Particular curiosity teams are pouring cash into nonpartisan judicial races in Kentucky, elevating questions on political affect within the state courts system.
Organizations just like the conservative Truthful Courts America, the Republican State Management Committee for Judicial Equity and the progressive Liberty & Justice for Kentucky are throwing their monetary help behind judicial candidates, who aren’t imagined to have a political affiliation underneath state regulation.
Charles Boteler, a member of the nonprofit Kentucky Judicial Marketing campaign Conduct Committee and former circuit choose, stated the big quantities of cash flooding in undermines the courtroom’s function as an neutral arbitrator.
“Once we diminish the ability of the courts and make them much less unbiased and extra depending on the opposite branches or political events or curiosity teams, that harms the system,” he stated.
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The teams have primarily centered on races for 2 state Supreme Court docket seats–one within the northern Kentucky space, the opposite round Bowling Inexperienced–and a contest in Franklin Circuit Court docket, which handles a few of the state’s most controversial circumstances, together with constitutional challenges to state legal guidelines.
The massive checks come because the courts are poised to deal with lawsuits coping with weighty points like abortion and redistricting.
Boteler stated voters shouldn’t make their choices about judicial candidates primarily based on partisan points.
“Many of the work a choose does has nothing to do with a few of these sizzling button points. So if you happen to vote solely on the premise of whether or not one is Republican or Democrat or what any individual thinks about abortion, that doesn’t inform you a large number about how they’d rule on circumstances,” he stated.
Partisan cash in nonpartisan races
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Three races have drawn essentially the most cash and a spotlight from the teams, that are known as unauthorized marketing campaign committees. The organizations can settle for contributions of any measurement from individuals, firms or teams after which spend a vast quantity on commercials like mailers and TV commercials.
The competition for the sixth District Kentucky Supreme Court docket seat in northern Kentucky between incumbent Justice Michelle Keller and GOP state Rep. Joe Fischer already acquired scrutiny for its brazenly partisan nature. Fischer is an anti-abortion state legislator and runs his marketing campaign with the tagline “the conservative Republican.”
The Republican State Management Committee’s Judicial Equity Initiative boosted Fischer’s marketing campaign with a $375,000 contribution for a 30-second tv advert based on a press launch.
In keeping with the Louisville Courier Journal, conservative group Truthful Courts America is spending cash on the District 2 Supreme Court docket race in help of Bowling Inexperienced lawyer Shawn Marie Alcott, who’s operating in opposition to Court docket of Appeals Choose Kelly Thompson.
And within the heated race for Franklin Circuit Court docket, Truthful Courts America is sending out social media ads and mailers attacking incumbent Choose Phillip Shepherd. He’s operating in opposition to Joe Bilby, a high lawyer for Republican Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles.
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The group Liberty & Justice for Kentucky has raised $554,250, with $250,000 spent on radio and TV adverts. One of many group’s main donors is the Kentucky Educators PAC, which has endorsed three candidates: Keller, Shepherd and Thompson.
College of Kentucky political science professor Stephen Voss stated rich marketing campaign donors are beginning to see the benefit of investing in low-level judicial and native races over high-profile contests.
“The individuals who have flooded our marketing campaign finance system with money are beginning to make investments it rather more properly and effectively. By specializing in these low degree races, conservative or liberal donors are in a position to see that low degree races will develop into the candidates for the excessive degree races later,” Voss stated.
Voss stated voters normally rubber stamp the incumbent in judicial races. However with extra money, mailers and adverts going out, judicial elections which might be normally underneath the radar and ignored have gained wider curiosity and engagement.
“When you speak about simply common voter perspective, belief within the judiciary is at a low, very low degree. So each individuals on the left and the suitable have been cued towards understanding judges as policymakers, identical to legislators are. As soon as the challengers in these low degree races are beginning to get sufficient cash to place up a critical combat, then the voters get an actual selection,” he stated.
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Elections for Kentucky’s Supreme Court docket are particularly necessary this 12 months, as justices are about to take up a problem to the state’s near-total ban on abortion. Although the excessive courtroom’s present seven-member panel will hear arguments over the lawsuit on Nov. 15, per week after Election Day, there’s an opportunity that the courtroom received’t situation an opinion earlier than the top of the 12 months.
