIBILITY IN TRYING TO MAKE THEM WHOLE, AND THERE ARE OTHERS WHO MIGHT -- >> HE WAS ALSO TALKING ABOUT FOLKS WHO APPLIED FOR UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE BUT FERVOR NEVER GOT THEIR BENEFITS BUT SHOULD HAVE QUALIFIED FOR IT IT.

KENTUCKY FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE CAME OUT THIS WEEK IN SUPPORT OF THIS.

THERE'S KIND OF VERY QUICKLY A LONG LINE STARTS TO BE CREATED OF FOLKS WHO SUFFERED DURING THE PANDEMIC BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, KIND WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND TO HELP SOCIETY GET INTO THE PANDEMIC AS WELL, SO THERE'S A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, JUST USES FOR THIS MONEY.

AND AGAIN, IN THIS BIG LEEKS YEAR, I THINK WE COULD BE -- ELECTION YEAR, I I THINK WE COULD SEE A LOT OF FIGHTING OVER THAT MONEY BECAUSE ONCE THE NAMES GET MENTIONED, IF NECESSITY DON'T ENT END UP GETTING THAT MONEY THAT HURTS A LOT.

>> LAW A, HOW MIGHT THAT PLAY OUT APPLICABLY WHEN YOU HAVE A GOVERNOR WHO HAS RECENTLY STARTED AS A ELECTION BID FOR 2023 AND AS WE MENTIONED MOST MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE ARE UP FOR VOTERS NEXT YEAR, ISN'T IT EVERY POLITICIAN'S REDEEM TO HAVE MONEY GIVE OUT BEFORE THE ELECTION?

>> ABSOLUTELY THEY WANT TO GIVE THE MONEY OUT.

THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS AS RYLAND SAID, YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOME WHO DOESN'T.

IN THE NEAR TOURNAMENT SEEMS IT WOULD BENEFIT THE DEMOCRATS AND GOVERNOR BESHEAR BUT IN TWO YEARS WILL THE PEOPLE WHO GET THIS MONEY REMEMBER THAT THEY GOT THIS MONEY AND GO VOTE, RIGHT?

AND THEN ON THE OTHER SIDE, THE REPUBLICANS COULD TIE THE BESHEAR ADMINISTRATION TO NATIONAL DEMOCRATS AND BLAME THE DEBT AND THE FEDERAL DEFICIT ON THIS OVERSPENDING THAT THE DEMOCRATS ARE DOING, SO IT'S -- IT'S GOING TO BE INTERESTING.

>> AND THERE'S ANOTHER FA AT THE TIME SET THAT OF.

SOME OF THE RASP VOTED AGAINST CORONAVIRUS RELIEF LEGISLATION IN WASHINGTON, D.C., AND THEN ONCE THE MONEY COMES DOWN TO THE STATE, A LOT OF REPUBLICANS WHO ARE IN CHARGE OF ACTUALLY WRITING THE BUDGET AND STUFF START THINKING, OH, WOW, THIS IS STUFF THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY DO TO HELP THE STATE OUT.

>> AND IS THERE A POSSIBILITY THAT COULD BE TWO TRACK BONUSES IN THAT SOME LOCALITIES ARE ALSO LOOKING AT SPENDING SOME OF THE MONEY COMING IN FROM ARPA FOR THAT, HERO PAY TYPE PROGRAMS.

I THINK THE CITY OF LEXINGTON CONSIDERING A $15 MILLION PROGRAM.

SO, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL, AND THEY'RE AWARE OF THE, BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT MONEY WILL BE VERY CLOSELY SCRUTINIZED AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, HOW IT'S SPENT.

>> THERE ARE STRICT U.S. TREASURY RULES HOW YOU CAN SPEND THIS MONEY AND HOW YOU CAN'T, SO THEY HAVE TO FOLLOW THEIR P'S AND Q'S TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T GET CLAWED BACK.

>> THE KENTUCKY LEAGUE OF CITIES IS HELPING THEM WITH ADVICE.

