Yarmuth Beware: It's Not Just Fischer Who Should Be Worried By This Poll

Hal Heiner has dramatically jumped into a commanding leading over Greg Fischer in a SurveyUSA poll released earlier today. He is up by 7 points, leading Fischer 51% to 44%. That represents a 13-point swing in Heiner's favor from a poll taken only a few weeks ago. Great news for Heiner, and also very encouraging for Congressional hopeful Todd Lally. In traditionally Democratic Louisville, if a majority of survey respondents say they are voting for the Republican nominee for mayor, that suggests they may be more likely to pull the lever for the Republican running for Congress as well.
Please note: The postings of "G. Morris", written by John K. Bush and which end in 2016, stated his views as of the dates of posting and should not be understood as current assertions of his views. The postings, which have not been altered since they came to an end, remain on this blog to preserve the historical record. In 2017, Mr. Bush took a position that precludes further public political comments or endorsements. He will no longer be contributing to this blog.

Greg Fischer is No Moderate

Greg Fischer is polling as well as he is because people look at his moderate demeanor and assume that his politics are moderate, as well.

The list of labor endorsements on his website suggests that to the contrary, he's a classic pro-union Democrat:

United Auto Workers
Laborers Local 576
Kentucky Laborers' District Council
National Conference of Firemen and Oilers 32BJ/SEIU
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
Plumbers, Pipefitters & HVAC Service Technicians Local 502
International Union of Electrical Workers Local 761 IUE-CWA
Louisville Professional Firefighters Local 345
Louisville Federation of Retired Firefighters
United Steel Workers
Greater Louisville AFL-CIO Retirees Council
Sprinkler Fitters Local 669
Amalgamated Transit United Local 1447
International Brotherhood of Teamsters 783
Boilermakers Local 40
International Union of Operating Engineers #181
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers AFL-CIO Lodge #681
United Food and Commercial Workers Local 227
General Drivers, Warehousemen & Helpers Local #89
AFSCME
Painters and Allied Trades District Council 91, Local 118
Greater L'ville Central Labor Council AFL-CIO
Communications Workers of America
Bricklayers Local #4
Sheet Metal Workers Local #110
Retired Police & Firefighters Advocates Inc.
National Association of Government Employees
Iron Workers Local 70
Building Trades

Greg Fischer's candidacy has energized the unions. Their members will turn out on Election Day, and the Hal Heiner campaign better have a strong Get Out the Vote program in place to respond.

Fischer Responds (Heaven Help the Man)

This is what is known as the pot calling the kettle black. Greg Fischer -- who failed to file his financial disclosure form on time -- complains that Bruce Lunsford hasn't filed his form. In fact, Lunsford filed early (see post below).

So Team Fischer responds by shooting off an email criticizing Lunsford. I can't improve on Jake's take from Page One:

What does the Fischer campaign do hours after a story about Bruce’s disclosure being made public? They send out an email blast claiming that his report is missing. For real.

“Lunsford—in his third attempt at a political post, with an office staffed with Washington handlers—should know how to complete financial reports and where to send them,” said Fischer political director Kim Geveden. We’re just curious what has happened,” he said.

Seriously. Something stupid like this comes out of that campaign EVERY DAY. It never ends.

We're left wondering if Fischer actually pays his campaign staff to sabotage him, or whether Lunsford picks up the tab for all this hilarity.

Lunsford Discloses Huge Assets; Where's Fischer's Form?

W. Bruce Lunsford has filed his candidate financial disclosure report with the United States Senate Office of Public Records. It's a glimpse into the world of the rich who want to be famous. Greg Fischer, in contrast, appears to have missed the April 20th deadline, in yet another violation of the laws governing candidates for federal office.

We anxiously await to see whether Fischer's disclosure form was lost in the mail. As a candidate for federal office who does not file annually, the Ethics in Government Act required Fischer to file his financial disclosure form 30 days before the primary, that is, April 20th. If Fischer fails to file the form, he is subject to a fine or even referral to the Department of Justice.

It's just one form out of many that candidates must file, and yet it reveals the difference between the two men, or at least their campaigns.

Lunsford signed and dated his form April 17, 2008 (three days early) and took no chances on it arriving late; he sent it via UPS Next Day Air -- in which he has invested.

