July 3, 2009

• News:  KY Judge Possible Misuse Of CC

  Oops! The Kentucky State Auditor's office has begun looking into the credit card statements of the Kentucky Association of Counties and the Kentucky League of Cities for potential misuse. State Auditor Crit Luallen announced Wednesday that her office is auditing both agencies in response to a local TV News report. WAVE 3 reported credit card statements for David Jenkins, the Judge Executive of Spencer County showed several charges for various bars and strip clubs. The transactions were made by Jenkins while he was president of the Kentucky Association of Counties last year. The KY association paid the credit card charges which included numerous charges for lounges including the Thorobred Lounge, several strip clubs including The Godfather, an escort service in Lexington, and multiple charges at Hooters Casino Hotel in Las Vegas. Totally, Jenkins squandered nearly $20,000 in government funds.

  According to Bob Arnold, Director and CEO of the Kentucky Association of Counties, Jenkins has denied any credit card misuse and racking up the strip club charges and others charges in question. Judge Jenkins had tuned in receipts for his charges and believes someone else is responsible for the abusive charges; however, no receipts were submitted documenting them. Arnold says the agency has now filed a dispute with the credit card company alleging someone other than Judge Jenkins is responsible for the charges. They have not yet received a response.

  As a result of the allegations against Judge Jenkins and the Kentucky Association of Counties other Kentucky government agencies have now come under scrutiny. In addition to looking into the spending of the Kentucky League of Cities, by Luallen, other Spencer County officials have reviewed the county's past five years of credit card accounts. They have not discovered any evidence of any misuse. Magistrate Bill Drury who participated in the review, says the county will review card spending policies at their next meeting on July 6th.
  
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