JOE, AFTER THE DELTA VARIANT HAS BEEN RAVAGING THE NATION AND CERTAINLY KENTUCKY FOR WEEKS NOW, WE ARE SEEING THE CASE NUMBERS GO DOWN, SOME OTHER ENCOURAGING SIGNS.

STILL WE HAVE A LOT OF KENTUCKIANS HOSPITALIZED AND WE HAVE UNFORTUNATELY CROSSED A THRESHOLD OF DEATHS THAT IS ATTENTION-GETTING.

>> YEAH, THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT HOSPITALIZATION NUMBERS HAVE DEFINITELY GONE DOWN.

RIGHT NOW THEY'RE ABOUT AS LOW AS THEY'VE BEEN SINCE THE MIDDLE OF AUGUST BUT THERE'S STILL A VERY HIGH NUMBER SO HOSPITALS ARE STILL DEALING WITH A LOT OF PATIENTS AND A LOT OF WORKFORCE SHORTAGES WHICH WAS MENTIONED EARLIER.

SO EXCUSE ME.

BUT DEATHS REMAIN, DEATHS REMAIN -- DEATHS ALWAYS LAG PAST CASES AND HOSPITALIZATIONS, AND I THINK WE HAD A COUPLE DAYS THIS WEEK WHERE DEATHS EXCEEDED 50 SO WE'RE STILL DEALING WITH A LOT OF DEATH RIGHT NOW.

>> AND THE HOSPITAL SHORTAGE -- STAFFING SHORTAGES THAT YOU MENTIONED, THE STATE HAS $125 MILLION WORTH OF CONTRACTS THAT THEY LET HERE IN JULY, AND THOSE ARE -- THOSE CONTRACTORS FOR COMPANIES TO GET STAFF FOR THE HOSPITALS, AND THOSE -- I'M SORRY -- NOT FOR THE HOSPITALS.

>> FOR THE STATE PROGRAM.

>> FOR STATE PROGRAM, STATE ENTITIES.

AND THERE IS SOME CONCERN -- I TALKED WITH SENATOR RALPH ALVARADO THIS MORNING, AND HE WAS CONCERNED THAT THESE CONTRACTORS, THESE OUT-OF-STATE COMPANIES THAT ARE HIRING STAFF FOR THE STATE ARE COMPETING WITH THE HOSPITALS AND OTHER PRIVATE BUSINESSES, PRIVATE MEDICAL BUSINESSES IN BEING ABLE TO GET PEOPLE IN THE DOORS, NURSES IN PARTICULAR, HE SAID.

NURSES ARE MAKING A LOT OF MONEY THESE DAYS AND THEY'RE TRAVELING AND THEY'RE GOING FROM STATE TO STATE AND SO IT'S REALLY TOUGH TO HAVE THE STATE COMPETE AGAINST THE PRIVATE BUSINESS ENTITIES FOR THOSE STAFF.

>> AND WORKFORCE IS SUCH AN ISSUE AT EVERY LEVEL, INCLUDING IN HEALTH CARE.

RYLAND, THERE WAS TESTIMONY THIS WEEK IN FRANKFORT ON HOW TOUGH THE PANDEMIC HAS BEEN EMOTIONALLY FOR STUDENTS WHO HAVE REALLY HAD THEIR LIVES JUST TURNED UPSIDE DOWN DURING THIS.

>> YEAH, BETWEEN REMOTE LEARNING LAST YEAR AND THE RETURN TO IN-PERSON THIS YEAR, WHICH WAS, BY ALL ACCOUNTS, PRETTY HECK TUCK AND BETWEEN TRYING TO GET KIDS TO WEAR MASKS IN THE FIRST PLACE AND ARGUMENTS OVER MASK MANDATES AND JUST MASK QUARANTINES STUDENT AND STAFF AND EVEN STAFF MEMBERS AND TEACHING DYING ACROSS THE STATE, THERE'S JUST A LOT OF -- A LOT OF PROBLEMS GOING ON, AND THERE ARE A COUPLE -- A GROUP OF SCHOOL COUNSELORS CAME TO FRANKFORT THIS WEEK AND WERE TALKING TO LAWMAKERS ABOUT SOME OF THE TROUBLES THEY'RE SEEING WITH STUDENTS.

