Hawpe Slams McConnell In Courier-Journal Column

The Courier-Journal's David Hawpe points out that sexual harassment is not the only area where Mitch McConnell has been engaging in historical revisionism lately. It appears Mitch also failed to mention that Kentucky native Earle Clements served as Democratic leader in the Senate and had far more in common with the pork barrel spending liberal McConnell than Alben Barkley ever did. Perhaps that is why the Club for Growth recently slammed McConnell's spending and could be sending Larry Forgy to the U.S. Senate. Hawpe writes:

Speaking of hacks, self-seekers and misdeeds, the aforementioned new McConnell campaign commercial celebrates his mutually supportive relationship with Barkley's grandson, Alben Barkley II.

Does McConnell think everybody has forgotten that Barkley II, as state secretary of agriculture, was involved in a sensational sexual harassment incident? A secretary in the ag commissioner's office, Ann Hester, told the Personnel Board that Barkley once asked her to be his "lover," that he asked to look down her blouse, that he put his arm around her waist and hugged her, and that he often told her she looked "sexy."

McConnell is being endorsed for re-election in his TV ads by a man the Personnel Board found guilty of sexual harassment -- in the same case that became infamous when ag official Gerald Deatherage was required to apologize to female employees for a joking reference to the "little man in the boat." (Used in a salacious way, that's a reference to a part of the female sex organs.)

One election down, another under way. Isn't politics fun?

Crowley: "A Problem For Mitch"

Looks like heads will be rolling at the McConnell campaign as one can imagine Mitch will be none too happy with his campaign staff's lack of vetting and research behind this first ad debacle.

But one has to wonder: How did McConnell not know that Barkley was a convicted sexual harasser? Its only a matter of time until he is pressed on this. Patrick Crowley of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports:

The Huffington Post is reporting that Alben Barkley II, the grandson of Truman VP Alben Barkley and the star of KY U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell's first campaign ad, was convicted of sexually harassing a secretary in 1981 while serving as KY Ag Commissioner.

McConnell Airs Ad With Convicted Sexual Harasser

The Louisville liberal McConnell has truly reached a new low. No folks, this latest stunt did not feature our beloved Alben Barkley. McConnell's new ad featured Alben Barkley II, a convicted sexual harasser. The liberal blog Huffington Post reports:

The problem: Barley II is not world's best spokesperson.

Back in 1981, the Barkley grandson was convicted of sexually harassing a young secretary. According to an April 7 UPI article from that year:

"Alben W. Barkley II, [then] 36, asked his secretary, Ann Hester, to be his lover, asked to look down her dress on several occasions, once hugged her, and commented she looked 'sexy.''"

The Nutroots better not get too excited on their blogs. Kentucky's conservatives have an alternative. We have Larry Forgy.