The Spectacle Blog
The Senate race in Kentucky has been rocked by revelations that Democrat state attorney general Jack Conway’s brother was the target of a drug investigation — but no charges were filed against Matt Conway, and two Louisville detectives have been placed on leave after being accused of leaking information about the investigation:
After a criminal investigation by police, the Jefferson County Attorney’s Office decided in August that no charges would be filed against Conway, [Detective Ronald] Russ, [Detective Scott] Wilson or a third narcotics detective, Chauncey Carthan, who was not involved in the leaks but was overheard discussing the second investigation in a restaurant last March.
Carthan’s conversation was reported to Jack Conway, a candidate for the U.S. Senate, by a person supporting him. The brothers subsequently conferred with an attorney about the investigation of Matthew Conway, according to the investigative file.
The lawyer, Bart Adams of Louisville, then met with Police Chief Robert White to discuss Carthan’s conduct, according to the records.
No charges were filed against Matt Conway. Commonwealth’s Attorney David Stengel told the Louisville Courier-Journal “that he had reviewed all of the evidence gathered by police and was convinced that Conway was neither a drug user nor trafficker.” In a statement to the newspaper, Jack Conway’s office said “his only involvement was to advise his brother to obtain legal counsel.”
It is not known what impact the revelations will have on Jack Conway’s Senate campaign against Republican Rand Paul, whom polls show leading in the race. Alex Pappas of the Daily Caller reported that the Democrat’s campaign did not reply to an e-mail “seeking elaboration Saturday as to whether Conway, as attorney general, took any steps to involve himself in the investigation.”
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Thomas Rhea| 10.23.10 @ 5:39PM
My research shows Mr. Stengel is a past donor of Jack Conway according to fec.gov.
Vested interest?
Jay Dee| 10.23.10 @ 6:43PM
Maybe this is ConMan's own version of AquaBuddah!
I bet the Courier Journal buried this news story deep deep inside the paper. I would bet money the Lexington Herald Liberal doesn't even run it.
John Stuart| 10.23.10 @ 6:54PM
When is it ever a good idea for an acting attorney general to contact and intimidate detectives investigating his brother?
What does it say about an Attorney General when two police officers whom his office supervises tip off his own brother about a confidential criminal investigation of him, and tip him off days in advance that his house is going to be searched?
Why does it appear that there are so many drug dealers, drug users, and corrupt police detectives associated with Jack Conway?
Why are there so many questions about Jack Conway?
professorjoe | 10.24.10 @ 11:57AM
Q1) It is always a good idea for any good AG to make sure that his detectives are not wasting precious taxpayer funds in terms pay to open investigations that could be based on retributive lies that are passed on "anonymously" to the police, knowing that every detective in the state is "frothing at the mouth" to "bust some drugs" and the tv-style ridiculousness of this illegal governmental practice, i.e. the various anonymous drug tip lines. This amounts to governmental protected slander, which is subject to civil recourse when being transferred falsely. Every court officer in the state knows this, but remains silent because they care not about illegalities. Collar credit professional promotion only.
Q2) Present your evidence that this occurred. My evidence is the fact that EVERY one of our 120 counties are loaded with officers that prosecute selectively and they prove it every day that an illegal Country Club sells any alcohol and operate gambling devices unlicensed on every day of the week (Sunday included) throughout the state to a multitude of lawyers. I would assume that you are a member of one of these illegal entities.
Q3) The corrupt police departments run vicariously throughout the state knowing that there is "no police for the police." It is systemic in Kentucky, knowing that it is politically incorrect to attack them for their double standard and the AG is essentially a politician first and public servant second.
Q3) There apparently doesn't. It is a fallacy that individuals like you would like to promote. Substantiate your claims and present them in court.
Q4)_ There is only one real question about Conway. Why would he not recuse himself from voting in the approval of utility rate increases for a utility company that he owns millions of dollars in stock. He voted against the increase, but knew that it would pass without his vote. The appearance was a feather in hat. The real truth is that if he owned this stock before becoming AG, he should have sold it immediately upon election. If he bought it after election, why did he buy it knowing he would be involved in rate increases? He should have either sold his stock or resigned from the AG position if he would not recuse himself. Voting against the increase is not a political feather. It is a subtextual dagger. But, being a Republican, I'm relatively sure that you think that conflict-of-interest activity is a-okay. In my home county the police don't enforce the law...they ARE the law.
My question to both candidates is this: Why did either one of you go to graduate school at Duke University instead of UK if you want to hold political office in Kentucky. This indiscretion of the past disqualifies both candidates.
Nice try, but the unsubstantiated appearance of scandal does not indicate actual scandal. But, it is the dirty backstabbing process that we affectionately call politics in Kentucky.
how to register a domain name | 10.23.10 @ 8:15PM
Awesome post peter, it’s been a while since I’ve been on here. I see that nobody has lost their passion. Good to be back.
tailgunner| 10.23.10 @ 9:36PM
'...obtain legal counsel.'
Yeah, my family tells me that all the time. Doesn't mean a thing to me.
Riiiight.
Willey| 10.23.10 @ 10:36PM
Conway's a real dirtbag...or just your average liberal bottom-feeder.
I hope Rand Paul destroys him on November 2.
classmate of conway| 10.23.10 @ 10:57PM
As a former classmate of M. Conway and former friend whom spent many hours at their home around both brothers--- I just want to say that this is only the tip of the iceberg for illegal and outright shameful activities.