THEY SAY THE STUDENTS ARE EXPERIENCING DEPRESSION, ANXIETY AND EVEN SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND THIS IS SOMETHING BEE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO.

ONE INTERESTING THING ABOUT THIS IS THEY SAID THAT SCHOOL SAFETY BILL THEY PAST IN 2019 WHICH IS OSTENSIBLY IN REACTION TO THE SCHOOL SHOOTINGS, PART OF THAT BILL REQUIRED SCHOOLS TO DEVELOP THESE TRAUMA INFORMED TEAMS, AND THEY SAID THAT THOSE ARE REALLY HELPING OUT DURING THIS TIME.

SO IT'S AN INTERESTING LITTLE BIT OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES, HELPING SCHOOLS OUT OR AT LEAST THEY SAID IT WAS.

>> SOMETHING THAT ENDED UP BEING APPRECIATED EVEN THOUGH THEY DIDN'T KNOW THAT THE PANDEMIC WAS COMING.

JOE, GOVERNOR BESHEAR RELEASED ABOUT 1700 STATE PRISONERS LAST YEAR VERY EARLY IN THE PANDEMIC TO DEAL WITH THE CROWDED FACILITIES.

A STUDY BY ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF THE COURT SAYS ABOUT HALF OF THOSE PRISONERS RELEASED HAVE GOTTEN BACK IN TROUBLE, ABOUT A THIRD HAVE COMMITTED FELONIES, AND THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT BEFORE A COMMITTEE THIS WEEK.

>> YEAH, REPUBLICAN LEGISLATORS HAVE REALLY BEEN HAMMERING BESHEAR OVER THAT, SAYING HE DIDN'T DO A GOOD ENOUGH JOB VETTING THE PEOPLE THAT WERE RELEASED AND HE SHOULD HAVE CONTACTED PROSECUTORS.

IT'S IMPORTANT ENOUGH THAT THE AOC STUDY IS ONLY CHARGES OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH A CRIME.

THEY'RE JUST NOW IDENTIFYING SPECIFIC PEOPLE OR CHARGES, AND WE DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW MANY WERE ACQUITTED OR CONVICTED OR HOW MANY CHARGES WERE DROPPED.

BUT JUSTICE CABINET SECRETARY CARRIE HARVEYY MADE A FORCEFUL DEFENDANTS GOVERNOR IN ONE OF THOSE COMMITTEES THIS WEEK AND HE SAID THAT HE WAS PROUD TO WORK FOR A GOVERNOR WHO HAD THE COURAGE TO MAKE THAT QUICK DECISION WHEN LIVES WERE AT STAKE WHEN WE KNEW VERY LITTLE ABOUT THE VIRUS AND WE DIDN'T HAVE A VACCINE AND WE HAD VERY LIMITED PPE AND TESTING, SO HE MADE THE DEFENSE THAT THE GOVERNOR HAD TO DO WHAT HE HAD TO DO TO SAVE LIVES, AND HE SAID IF HIS CRITICS SHOULD BE WILLING TO BE INTELLECTUALLY HONEST AND SAY HOW MANY DEATH ORS HOW MANY SICKNESSES THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN WILLING TO ACCEPT.

>> HE WAS MAKING THE POINT THEY HAD TO MOVE FAST, BUT SOME OF THE CRITICS HAVE SAID PROSECUTORS AND VICTIMS SHOULD HAVE BEEN CONTACTED.

>> YEAH, THEY WERE SAYING THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN CONTACTED.

THEY HAVE SAID GOVERNOR MATT BEVIN DIDN'T DO THAT WHEN HE DID HIS PARDONS WHEN HE LEFT OFFICE, SO THEY'RE SAYING THAT MORE INDIVIDUAL EFFORT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE ON EACH OF THOSE TO AVOID SOME PEOPLE POSSIBLY GOING OUT WHO MAY HAVE PLEAD DOWN TO A MORE DANGEROUS CHARGE.

