Initial Hearing Today in Lawsuit Against Governor

From Kentucky Public Radio's Tony McVeigh Lawyers for Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear and Senate President David Williams were in court Thursday for an initial hearing on Williams’ lawsuit against the governor. Williams is challenging the governor’s veto of the legislatively approved state road plan, and later decision to institute his own plan.Attorney Paul Salamanca represents Senator Williams."As we see it, we’re going to end up talking about the governor’s authority to spend money beyond explicit appropriations," says Salamanca.The narrow issue of the hearing was whether legislative employees can be compelled to give depositions on the actual final adjournment hour of the 2008 General Assembly. The road plan was approved after midnight, which raises questions about its legitimacy. But there are bigger issues yet to be resolved, so lawyers for both sides agreed to hold the deposition issue in abeyance.