Kentucky: D.c.

It's officially a week since Kim Geveden said that Dan Mongiardo would be releasing his 2nd quarter fundraising numbers and, well, we're still waiting. Is he really going to just make us count them all ourselves once the FEC posts them next week? Lame...

But in the meantime, Jake brings home the internal rumors that the "GOP Lite" campaign is falling apart at the seems:

We mentioned it yesterday, but let’s rehash it again. Lee Murphy, an advisor and friend to Mongiardo, has departed from the campaign. He allegedly had it out with the Lt. Governor in front of campaign staff over the issue of health care.

Seriously, what is with this guy?

In 2007, Ben was the bluest of Blue Dogs, poking me in the chest and such, winning the Most Spineless KY Democrat Rootie.

Then in 2008, Ben was just phenomenal. On mountaintop removal, Iraq, FISA, endorsing Barack Obama early... it was just night and day.

But last Friday, Ben Chandler took what is probably his boldest move yet, voting for the American Clean Energy and Security Act. To be quite honest, I was shocked by this vote.

Chandler faced heavy pressure from the global warming-deniers, who made a heavy pitch to flood his office with phone calls last week.

But he didn't listen to them, instead he stood up for what was right, for the future of our state/country/world.

Dan Mongiardo's first FEC filing is out, and here's a big shocker: it's full of coal company executive donors!

Yea, not exactly shocking. But it goes further than that. Much Further.

The International Coal Group (ICG) had all of its executives pitch in big money to Dr. Dan, 15 in total. Why is ICG so big on Mongiardo?

Well, lets take a look at what happened right after the EPA announcement last month that they will crack down on mountaintop removal sites and the destruction that they cause to water in the area. As we mentioned back then, Dan Mongiardo spent the next 24 hours frantically calling folks in D.