It looks like the grand jury handed down some more indictments on Thursday going after Republican Party treasurer Dave Disponett and J. Marshall Hughes, his assistant. The Herald-Leader ran a good story on the issue this morning.

Yesterday's indictments of Dave Disponett, an Anderson County contractor who also serves as Kentucky Republican Party treasurer, and Bowling Green attorney J. Marshall Hughes represent the first time in the five-month-long hiring probe that individuals who were never on the state payroll have been charged with crimes.

[...]

Disponett did work out of a Capitol office from February 2004 until June 2005 while he was advising Gov. Ernie Fletcher.

Disponett faces three counts of conspiracy, including one related to the hiring of his nephew. Another charge stems from the hiring of the brother-in-law of Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer.

Hughes, who often assisted Disponett in screening potential state job candidates, is charged with two counts of conspiracy, including the hiring of a Republican circuit court clerk as a transportation supervisor.

Hughes' attorney called the indictments "a stretch of the statutes" because private citizens can't be charged in relation to state hiring rules.

"I don't think you can conspire to commit a crime if you have no authority to make a decision on employment," said Steven Thornton, Hughes' Bowling Green-based attorney. "I can't imagine how it would succeed."

I think if you are working out of the governor's office at the governor's pleasure, using his resources, even if you don't have an official salary, you should be indicted. I think you have to consider what they're being charged with too. Conspiracy is means basically you were in on it to break the law. One doesn't need to be a paid state employee to be charged with violating the merit law rules. These guys helped to implement these policies and in so doing conspired to violate state law.

posted by Stithmeister @ 8:21 AM
 
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