>> IN WASHINGTON WHERE KENTUCKY HAS KEY PLAYERS, SENATE REPUBLICAN LEADER MITCH McCONNELL HAD SOME LONG SAID THROUGH THE SUMMER THAT HE WOULDN'T HELP DEMOCRATS RAISE THE FEDERAL DEBT CEILING, BUT WITH TIME TICKING AND A POSSIBLE TRAIN OF A FINANCIAL DISASTER COMING DOWN THE TRACK, McCONNELL RELENTED.

>> THE PRESIDENT, THE SPEAKER, AND THE DEMOCRATIC LEADER HAD THREE MONTHS' NOTICE TO DO THEIR JOBS, BUT FOR TWO AND A HALF MONTHS THE DEMOCRATIC LEADER DID NOTHING, AND THEN COMPLAINED THAT THEY WERE ACTUALLY SHORT ON TIME.

THE MAJORITY DIDN'T HAVE A PLAN TO PREVENT DEFAULT, SO WE STEPPED FORWARD.

>> LAURA, SO WE AVOID THIS TOUGH FINANCIAL SITUATION FOR THE COUNTRY FOR NOW.

>> MM-HM.

THAT'S CLASSIC McCONNELL.

SENATOR McCONNELL IS VERY SKILLED AT THE POLITICS.

SO HE ALLOWS THE DEBT CEILING TO BE RAISED AND THAT KEEPS THE ECONOMY GOING, KEEPS BUSINESS HAPPY, BUT HE CAN STILL TURN IT AND MAKE AT THIS TIME DEMOCRATS' FAULT, SO THAT'S PRETTY SKILLFUL, I THINK.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO RECOGNIZED THAT IT IS CONGRESS WHO SPENDS THIS MONEY AND IT'S CONGRESS WHO IS OVERSPENDING ITS DEBT LIMIT, SO AT SOME POINT THEY HAVE TO RECONCILE THAT WITH THEMSELVES AND ALSO THEY HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S A STOP AND START, THAT SOME OF THIS DEBT IS YEARS AND YEARS OLD, SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT THE THREE MONTHS IN THE MAKING, I DON'T ANY.

I'M NOT A FINANCIAL EXPERT, BUT I'M THINKING THAT THREE MONTHS IS A LITTLE SHORT.

>> AND RYLAND, NOT ALL REPUBLICANS WENT ALONG WITH McCONNELL.

>> YEAH, IT WAS A VERY -- IT WAS A HARD POLITICAL DECISION FOR HIM, AND HE ENDED UP DISAPPOINTING SOME REPUBLICANS AND DONALD TRUMP CAME OUT AND KIND OF FIRED OFF A FEW OF HIS STATEMENTS CRITICIZING McCONNELL AGAIN.

AND IT'S AN INTERESTING PLACE WHERE ON THE OTHER SIDE WE'LL FIND OUT AGAIN WHAT HAPPENS IN THREE MONTHS, BUT FOR NOW WHAT McCONNELL REALLY ENDED UP DOING WAS PRESERVING THE FILIBUSTER FOR NOW.

THERE'S GREAT RISK.

THIS INTENSIFIES THAT DEMOCRATS COULD HAVE BEEN LIKE, OKAY WEEK THIS IS THE BIG MOMENT THAT WE NEED TO PULL THE TRIGGER AND GET RID OF THE FILIBUSTER AND McCONNELL PRESERVES THAT FOR A BIT AND WILL LIVE TO FIGHT ON THE ANOTHER DAY.

>> IN HOLIDAY SEASON.

RHODE ISLAND, THE KENTUCKY ATTORNEY GENERAL DANIEL CAMERON WANTS TO DEFENDANT A ABORTION LAW PASSED IN 2018.

ON TUESDAY HE'LL TRY TO MAKE THE CASE TO BE ALLOWED TO DO THAT BEFORE THE U.S. SUPREME COURT.

>> RIGHT.