The stakes are at all times excessive for Franklin Circuit Court docket, which oversees authorized challenges to state authorities and constitutional issues. Republicans, together with former Gov. Matt Bevin, say Shepherd disproportionately guidelines in opposition to them, although a have a look at Shepherd’s document doesn’t help that declare.
The final election is on November eighth. You could find your polling location at govoteky.com.
Now that the ink has dried and his signing with Kentucky has been made official, Jasper Johnson was finally able to be formally introduced to the Rupp Arena crowd during the Wildcats’ 87-68 win over Western Kentucky on Tuesday night.
Johnson, a class of 2025 five-star point guard born and raised in Lexington, sat courtside with his family to check out his future team in action against the Hilltoppers. During the second half, former Kentucky player Ravi Moss brought out the future Wildcat to midcourt where he was met with a chorus of cheers from the packed crowd of Big Blue Nationites.
After initially committing to Kentucky back in September, Johnson signed the necessary papers to play his college basketball at UK earlier this month. He’s been inside Rupp Arena plenty of times before over the years (and even played here with Woodford County as a sophomore), but never while wearing street clothes as the center of attention in front of over 20,000 screaming fans.
The smile says all you need to know.
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Johnson is one of three signees from Mark Pope‘s first recruiting class as Kentucky’s head coach, joining four-star center Malachi Moreno and four-star point guard Acaden Lewis. The 6-foot-4 guard is ranked No. 14 overall in the nation by the On3 Industry Ranking. He’s currently finishing up his high school career at Overtime Elite as a member of Rod Wave Elite (RWE).
Alongside Tay Kinney, a talented class of 2026 guard who is also from Kentucky and is being recruited by Pope, the two Bluegrass natives form arguably the deadliest backcourt duo in all of OTE. Through five games played this season, Johnson is averaging 19.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per outing while shooting 47.9 percent from the floor and 42.9 percent from deep.
This time next year, we’ll hopefully see him do the same thing in Kentucky blue and white.
Johnson family – Dr. Michael Huang, Kentucky Sports Radio
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Clara Strack scored 24 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, Teonni Key had 16 points and 13 rebounds and No. 14 Kentucky defeated Arizona State 77-61 on Tuesday in the Music City Classic to remain unbeaten.
Kentucky nearly had four players with double-doubles as Georgia Amoore added 20 points and nine rebounds and Amelia Hassett had eight points and nine rebounds for the Wildcats (6-0), who shot 42% and scored 13 points off 14 Arizona State turnovers.
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Jalyn Brown scored 16 points and Nevaeh Parkinson added 12 points and nine rebounds for the Sun Devils (3-3). Arizona State shot just 30%.
The Sun Devils cut a 19-point deficit to 11 after three quarters but a 6-0 burst with baskets by Key, Amoore and Strack built the lead back to 15 midway through the fourth.
Kentucky led 42-23 at halftime after outscoring the Sun Devils 27-9 in the second quarter, scoring the first 13 points of the period with Struck putting in the final seven in the run. A couple ASU free throws later, the Wildcats went on an 11-2 run capped by a Hassett 3 and the lead was 20. Strack scored 14 points and Key 10 in the half.
The teams continue play in the Music City Classic on Wednesday with Kentucky playing No. 19 Illinois and Arizona State facing South Dakota.
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Rivalry week has finally arrived. The Louisville and Kentucky football program are set to do battle once again, facing off in Lexington for the annual Battle for the Governor’s Cup.
Here are the depth charts for both the Cardinals and Wildcats:
Changes from Louisville’s Depth Chart vs. Pitt:
Quarterback
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9 Tyler Shough (6-5, 230, Gr.) 10 Pierce Clarkson (6-1, 190, R-Fr.) OR 15 Harrison Bailey (6-5, 230, R-Sr.) OR 12 Brady Allen (6-6, 220, R-So)
Running Back
25 Isaac Brown (5-9, 190, Fr.) 21 Donald Chaney Jr. (5-10, 210, R-Jr.) 26 Duke Watson (6-0, 180, Fr.) 22 Keyjuan Brown (5-10, 210, R-Fr.)
Wide Receiver
0 Chris Bell (6-2, 220, Jr.) 81 Cataurus Hicks (5-10, 180, R-Fr.)
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