At this point, nothing jumps out from Lunsford's form except that he is very, very rich. The diversity of his investments is also striking. The man owns interests in everything from the frivolous -- races horses, film-making companies, amusement parks --to more conventional assets -- real estate, mutual funds and health care-related companies.

Whereas many of us have one mortgage, Lunsford has many, scattered around the country. And whereas many of us have mutual funds or savings accounts, Lunsford has interests in limited liability corporations and limited partnerships -- just page after page of assets. That includes many funds with Goldman Sachs; these appear to be the sort limited to high net worth individuals.

Not to incite any class warfare, but as I place my $ 2 bet on the Derby, I will think of Lunsford, who valued his thoroughbred horses at between $5 million to $ 25 million. That's a lot of horse flesh.

Fischer, on the other hand, is the horse who couldn't get loaded into the starting gate.

Greg Fischer Violates FEC Law (Again)

Greg Fischer appears to have violated Federal Election law yet again. Fischer, who wants to run as the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, has released a television ad that appears to clearly violate FEC rules.

Federal candidates are required to state in their TV ads that the candidate approved the ad's message. Fischer's tag line, at the end of his ad, does not follow the FEC rules.

The FEC gives the candidate two options to indicate he approved the TV ad, but Fischer still failed to comply with either alternative.

Fischer could have met the FEC requirements by simply appearing on camera and stating that he approved the ad. But he did not. Or he could have said the words as a voice over, that is Fischer takes responsibility for the ad on the audio track while the camera shows a shot of Fischer kissing babies or whatever. He didn't bother to follow that prong of the rule, either.

Likewise, Fischer's ad violates the requirement that the disclaimer appear in writing at the ad, with enough color contrast that voters can notice it, for at least four seconds. Fischer does include a written disclaimer, but it flashes by almost as quickly as the subliminal messages in the Beatles's music he plays in the background.

Fischer's campaign has a history of sloppy compliance with campaign law. He conducted campaign business using a corporate email account -- essentially an illegal corporate contribution. He used corporate underlings to register domain sites for his campaign. And he exceeded the $5000 spending limit without declaring his candidacy.

Given that Fischer enjoys a paltry six percent approval rating in the polls, maybe it makes no difference.

Update: Fischer's approval rating has inched up to nine percent. Perhaps he's waiting to obey the election laws until he breaks into double digits.

National Dems Tell Fischer to Play Nice

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee's spokesman, Matt Miller, warned Greg Fischer to stop attacking other Democratic candidates, such as Bruce Lunsford.

Fischer's campaign confirmed remarks that Fischer made Saturday at the Kentucky Democratic State Central Executive Committee in Frankfort, as reported on Kypolitics.org.

Fischer took a shot at Senator Chuck Schumer and the DSCC for interfering in the Kentucky primary for U.S. Senate --interference on behalf of Lunsford, that is. Suffice to say that in the unlikely event that Fischer is elected, he will not be known as one of the Senate's best orators:

"Because there’s powers in Washington D.C. - you know, led by Chuck Schumer, and you all are hearing this just as well as I am – that he’s trying to manipulate this election in Kentucky.”

Then Fischer attacked Lunsford, stating at least three times that the Democrats should nominate someone with a "clean record."

“It’s clear to anyone who follows politics in the state Kentucky that the Senator from New York and his folks are trying to force upon the voters of Kentucky a failed candidate who has more baggage than Samsonite. We need a fresh candidate with a clean record who offers bold ideas and new solutions.”

"More baggage than Samsonite" -- this is Fischer, the bored rich guy who wants to be Senator, attempting to sound like a man of the people by pretending that he uses Samsonite instead of Louis Vuitton or whatever.

His point that Lunsford has a dirty record, however, is correct. Indeed it's starting to look like Lunsford engaged in some legal gymnastics to buy his two million dollar Phoenix mansion by using his Chicago address -- and now substituting his Kentucky address. The poor rich guy has so many properties he doesn't know where he lives.

Since he has the property in Illinois and Arizona, Lunsford might as well try to run for either John McCain's or Barack Obama's Senate seat. Then maybe he could dupe voters who have not heard the name Vencor. If elected, Lunsford could contribute a unique perspective on the housing market, given all that he has done to stimulate it.

Update: Lunsford's loan documents contain a rider that allows him to use the Phoenix mansion as a second home.