BY PATRICK CROWLEY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
ERLANGER -- With less than two weeks until the election, allegations of ethical problems are continuing to dog Republican state Sen. Gex "Jay" Williams.
And his opponent in the 4th District Congressional race, Democrat Ken Lucas, is exploiting Mr. Williams' problems at every turn.
Less than a week after Mr. Williams was cleared but harshly admonished by the Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission for a land deal, the Williams camp was forced to answer questions Tuesday about reports that nearly 100 calls were made from statehouse GOP leadership offices to his campaign office and consultants.
Using state phones for political calls is against state law. The ethics commission has recently completed an investigation into the calls made not only from the leadership office, but also from Mr. Williams' statehouse phone to his campaign office and additional consultants working on his campaign.
Craig Hendricks, Mr. Williams' campaign manager, would not directly answer questions Tuesday about the phone calls.
"We're not commenting because this has been an ongoing investigation and we're waiting for the report from the ethics commission," Mr. Hendricks said. "As hard as I try I can come to no other conclusion that this is politically motivated."
Williams sought probe
The Kentucky Enquirer and Kentucky Post initiated the original investigation of Mr. Williams' statehouse lines through the state's Open Records Request. The records showed 17 calls, but even though they were to people working on his campaign, Mr. Williams has never admitted that the calls were political in nature, or even that he made them.
Mr. Williams explained that the calls were brief and were made as quick callbacks to people he was trying to reach, or who were trying to reach him.
In an effort to clear himself, Mr. Williams then called on the ethics commission to investigate. The panel is expected to report before the election.
Mark Guilfoyle, a Walton attorney and a key member of the Lucas campaign, said Mr. Williams called for the investigations "because he has said all along he wants the truth to come out."
"Well, the truth has come out and his response is no comment," Mr. Guilfoyle said. "I think that speaks volumes."
Just last week the ethics commission said Mr. Williams did not intentionally file a financial disclosure form with the state that inaccurately reported $60,000 worth of land Mr. Williams sold last year.
Mr. Williams sold the land, 10 acres of his Verona farm, to a campaign supporter. Mr. Williams said he needed the money for living expenses for his family while he ran for Congress.
But the ethics commission did say Mr. Williams was less than forthcoming when questioned under oath.
Meanwhile, the Lucas campaign is rolling out another commercial that questions Mr. Williams' integrity.
The ad features a retired decorated U.S. Army sergeant, Ken Bailey, and hammers Mr. Williams for allegedly lying on his resume about graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy.
"I'm no hero," Mr. Bailey says in the ad, according to a script provided by the Lucas campaign. "I just kept my promise to my country. We gave our lives for that promise. That's why I could never support Gex Williams."
Mr. Lucas was a pilot in the U.S. Air Force. The campaign also released a list of more than 100 veterans who are supporting Mr. Lucas.
Mr. Williams has denied he ever lied about graduating from the Naval Academy, which he did attend for two years in the early 1970s. A legislative directory did list him as a graduate, but he blamed that on his own inattention and a clerical error.
"Another day, another smear attack from Ken Lucas," Mr. Williams said in a statement. "With less than two weeks until Election Day, will there ever come a point in his campaign where Ken Lucas stops attacking me personally and starts telling voters how he's going to make their lives better?"
Mr. Lucas' campaign recently pulled about $6,000 worth of radio ads to buy more television time.
The Lucas campaign has issued several issue statements, with Social Security, juvenile crime, tax relief and economic development among them.
Mr. Williams has released statements on tax relief, Social Security, health care reform, national defense and other issues.
