Five Things to Know Today
Rand Paul criticizes Trump impeachment push
Senator Rand Paul continues to support President Trump, to oppose the impeachment process, and to call for the whistleblower to testify. (Forward Kentucky)
U of L makes its case to Kentucky lawmakers for $50M state loan in Jewish Hospital deal
University of Louisville officials met with state lawmakers Tuesday as they seek a $50 million loan to support their acquisition of Jewish Hospital. (Courier-Journal)
He wasn’t their first pick, but Democrats now backing Josh Hicks to face Andy Barr
It appears the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has settled on a candidate to run against U.S. Rep. Andy Barr (R-Lexington) in 2020: Josh Hicks. (Forward Kentucky)
Related: Barr challenger Josh Hicks releases campaign launch video(Forward Kentucky)
Hawpe: ‘Beshear will move carefully’
In an interview with Berry Craig, veteran Kentucky journalist David Hawpe doubts Andy Beshear will look to Matt Bevin as a role model. “I think … Beshear will move carefully. His father worked quietly and cooperatively, when possible, with such Republican leaders as Senate President Robert Stivers, whose calm, deliberate, respectful approach to leadership has been in drastic contrast to the approach taken on the first floor of the Capitol for the last four years.” (Forward Kentucky)
Auditor: Teacher Retirement System sees better financial picture
The State Auditor’s office released a report on Monday that shows the Teachers Retirement System improved its net financial situation over the past few years. (Richmond Register)
Did you miss any of these?
Featured Content on Forward Kentucky
([new] indicates new since last Forward Five; 🔥 indicates lots of reads)
News
[new] Advocates breathe easier as benefits task force makes only minor recommendations – A legislative task force that had sparked fears of drastic cuts to public aid in Kentucky, such as Medicaid and food stamps, ended its work Monday with only a few minor recommendations and no proposed changes to state law. (read)
[new] Executions, death sentences at record lows in U.S. – Use of the death penalty is disappearing from entire sections of the United States, and eroding in others. Executions have declined by 75%, and death sentences have dropped by 85%. (read)
[new] What’s up with the Ditch Mitch Fund? – Has the Ditch Mitch Fund already chosen a winner in next year’s primary? We reached out to them to find out. Here’s what they said. (read)
[new] McConnell still ‘can’t imagine’ Senate will oust Trump in impeachment process – In an interview, Senator Mitch McConnell continued to hold the line on impeachment, and also discussed Gov. Bevin’s loss and the need for “civility.” (read)
Troubled KentuckyWired project sees skeptical lawmakers throw up another roadblock – Skeptical lawmakers have thrown up another roadblock in the path of KentuckyWired, the state’s plan to boost internet connectivity across the commonwealth. (read)
Poli-sci professor Voss weighs in on issues facing Beshear – Dr. Voss of UK talked with Berry Craig and outlined significant issues facing Andy Beshear: pensions, the drug crisis, health care, and redistricting. (read)
Commentary
[new] 🔥‘Some blogger from Louisville’ – When someone referred to ForwardKY as “just some blogger from Louisville,” I laughed. But then I thought, perhaps we should clear that up. (read)
[new] 🔥Why McConnell should be scared – Chris Hughes thinks Beshear’s election shows many reasons why McConnell should be scared. Here are his five reasons McConnell should be worried for 2020. (read)
Media
[new photo gallery] Recanvass – ‘Our numbers are the same. Our calculators are different.’ – Want to see how a recanvass works? Nick Lacy went to the Boyle County recanvass, and captured the process in a series of photos. (vew)
[podcast] Election fallout and U.S. Senate updates – Robert and Jazmin explain all the fallout from the 2019 election, including the Repubs in the legislature, as well as updates to the Senate 2020 race. (listen)
Posts with Most Social Media Shares in Past Fourteen Days
( 🔥indicates post with surge of recent shares)
- ‘Absurd’ and ‘ridiculous’: What officials, experts say about Bevin’s voter fraud claims (2,000 shares)
- Presser: Beshear announces transition team, names “day-one priorities” (1,000 shares)
- Alison Lundergan Grimes: Bevin should ‘honor’ election result and help Beshear transition (955 shares)
- Thousands of Twitter ‘bots’ targeted Kentucky with fake news on election night (904 shares)
- Matt Bevin lost the Kentucky governor’s race because he’s a jerk. Good riddance! (808 shares)
The Forward 5 is published Monday to Friday by Forward Kentucky, an independent media organization focused on progressive news and issues in Kentucky, and is re-posted with permission. You can sign up for the email version of the newsletter on their website.
