Beshear's Son Shills for Bluegrass Pipeline Company

Which is a worse: corruption or nepotism? Doesn't matter: Steve Cowardly Waste of Oxygen Beshear is still refusing to put the Bluegrass Pipeline on the call for the legislative special session in two weeks.

Ryan Quinn at the Frankfort State-Journal: 

Gov. Steve Beshear’s son, attorney Andrew Beshear, is representing a company working to build a controversial natural gas liquids pipeline through Kentucky.

Andrew Beshear visited the state Public Service Commission with pipeline representatives in April.

When asked about a possible conflict of interest, Kerri Richardson, communications director for the governor’s office, wrote in an email that the law firm Stites & Harbison, by which Andrew Beshear is employed, has represented the company for more than a decade.

“We don’t see any issues with conflict of interest,” Richardson wrote. “As a large legal firm, Stites & Harbison represents clients who sometimes have adverse interests to the Commonwealth.”

The governor also worked for Stites & Harbison until he was elected in 2007.

The pipeline issue has roiled many landowners and led at least two counties — Franklin and Scott — to pass resolutions last week opposing the pipeline coming through their areas.

Landowners are pushing to place the issue on the agenda for the August special session of the Kentucky General Assembly, which was called to deal with legislative redistricting.

In response, the governor recently issued a statement saying “there appears to be no need” to take up the issue in August, adding “there are a number of issues to be resolved before any definitive action can be taken by the Bluegrass Pipeline owners.”

SNIP

Chris Schimmoeller, president of Envision Franklin County and a strong opponent of the pipeline, disagreed with the governor’s statement. She said the issue is urgent because Willliams is currently seeking survey permissions.

She said legislators should take up the issue now.

“It shouldn’t take several days,” Schimmoeller said. “It should be fairly straightforward.”

A Williams representative previously told Franklin County Fiscal Court that the company will likely know the vast majority of its proposed route by August.

Schimmoeller said opponents will visit the Capitol 3 p.m. Aug. 7 — the same day Williams plans a 5 p.m. open house at the Paul Sawyier Public Library — to deliver a petition for the governor to place the issue on the special session.

The petition, which currently has more than 1,400 online signatures on MoveOn.org, requests the governor and General Assembly increase regulation of natural gas liquids pipelines and officially state that companies seeking to build such pipelines don’t have the power of eminent domain.

Envision is also hosting an informational meeting for the community 6-8 p.m. Thursday at Alton Christian Church in Lawrenceburg.