There was an event down by the river a couple of weeks ago involving Kentucky legislators — at least some of them — called “Northern Kentucky United.” It might as well have been called “Northern Kentucky Smackdown.” Or “Northern Kentucky Gets Along About As Well as Serbs and Muslims.” Or “Northern Kentucky Wants To Gouge Eyes Out.”

        You get the picture. Put a pig in Hugo Boss and it's still a pig, though in a nice set of threads.

        Saying Northern Kentucky is united doesn't quite mean that the region's leaders, particularly its state lawmakers, are united.

        Give the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce credit for trying to bring this event together. All leaders of the business group wanted to do was show off some of the spectacular development on and near Newport's riverfront.

        But they ended up jammed in the middle of a partisan fight among lawmakers who swore they weren't in a partisan fight.

        First the Democrats squawked because the June 14 Northern Kentucky United event was held on a night many of them were busy. Since the chamber and many of its members often but not always support Republicans, the Dems went off about how the whole show was a partisan event.

        Partisan event? No, a partisan event was the party fund-raiser statehouse Dems attended at the governor's mansion down in Frankfort that night instead of dropping by the river.

        The Dems then got in line to pitch a fit that Senate Republicans decided to pay their members for coming to the event, which set taxpayers back about $7,000.

They all do it

        Two points here:

        One, the Democrats are complaining about taxpayers' money being spent so lawmakers can attend an event that looks more like a party than official statehouse business. Are you kidding me?

        I've seen Dems as well as Republicans attend all kinds of fun stuff — parties, receptions, groundbreakings, etc. — where they were picking up their General Assembly salaries or at least getting reimbursed for expenses while partying away.

        Second, what's the matter with lawmakers getting paid for attending the event, especially those senators who live outside the area?

        Those were many of the same lawmakers who voted for the tax breaks and other legislation that made projects like the Newport Aquarium and Newport on the Levee happen. And they may be asked to pass more.

        For the NKU arena, for example.

        There is nothing wrong, in fact it's a good idea, for the chamber to show off what is happening in Newport. That might make the lawmakers more willing to approve future funding.

Silly swipes

        Of course, the Republicans couldn't leave well enough alone. They went around before, during and after the event crowing that few Democrats showed up, a silly move that gave the Dems ammo for their charges that the event was partisan.

        At one point, a Republican at the event took a swipe at House Majority Caucus Chairman Jim Callahan, D-Wilder, for being at a “reception” and not the Northern Kentucky United event.

        Mr. Callahan was actually at a wedding rehearsal dinner for his son, Brian, who was married June 16.

        Northern Kentucky United? Hardly.

        E-mail at pcrowley9@home.com. Past columns at Enquirer.com/columns/crowley.

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