Andy Beshear’s campaign war chest has amassed $2.7 million, with large amounts coming from folks who want to do business with his father Governor Steve Beshear’s administration.
It has paid to contribute to the son of the Governor. Take for example the board of trustees for the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville, which are appointed by Governor Beshear. According to The Courier-Journal, 22 of the 31 appointments have contributed to the Governor’s son.
This past June, Rev. Kevin Cosby, University of Louisville’s only African American trustee and the only trustee who had not contributed to Andy’s campaign was replaced by Governor Beshear.
As The Courier Journal’s Joe Gerth puts it:
“If you are a pessimist, you’d believe that raising the money that Beshear has raised opens the door for corruption, since many of the people donating to his campaign are still dependent on his father for government contracts and appointments, and many others could have cases involving the attorney general once Andy Beshear is swept into office.”
Still Beshear has done little to quell voters’ fears that all this money might influence his role as attorney general. Despite being called on to release a list of clients he has represented, he has refused to do so.
Andy Beshear’s utter lack of transparency on his client list and record-breaking fundraising off his father’s name should make Kentuckians question who he would really represent if he becomes their attorney general.”