Chicago Nick| 10.24.10 @ 3:17PM
details...
Tim*| 10.24.10 @ 2:26AM
The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in Kentucky shows Paul with 47% of the vote to Conway’s 42%, his best showing since June. Four percent (4%) favor some other candidate, and seven percent (7%) are undecided.
We Tea Party Rebels Support Dr.Rand Paul .
The Tea Party Rebellion Escalates.
Rise Up In Rebellion.
Alan Brooks| 10.24.10 @ 11:05PM
"Rise Up In Rebellion."
And "strike down Israel"
-right, Tim? are you brave enough to admit you feel that way? or are you a yellow coward your father the colonel would be ashamed of?
Patriot| 10.25.10 @ 1:01AM
What would a shameless libturd like you know or care about shame? Exactly ZERO.
Tim*| 10.25.10 @ 4:44AM
Uh Oh ! ObamaBoy Israel FirsterBrooks is upset with Tea Party Rebel Tim .
Apparently, ObamaBoy Brooks thinks we're votin' for The Knesset on November 2nd.
Somebody send him a memo .
JohnnyCleveland | 10.24.10 @ 6:40AM
Funny, I read an entire article about this and not once was it mentioned that prosecutor Conway happened to be the brother of attorney general Conway.
Not once. Yep, a real news hound must have come up with that story.
The things Democrats do to protect each other always leave me speechless.
professorjoe | 10.24.10 @ 12:06PM
I know exactly how you feel. That's how I felt about Ernie Fletcher and Bill Nighbert and the whole Transportation contract-rigging episode. They are clearly two real Democrats, just like John Stovall and Rep. Brent Yonts.
tom| 10.24.10 @ 11:35PM
Better reread the 1st sentence in the 4th paragraph.
tom| 10.24.10 @ 11:36PM
Better reread the 1st sentence in the 4th paragraph
JimH| 10.24.10 @ 8:30AM
Aqua-Buddha works in mysterious ways.
Chicago Nick| 10.24.10 @ 3:19PM
lol.
Janice| 10.24.10 @ 2:23PM
About the polls: where do they get their phone #'s to call? A lot of us have no home phone and our cell #'s are not published. Neither political party has my latest cell #, so nobody could get it there. There are a lot of poor folks out here in rural areas who have no phone, (but some of them may vote). So the pollsters are not polling all the groups of people. This means that this election is not a foregone Republican win.
Personally, I don't see anything wrong with Conway telling his brother to get a lawyer. ANY politician or person in the public view would hope to quieten bad publicity in the family - remember Jimmy Carter's brother?
But, like others have said, we DO have police in KY that write their own laws. That is simply the sad fact. I have had personal experiences with this.
We are still better off with a Senator who will vote for corporate regulation, regardless of what he did or did not do in regards to his brother. We can't let Wall Street rule the country and destroy people and the economy again. Wall Street is responsible for the real estate crisis that has killed much or all of people's equity in their homes. Rand Paul will not vote to regulate anything and Repubs want to overturn Wall Street reform. If the powerful are not regulated, they have a tendency to run roughshod over those with little or no power.
CalMark| 10.24.10 @ 7:05PM
The three paragraphs above can be boiled down into the Democrat war cry:
"Republicans are scum! Our guy is a crook, but he's OUR crook and I LOVE him!"
Willey| 10.24.10 @ 7:18PM
Regulate the powerful? I agree, that's why I want to kick all of the corruptocrat liberals out of office on November 2.
You're a fool if you think the government is your friend. They're not.
Chicago Nick| 10.24.10 @ 3:11PM
Same stuff going on in statehouses and the white house....every state run by democrats is now in or near complete free fall and they somehow pull out this election the fall will increase exponentially.
Pete Kent| 10.24.10 @ 4:12PM
I have not seen any reporting my the national news media. Nothing this morning on Fox, NBC, ABC, CNN or affiliates.
To me this is a devastating indictment of Jack Conway's character and fitness and the lack of coverage further demonstrates the Left Wing Bias of the Media that has been so evident this week.
petekent01 (on twitter)
Willey| 10.24.10 @ 7:22PM
The LameStream Media are corrupt, too. If they did their job, corruptocrat liberals couldn't get away with their abuse of power.
Thank God for the ascendance of conservative media.
John S.| 10.25.10 @ 5:36PM
When is it ever appropriate for an acting Attorney General to ignore conflict of interest considerations and repeatedly contact detectives conducting an ongoing criminal investigation of his brother to “inquire” about such investigation?
When is it ever appropriate for an Attorney General to ignore all appearances of conflict of interest and opportunities for corruption by meeting alone and in secret in his own home with the target of a criminal investigation and the target’s attorney, when such target is his own brother?
Why did Jack Conway receive a campaign donation from the official who was in charge of evaluating and dismissing the criminal investigation of his brother?
Why was Jack Conway’s brother, who admitted to the crime of lying to investigators while he was the subject of an investigation, never punished for such crime, while at the same time Jack Conway was the chief law enforcement officer (Attorney General) of the state?
Why was one of the detectives who tipped off Jack Conway’s brother about the confidential investigation of him, also reported to be a former high school classmate and longtime acquaintance of Jack Conway?
Why does it appear that there are so many drug traffickers, drug users, and corrupt law enforcement officials associated with Jack Conway?
Why are there so many unanswered questions about Jack Conway?
Google: "Conway's brother"