Indicted Gov. Says He's Not Leaving

Gov. Ernie Fletcher said he will complete his first term and seek a second one despite an indictment on misdemeanor charges that accuse him of illegally rewarding political supporters with state jobs.

The embattled GOP governor was charged Thursday with conspiracy, official misconduct and violating a prohibition against political discrimination. A conviction could lead to jail time and his removal from office, according to the attorney general's office.

"My conscience is clear," Fletcher said Thursday evening. "We did everything we could to uphold the law."

Spokesman Brett Hall said the governor was not surprised by the indictment, given Democratic Attorney General Greg Stumbo's ongoing investigation into the administration's hiring practices.

Fletcher has said previously he considered Stumbo a possible gubernatorial candidate next year.

"This has been a politically motivated, media-driven investigation from the start," Hall said. The administration will file a motion seeking to disqualify Stumbo and his entire staff from further participation in the patronage investigation, he said.

"The grand jury has spoken, the indictment speaks for itself and I intend to do the job the people of Kentucky elected me to do," Stumbo told reporters Thursday.

Fletcher, the first Republican elected Kentucky governor since 1967, centered his 2003 campaign around a promise to "clean up the mess in Frankfort." The previous governor, Democrat Paul Patton, had been tarnished by a highly publicized extramarital affair.

Nearly a year ago, a special grand jury began investigating whether Fletcher's administration broke state law by basing personnel decisions on political considerations.

Thirteen other current and former administration officials and associates were previously indicted on misdemeanor counts. The grand jury handed up another 14 sealed indictments Thursday.

Last summer, Fletcher pardoned everyone in his administration other than himself who could be charged in the case, although a legal debate continues over whether a blanket pardon issued before charges are filed is valid.

He said he had "no intention" of pardoning himself for the alleged crimes.

When asked if he would complete his first term, the governor said: "I am not going to let this dissuade me from continuing to serve the people of Kentucky and moving this state forward. In fact ... it has just strengthened my resolve."

He also said he has not changed his plans to run for a second four-year term.

Fletcher's indictment alleges that he conspired with other administration officials on a hiring scheme dubbed the "Governor's Personnel Initiative."

Administration officials, the indictment alleges, crafted an elaborate system of screening job candidates and ran background checks on prospects' political affiliations and donations.

Fletcher has repeatedly denied any political patronage scheme and said his administration's internal review uncovered no violations of state law. The indictment said those denials form part of the conspiracy.

The grand jury also charged Fletcher with discriminating against a former state transportation employee, who claims in a lawsuit filed Wednesday that he was fired last year because he was a Democrat and gave money to the campaign of Ben Chandler, Fletcher's 2003 Democratic opponent.

The conspiracy charge carries a potential penalty of one to 12 months in jail and a $500 fine. The other two charges carry penalties of one to six months in jail, according to the attorney general's office.