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Fletcher Will Speak At Fancy Farm

By AP

Frankfort, KY – Governor Fletcher had said since this isn't a political year, he saw no reason to subject himself to the "raw politics" of the annual Fancy Farm political picnic and probably wouldn't attend.
But with word that the on-going investigation of his administration's hiring practices would probably be the focus of this year's event, he's changed his mind and says he will attend to defend himself and his administration's choices.
The man leading the investigation, Attorney General Greg stumbo says he'll be there too. He disagrees with the Governor that the investigation is based just on politics and has said on numerous occasions that he has no intention of running for Governor.
Former Governor John Y. Brown, Jr., meanwhile, has given a nod of approval to Attorney General Stumbo for bringing problems with Merit System hiring to the public's attention.
But Brown said on WKYT-TV's "Newsmakers" program that Fletcher isn't to blame
Brown and Stumbo are both Democrats, Fletcher a Republican, and Brown says Fletcher's being unfairly blamed for a patronage system that Democrats created.
Brown said he doesn't fault the Fletcher administration because previous Governors had well established patronage systems to reward supporters.
But, he said, his adminsitration was an exception. Brown said he never hired anyone for political reasons while he was Governor from 1979 to 1983.