IT'S A LITTLE CONVOLUTED, BUT WHAT HE'S DOING IS HE'S ASKING THE SUPREME COURT TO AFFIRM HIS RIGHT TO DEFEND THIS ONE LAW THAT HAS BEEN STRUCK DOWN BY FEDERAL COURTS.

IT'S KENTUCKY'S DILATION AND EVACUATION ABORTION LAW.

IT'S A COMMON BAN ON DILATION AND EVACUATION ABORTIONS WHICH IS A COMMON ABORTION PROCEDURE FOR IS SECOND TRIMESTER.

GOVERNOR MATT BEVIN WAS APPEALING THIS CASE BACK WHEN HE WAS GOVERNOR.

HE WAS TRYING TO DEFEND IT EVEN THOUGH IT HAD BEEN STRUCK DOWN BY A FEDERAL COURT.

ONCE GOVERNOR BESHEAR CAME IN, HE STOPPED DEFENDANT DEFENDING THAT.

DECLINED TO CONTINUE APPEALING IT ESSENTIALLY.

AND CAMERON STEPPED IN AND SAID, I WANT TO DEFEND THIS.

THAT PARTICULAR ARGUMENT, WHETHER OR NOT HE GETS TO DEFEND THAT LAW IS WHAT IS CURRENTLY GOING TO BE ARGUED BEFORE THE SUPREME COURT, AND IF HE GETS THAT RIGHT THEN HE GOES BACK AND STARTS OVER THROUGH THE APPEALS PROCESS.

>> SO WE'LL WATCH THAT NEXT WEEK.

JOE, THE FRANKFORT STATE JOURNAL REPORTED THIS WEEK THAT IN THE LAST TWO YEARS OF HIS PRESIDENCY, KSU PRESIDENT M. CHRISTOPHER BROWN II SPENT MORE THAN $73,000 ON A UNIVERSITY-ISSUED CREDIT CARD.

>> YEAH, OBVIOUSLY PART OF THE REASON FOR HIS FIRST FORCED DEPARTURE RECENTLY, TRIPS TO CANCUN AND THE BAHAMAS, AND THIS COMES AT A TIME WHERE KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY IS IN REALLY BAD SHAPE AND THEY'RE IN A $15 MILLION SHORTFALL.

THEY TESTIFIED RECENTLY THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO GET THROUGH TO APRIL, BUT THEY CAN'T GO PAST THAT WITHOUT THE STATE COMING IN AND GIVING THEM SOME EMERGENCY FUNDS, SO DEFINITELY SOME FINANCIAL TROUBLES THERE.

>> AND AGAIN, THAT WILL BE DISCUSSED WHAT'S THE FUTURE OF KSU AS WE GO THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.

LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE ELECTIONS THAT ARE COMING UP AND THE MONEY BEING RAISED FOR THAT.

WE SAW FUNDRAISING NUMBERS THIS WEEK IN THE 2022 U.S. SENATE RACE.

REPUBLICAN SENATOR RAND PAUL IS A TWO-TO-ONE FUNDRAISING ADVANTAGE OVER DEMOCRAT CHARS BOOKER WHO ARE RUNG IN THE PRIMARY.

THE THE NUMBERS ONE $4 MILLION FOR PAUL, $1.7 MILLION FOR BOOKER.

WHAT DOES THAT SAY ABOUT THE RACE AHEAD?

>> IF FUNDRAISING STAYS AT THAT PACE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT LESS ADS THAN WE HAD IN THE McGRATH-McCONNELL RACE IN 2020.

CHARLES BOOKER SAID THAT HE'S GOING TO RUN A MORE GRASSROOTS CAMPAIGN SO WE'LL SEE IF HE'S ABLE TO BE MORE SUCCESSFUL WITH LESS MONEY, BUT CERTAINLY -- CERTAINLY LESS ADS IF THIS KIND OF PACE KEEPS UP WITH FUNDRAISING.

>> LAURA.

>> IT'S A LITTLE EARLY TOO.

