Is Dirty Ernie Going to Jail?

Former Fletcher Administration Secretary of Transportation Bill Nightbert might be on the verge of dropping a dime on former Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher.

Federal prosecutors have Nighbert's balls in a vise, and Ernie's the only thing he's got to trade.

Federal prosecutors say former Kentucky Transportation Secretary Bill Nighbert made 33 phone calls to road contractor Leonard Lawson’s home while a bid-rigging investigation was being carried out.

Nighbert, Lawson and Brian Billings, an aide to the roadbuilder, are accused of steering state highway construction contracts to Lawson’s companies. All have entered not guilty pleas.

A motion by prosecutors filed Tuesday detailed the calls in early 2008.

Prosecutors said four of the calls came in January and the rest in March, after Nighbert and Lawson became concerned that another Transportation Cabinet official might decide to cooperate with the investigation.

SNIP

Nighbert and Lawson faces conspiracy, bribery and obstruction of justice charges.

Read the whole thing.

The phone calls, some of which took place over state-supplied cell phones, appear to involve discussion of what bullshit story to tell investigators to cover up the crime.

Corruption in the Transportation Cabinet is endemic and to a large extent intractable. But Cabinet heads and governors with an ounce of sense take measures to insulate themselves. Nighbert didn't, now he's looking at a long prison stretch, and he doesn't impress me as a stand-up con.