FRANKFORT, Ky. (August 29, 2016) - Today, House Republican Leader Jeff Hoover called out Speaker Greg Stumbo for what he said was a transparent attempt to force taxpayers to pay for Democratic House members to attend a caucus fundraiser Tuesday evening.
The charge comes after Stumbo called a meeting of all House members in Frankfort under the guise of discussing the pension system and the Governor's Medicaid waiver.
"Greg Stumbo is attempting to use his past refusal to deal with problems with our pension and Medicaid systems to trick Kentucky taxpayers into paying for his members to attend a caucus fundraiser," said Rep. Hoover. "I think it's disgusting, disingenuous, and I will not be a part of his charade."
In a letter sent to Stumbo Monday morning outlining the reasons Republicans were boycotting the gathering, Hoover pointed out that the meeting serves no legitimate function since neither the State Senate nor the Governor's Office were invited to attend.
"If you were committed to solving the public pension crisis in Kentucky, why would you not include the Governor and the Senate in meetings," Hoover asked in the letter, which was also released to the media. "I trust you recognize no action can be taken without discussion and collaboration with the Governor and the Senate."
"We're in this hole because of wasteful spending in the past by Greg Stumbo and House Democrats," continued Hoover. "While I agree these are important issues, I don't think spending more than $30,000 in taxpayer dollars to bring members to Frankfort for a meeting that we know going in will accomplish nothing is a good use of taxpayer funds. When Republicans take the majority we won't just talk about how other branches of government should cut wasteful spending, we'll do it ourselves and eliminate obvious abuses of taxpayer dollars such as this."