I THINK THE GRASSROOTS IS A GOOD POINT.

YOU WANT GRASSROOTS AND YOU LIKE THE SMALL DONORS, THE PRESS RELEASE THAT CHARLES BOOKER, FORMER STATE REPRESENTATIVE SENT OUT SAID HE HAD 30,000, I THINK IT WAS, SMALL DONORS, AND THAT'S GOOD BECAUSE THE DONORS WHO ARE IN STATE WILL RESPIRATORY EVEN IF THEY GIVE YOU $10.

THEY'RE STILL GOING TO VOTE FOR YOU, AND THAT'S WHAT MATTERS.

WHAT YOU SEE, I LOOKED AT THE CAMPAIGN 9 REPORTS, THERE WERE A LOT OF SMALL DONORS ON SENATOR PAUL'S REPORT, TOO, BUT A LOT OF THEM WERE OUT OF STATE SO THEY CAN'T VOTE HERE.

SO IT DEPEND WHO THOSE DONORS ARE AS WELL.

IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT A LITTLE BIT OF HOW YOUR SUPPORT MIGHT TURN OUT -- >> McGRATH IS WITH A PROLIFIC SUNDAY FUNDRAISE WERE $10 MILLION FIRST QUARTER AND UNIT TURN THOSE INTO VOTES.

>> BEFORE WE GET THERE, LAURA, YOU'RE WATCHING SOME SPECIAL ELECTIONS COMING UP ON NOVEMBER 2nd, A SENATE SEAT IN FRANKFORT AND TWO HOUSE SEATS UP FOR GRABS, ALL PREVIOUSLY HELD BY REPUBLICANS.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

DEMOCRATS ARE HOPING TO FLIP THOSE SEATS.

IT'S SENATE 22 HOUSE 51, AND HOUSE 89.

AND IN ALL THREE OF THOSE RACES THE DEMOCRATS HAVE MORE MONEY, WHICH IS KIND OF INDEMNITY EVER INTERESTING AND THEY'RE LOW DOLLAR RACES.

THERE ARE ON THREE WEEKS LEFT IN THE ELECTION CYCLE HERE.

I SHOULDN'T SAY LOW DOLLAR.

THAT SOUNDS KIND OF RUDE.

BUT THEY'RE NOT LIKE THE MILLIONS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH THE SENATE.

>> AND IT'S A SPECIAL ELECTION.

>> IT'S A SPECIAL ELECTION, SO TURNOUT IS TYPICALLY LOW FOR THAT.

SO IF SENATE WHEN 2 THE DEMOCRAT IS AN IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY NAMED HELEN BUICKELMEZ AND AN ANESTHESIA IS THE REPUBLICAN DR. DONALD DOUGLAS.

HE'S RUNNING THERE.

IN HOUSE 51 FORMER TAYLOR COUNTY JUDGE EXECUTIVE EDDY ROGERS IS THE DEMOCRAT IN THAT RACE AND HE IS FACING AN INSURANCE ADVISER MICHAEL POLLOCK, AND HE'S ALSO FROM CAMPBELLSVILLE.

>> THAT'S THE BAM CARNEY ED SEAT.

>> AUTHENTICITY THAT'S HOUSE 51.

THEN IN HOUSE 89 WE HAVE MAE SUR MACK.

SHE'S A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER AS THE DEMOCRAT AND SHE'S FROM BEREA.

AND THE REPUBLICAN IS TIMMIE TRUETT.

HE'S PRINCIPAL OF MCKEE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

>> ALL RIGHT.

SO WE WILL BE WATCHING THOSE.

IN FACTS, THE EARLY VOTING, THE ABSENTEE VOTING HAS ALREADY STARTED.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

EARLY VOTING IS IN PLACE FOR THAT RACE IS MY UNDERSTANDING, TOO, SO PEOPLE CAN START VOTING LATE OCTOBER.

>> RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT.

