State Senate Rejects Eight Appointees

Somewhat lost in all the attention over the legislature’s failure to balance Kentucky’s Medicaid budget was Senate rejection of eight gubernatorial appointees.Among those not confirmed were two minority women to the state parole board, and environmental lawyer Joe Childers to the Mine Safety Review Commission.  Gov. Steve Beshear called the rejections “very disappointing.”“Because they take such pride in the Senate in the confirmation process" Beshear says, "and the fact that they should be a part of these important positions and confirming them.  And they’ve abdicated their responsibility to do it in any kind of rational and reasonable and wise way.”The Lexington Herald-Leader says Senate Republicans refused to turn over documents explaining why some people were confirmed and some were not.  The Senate, mostly along party lines, also rejected an effort by Louisville Sen. Gerald Neal to reconsider some of the appointees.