In case you missed it…more hypocrisy from Bruce Lunsford!

The Audacity of Hypocrisy: Lunsford Profits from Energy Investments
Lunsford’s empty rhetoric doesn’t match his personal financial decisions
LOUISVILLE - Democrat U.S. Senate candidate Bruce Lunsford made his third stop at a Kentucky gas station today, wildly attacking Senator Mitch McConnell, oil companies, and Wall Street for high gas prices. In fact, Lunsford’s campaign website specifically attacks “Wall Street” for driving up gas prices.

But a search of Lunsford’s financial disclosure filed with the U.S. Senate on April 17, 2008, shows that he has profited massively from personal investments in hedge funds that invest in oil and gas companies. At least until April, Bruce Lunsford was potentially making millions from oil and gas industry investments. Ironically, during the primary, Lunsford attacked his opponent Greg Fischer for having invested in Lunsford’s healthcare companies, which Fischer had criticized. Now Lunsford is blaming the very hedge funds from which he profits for the energy crisis.
The Kentucky political blog, Elephants in the Bluegrass, picked up the story and outlined Lunsford’s investments:

• Lunsford is invested in Goldman Sachs Capital Partners V, LP, an $8.5 billion private equity fund for "high net worth individuals." Lunsford valued his assets in that non-publicly traded fund as between $1,000,001 and $5,000,000. Lunsford's financial disclosure forms list GS Capital Partner V's investment as including: CVR Energy, Inc.; Knight, Inc.; McJunkin Red Man Corporation; SunGuard Data Systems, Inc.; and Cobalt International Energy.

• CVR Energy…operates an 113,500 barrels-per-day-throughput-capacity oil refinery in Coffeyville, Kansas, and a crude oil gathering system in Kansas and Oklahoma…

• McJunkin Red Man Corporation: Exclusively geared toward the distribution of industrial and oilfield PVF products…has a significant presence in the oil and gas industry…

• Knight, Inc. owns the general partner of Kinder Morgan Energy Partners (NYSE: KMP), one of the largest publicly traded pipeline limited partnerships in America with an enterprise value of approximately $20 billion. KMP is the largest independent transporter of refined petroleum products in the United States…

• SunGard Data Systems, Inc., which acquired FAME Energy. SunGard FAME provides ‘data services to support energy traders, research analysts and risk managers of energy companies and financial institutions.’ Sounds like it helps the very energy speculators…Lunsford blames…

• Cobalt International Energy, LP…an oil and gas exploration and development company focused on pursuing…opportunities in the Deepwater Gulf of Mexico and offshore international areas. Cobalt…wants to drill some of that oil that the Cubans and Chinese are extracting just miles from our shore. Lunsford recently said he opposes oil drilling off American shores…yet would profit from a company that exists to do just that…

“Maybe Barack and Bruce can get together and talk about audacity, because this is the height of it,” said McConnell campaign manager Justin Brasell.
“Lunsford’s plan to tax American energy companies and not expand domestic production, returning us to the failed policies of the Carter Administration, would make us more dependent on Middle Eastern oil. That’s wrong for Kentucky, and wrong for America,” Brasell added.

JEFFERSON COUNTY REPUBLICANS EXPOSE THE PELOSI-YARMUTH FORD PLANT HYPOCRISY

Louisville – This weekend, Nancy Pelosi and John Yarmuth will exceed the limits of hypocrisy as they meet with Ford Motor Company executives after passing a bill that would further cripple the market for the Explorers made in their plant.

“We are truly shocked that Speaker Pelosi and Congressman Yarmuth would have the audacity to step foot into that plant after passing an SUV tax earlier this year, only adding to Ford’s current problems and further threatening their workers,” Chairman Brad Cummings said. “It would be like robbing a bank only to return later and open a checking account. It’s the height of hypocrisy to pretend they care about these dedicated people.”

Cummings is referring to the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act that wants to repeal a tax incentive passed in 2003 to aid auto manufacturers. The incentive was designed to help the struggling SUV industry by allowing those who purchase these vehicles to receive significant tax breaks.

“The American consumer is already getting hammered by record high gas prices. To punish them for wanting to drive cars with their family’s safety in mind doesn’t exactly fit into the Democrat’s ‘populist’ message” said Cummings. “It makes one wonder what the Democratic Party’s true motives are.”

Pelosi and Yarmuth promised common sense solutions to our energy problems yet the Democratic controlled Congress has done just the opposite. Since John Yarmuth took the oath of office just two years ago, gas prices have almost doubled.

“Barack Obama recently said that his only concern was how fast the prices went up. While that set off a red flag for a lot of Americans, Congressman Yarmuth and Speaker Pelosi stayed quiet,” said Cummings. “I think we need to look into why they are against drilling and other technologies like coal to oil. Is it possible they want $7-10 a gallon gas prices to reduce energy use? I suppose if that were my motive, I wouldn’t tell the American people that either. It’s an awfully hard sell.”

Congressman Yarmuth recently co-sponsored a bill that would take land away from oil companies, claiming a lack of effort to find new resources. However, most of these locations are tied up in litigation with environmental groups and when they do get to drill, 52% of the time there is no oil.

