Lt. Gov. Says Ky. Pardons Were StrategicThe Associated Press
Wednesday, February 28, 2007; 11:59 AM
FRANKFORT, Ky. -- Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher pardoned members of his staff in
the midst of a patronage probe to try to keep the investigation from incriminating
anyone in the governor's office, Lt. Gov. Steve Pence told a newspaper.
"I'm quite confident that there was a fear about how high it would go up in this
administration," Pence told the Lexington Herald-Leader in a story published
Wednesday, two days after Pence endorsed a rival to Fletcher's re-election bid.
-snip-In the middle of the hiring investigation, but before Fletcher himself was indicted,
Fletcher issued blanket pardons in August 2005 to anyone in his administration that
might be caught up in the probe.
Pence, a former U.S. attorney, told the Herald-Leader that Fletcher made the deal
to end the hiring investigation "to keep anything else from coming out."
-snip-