SO THEN THERE WAS A TIME WHEN KENTUCKY COULDN'T GET ITS REDISTRICTING DONE IN TIME IN THE 1930S, SO IN 1932, THE KENTUCKY'S CONGRESSIONAL RACES HAD TO BE RUN AT LARGE, THAT IS, STATEWIDE THEY ALL RAN TOGETHER AND THEY WERE NOT RUN INSIDE DISTRICTS.

NOW, THAT'S AN UNLIKELY SCENARIO, OBVIOUSLY, BUT ISN'T IT GOING TO BE CHALLENGING WHEN THE LEGISLATURE COMES IN IN EARLY JANUARY TO HAVE THE DISTRICTS DRAWN UP BY JANUARY 7th WHEN THE FILING DEADLINE HITS?

>> YEAH, IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE GOVERNOR BESHEAR IS GOING TO CALL A SPECIAL SESSION, AT LEAST NOT RIGHT NOW, BUT WHAT THE LEGISLATURE COULD DO AND WHAT REPUBLICANS SAY THEY CAN DO IS PASS THE BILL IN ONE DAY TO PUSH BACK THAT FILING DEADLINE UNTIL LATER IN JANUARY SO THEY HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO WORK OUT SOME REDISTRICTING MAP.

THAT STILL DOESN'T LEAVE A LOT OF TIME FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW WHAT DISTRICT THEY'RE IN AND RECRUITMENT OF CANDIDATES, SO IT'S STILL SCRAMBLING QUITE A BIT EVEN IF YOU YOU, PUSH IT BACK TO THE END OF THE MONTH.

>> IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THEY WILL BE DRAWING THESE MAPS OR AT LEAST GOING SOME OF THAT NEGOTIATING BEFORE THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION STARTS.

HOWEVER TO PASS THESE MAPS YOU'VE GOT TO GET EVERYBODY TO VOTE.

IT'S GOT TO PASS THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE.

SO, YOU KNOW, IF THEY DO THAT METHOD, THERE COULD WIND UP AM IS ON PEOPLE BEING PRETTY UPSET AND SURPRISED BY WHAT THEIR DISTRICTS END UP LOOKING LIKE.

>> WITH SO MANY REPUBLICANS IN OFFICE, YOU WILL SEE INCUMBENTS AGAINST INCUMBENTS WHEN YOU SPLIT THOSE DISTRICTS.

>> THAT'S ALWAYS TOUGH.

>> WITH THE POPULATION SHIFTING TO EASTERN AND WESTERN KENTUCKY.

>> IT'S AN EMOTIONAL TIME ALMOST.

LAURA FORMER DEMOCRATIC PARTY JERRY LUNDERGAN HAS BEEN ORDER TO PRISON AT THE END OF NEXT MONTH.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

HE WAS CONVICTED OF CAMPAIGN FINANCE VIOLATIONS FOR FUNNELING MONEY TO HIS DAUGHTER'S 2014 U.S. SENATE RACE.

ALISON LUNDERGAN GRIMES ALISON LUNDERGAN GRIMES.

SHE LOST TO SENATOR McCONNELL THAT YEAR.

>> AND THE GOVERNOR.

>> THE GOVERNOR HAD NO COMMENT.

I ASKED HIM ABOUT IT AFTER A PRESS CONFERENCE THE OTHER DAY AND HE HAD NO COMMENT BUT HE DID SAY HE DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD AFFECT THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, THE PARTY STILL STRONG AND MOVING FORWARD.

>> WELL, AS NICE AS IT IS OUT THERE RIGHT NOW, AND WE MENTIONED THE KEENELAND OPEN ITS FALL MEET, WE ALL KNOW WINTER IS AROUND THE CORNER.

THE OLD FARMERS ALMANAC PREDICTS MOST OF KENTUCKY WILL SEE A COLD AND SNOWY WINTER BUT SOME ARE WATCHING THE WE WILL WORMS FOR CLUES AND A FEW OF THEM SEEM TO INDICATE A MILDER TREND.

TUNE IN MONDAY FOR "KENTUCKY TONIGHT."

RENEE SHAW WILL HOST A DISCUSSION ON HISTORICAL HORSE RACING.