RPK

MINNEAPOLIS -- As Hurricane Gustav slams the Gulf Coast of the United States, changes made in respect to the weather emergency are still occurring much farther north at the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

With the first night's speaking schedule - which included Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Louisville) - already scrapped in favor of a condensed run through convention business, the events Kentucky delegates are attending during the day are being transformed from political seminars and parties into "charitable functions" according to Republican Party of Kentucky spokeswoman Andi Johnson.

Such sentiment reflects an evident trend among delegations to the Minneapolis event. CQ reports many celebrations previously filed under the moniker 'party' are now being re-tagged and given a charitable purpose, in light of the news of the hurricane.

MINNEAPOLIS – Delegates from the Bluegrass State are expected to trickle in to Minneapolis throughout this, the first day of the Republican National Convention, as the day’s schedule stands altered in the midst of the landfall of Gustav, a category 3 hurricane currently pounding the Gulf Coast of the United States.

Republican Party of Kentucky Chairman Steve Robertson said his delegates were taking the schedule changes in stride.

“Everyone has been extremely understanding,” said Robertson.

Robertson added that the delegation was “very concerned” about the situation in the Gulf Coast.

As delegates arrive under the pending weather emergency in the South, their day in Minneapolis may be a little less full than they expected. The campaign of presumptive Republican presidential nominee and U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) requested that today’s official convention events be consolidated in light of Gustav’s potential impact, while President Bush and Vice President Cheney cancelled their visits to the convention.

The impact of the hurricane on the events for the rest of the convention is still unknown. The schedule for the Kentucky delegation remains in question as well.

“A lot of things are in flux,” said Robertson. “We are taking things on a day-by-day basis.”

Republican Party of Kentucky chairman Steve Robertson expressed little concern that the addition of U.S. Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) to the ticket of presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama (D-Ill.) will hurt Republican chances in the state.

"The pick will reinforce the fact that Barack Obama is not right for this state," Robertson told PolitickerKY.com.

"I think this is Barack Obama choosing to add another liberal element to his campaign," Robertson added.

Biden was added to Obama's ticket last night, with the campaign announcing the selection of the Delaware Senator via a text message to supporters after some word leaked out to the media.

With over four months remaining before the general election, Kentucky's Republican fundraising committees are showing a decided fundraising advantage over their Democratic counterparts.

Polwatchers reports the Republican Party of Kentucky is sitting on over $1.1 million in on-hand cash as of the end of May. The Democratic Party of Kentucky, meanwhile, is holding less than a quarter of that figure, with over $234,000 in the bank.

The major advantage shown by the RPK gives state Republicans a boost, though Democrats are ahead in cash among state legislative fundraising organizations. The House Democratic Caucus Committee holds over $125,000 in funds, ahead of the Democrats' Senate equivalent and state Republicans' House and Senate organizations.

Gov. Steve BeshearCalling the governor's mansion in Frankfort "the people's house," Republican Party of Kentucky Chair Steve Robertson attacked Gov. Steve Beshear (D-Lexington) for using his official residence for a late June fundraiser.

"Using the Governor's Mansion for political fundraisers does not represent the kind of ethical and moral leadership the people of Kentucky deserve," said Robertson. "Governor Beshear has said that his administration should be held accountable and that it starts at the top with him. I call on Governor Beshear to make real ethics reform part of the special session call."

Invitations to join the "Capitol Club" via attendance at a June 24 fundraiser at the mansion and a coinciding golf open - entitled the "Beshear Open" were dispatched this past weekend.

BOWLING GREEN -- Despite some particularly visible dissent on the convention floor on Saturday, Republican Party of Kentucky leadership was not abated from approving a package of nineteen resolutions and their favored slate of at-large delegates to the Republican National Convention.

One effort by a handful of Ron Paul delegates attempting to extract one resolution for debate was beaten back from the Chair on procedural grounds during Saturday's Kentucky Republican convention in Bowling Green. Otherwise, all the resolutions recommended by the convention's Resolutions Committee passed easily by voice vote.

U.S. Rep. Ron Paul: Getty Images PhotoBOWLING GREEN -- Supporters of presidential candidate and U.S. Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) saw all of their efforts to influence the outcome of the Kentucky Republican convention thwarted during a noisy procedural stand-off with party leadership on the floor of Saturday's event. Amid shouting and unrestrained debate, Republican Party of Kentucky Chairman Steve Robertson pushed through votes on convention rules, resolutions, and delegate slates while dissenting Paul supporters vocally argued parliamentary procedure was being bypassed.

Near the end of a tumultuous half-hour of confusion, some of the dissent moved to depose Robertson of his position while other Paul supporters were ordered out of the convention hall by the chair.

As general election campaigns in the state kick into first gear, PolitickerKY.com will be providing full coverage of many of the major political events throughout the state. This weekend, expect full coverage on this site of the Kentucky Democratic Party's Jefferson-Jackson Dinner and the Republican Party of Kentucky's state convention.

Tonight, prominent Democrats from throughout the state will gather in Lexington for the major annual J-J dinner. Among the guests expected are Lieutenant Governor Daniel Mongiardo (D-Hazard), Governor Steve Beshear (D-Lexington), KDP Chair Jennifer Moore, and Vice-Chair Nathan Smith.

The last three account for all of Kentucky's remaining uncommitted superdelegate votes.Their joint appearance also falls on the day Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean set as the "deadline" for superdelegate decisions to be announced.

U.S. Senate candidate Bruce LunsfordCopies of the FEC complaints filed by Republican Party of Kentucky (RPK) Chairman Steve Robertson against Democratic Senate candidate Bruce Lunsford were released today.

The full complaint, with attachments, is viewable here (in .pdf form).

As reported yesterday, the RPK contends Lunsford's April 21 appearance on the CW program "Louisville Live this Morning" violated FEC rules requiring the display of a disclaimer and image of the candidate at the close of the broadcast, as Lunsford paid $200 to the station in conjunction with his appearance.

The campaign of Democratic Senate candidate Bruce Lunsford responded this evening to charges it violated FEC disclaimer requirements when Lunsford appeared in a local tv segment paid for by the campaign.

"It was acknowledged on the air that the interview segment was paid for by the campaign. The campaign was not at all involved in the production of the television show," said campaign spokesperson Allison Haley in a statement sent via e-mail to PolitickerKY.com. "If there was a written disclaimer required in that instance and the campaign was responsible for making sure the television producers put that on the air, it was an oversight and we will take responsibility."