“For Congressman Yarmuth, maybe $100 for a tank of gas doesn’t hurt his bottom line. But for those of us in the middle class like the hardworking members of the UAW, these gas prices are difficult to endure,” Cummings said. “There is no doubt that we all care about our environment. But we can’t cut off our nose to spite our face. We must work towards the true common sense solutions of drilling for our own oil and exploring coal and nuclear options for the short term while investing in alternatives for the future. Then 10-15 years down the road, we can be completely free of oil without sinking our economy and ruining the American Dream.”

Chairman Cummings Calls on Mayor for Transparency

Jefferson County Republican Chairman Brad Cummings calls on Mayor Abramson to follow Secretary of State Trey Grayson’s lead and make Metro Government expenditures transparent.

“The people of Louisville Metro deserve to see how their tax dollars are being spent through an online database that can be accessed through Google or any other search engine” Cummings said. “Secretary Trey Grayson has shown great leadership on this very important issue with Governor Steve Beshear recently proving to be a willing student of Trey’s vision. Our Mayor should sign up for the same class while seats available.”

Twenty four states including neighbors Ohio and West Virginia have started to put their financial figures online as a measure to earn trust and accountability with their citizens. With more Louisvillians going online everyday, this sort of addition is an extremely cost effective way to bring government and people closer together.

“Louisville should be a leader in our great Commonwealth but on this issue Mayor Abramson is allowing our city to lag behind” Cummings said. “It’s this brand of absent leadership that destroys the public trust and easily explains why our citizens voted down his library tax 2 to 1. They simply don’t trust our Mayor and the Democratic Mayorionnettes in the Metro Council to do what is best for Louisville.”

At the beginning of the year, Republican Metro Councilman Ken Fleming pushed for financial transparency in Metro Government. Unfortunately, the Mayor and his staff stonewalled the effort.

“It’s not that complicated” Cummings added. “You shouldn’t have to hide anything if you don’t have anything to hide.”

State Reorganization

Thank you to the 60+ delegates from Jefferson County who made the 2 hour trek to Bowling Green for Saturday's state reorganization. It was very exciting to hear from our state leaders as we head into a very important election in November.

To me, the most shocking thing to hear was that the Chinese are actually slant drilling into our off shore oil supplies! It just doesn't make sense that John Yarmuth and the rest of his liberal colleagues don't get this issue. Fortunately, we have a very capable candidate in former/future Congresswoman Anne Northup to end his misguided tenure.

Below are the list of national delegates named on Saturday. I am happy to see many of our local party members on this list.

At Large Delegates:

U.S. Rep. Ed Whitfield of Hopkinsville
State Sen. David Williams of Burkesville
State Rep. Jeff Hoover of Jamestown
Faith Mercke of Louisville
Hardin County Judge-Executive Harry Berry
Dr. Michael Harris of Elizabethtown
State Sen. Brett Guthrie of Bowling Green
Robin Mercer of Owensboro
DeAnna Brangers of Louisville
U.S. Rep. Anne Northup of Louisville
U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell of Louisville
Scott Jennings, former deputy political director of the White House from Louisville
U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning of Fort Wright
U.S. Rep. Geoff Davis of Fort Mitchell
Kevin Sell of Alexandria
Secretary of State Trey Grayson from Walton
U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers of Somerset
Cynthia Rogers of Somerset
Nelda Barton-Collings of Corbin
Kelly Knight, a United Nations delegate, of Lexington
Lois Ann Disponett-Hyatt of Lawrenceburg, the 6th Congressional District Republican chairwoman
Ellen Williams of Lawrenceburg, the former state GOP chairman
Michael Goins of Georgetown, a former spokesman for Gov. Ernie Fletcher
Lexington-Fayette Councilman Jay McChord

District Delegates:

Wilma Cooper of Hopkinsville
Richard Grana of Paducah
Dailey Wilson of Eddyville
Tommy Adams of Bowling Green
Greg Burkot of Bardstown
Theresa Padgett of Brandenburg
Harold Heiner of Louisville
Kevin Kramer of Louisville
Glen Stuckel of Louisville
Millie Bush of Brooksville
John Mocker of Union
State Rep. Addia Wuchner of Burlington
Jean Dorton of Paintsville
Jo Marshall of Somerset
John Triplett of Inez
Laura Owens of Frankfort
Carol Rogers of Lexington
Shirley Wiseman of Lexington
Members At Large:
RNC Member Gail Russell of Louisville
RNC Member (and Chairman) Robert Duncan of Inez
State Party Chairman Steve Robertson of Harrodsburg

Tired of High Gas Prices? Look No Further than the Democratic Party

Whether it was President Clinton's veto of a bill allowing us to drill in ANWR or one of the four bills introduced by Republicans since June 2007 that haven't seen the light of day, one thing is consistent. Repeatedly, Democrats have stonewalled every common sense legislation on energy independence. So the next time you fill up at $4 a gallon, you can thank John Yarmuth and his colleagues for the dent in your pocketbook.