Governor Paul E. Patton

Gov. Fletcher recently signed documents naming US 25E from Corbin to Middlesboro the Daniel Boone-Cumberland Gap Wilderness Trail. Controversy arose in 2003 when outgoing Gov. Paul Patton (a Democrat) renamed the Daniel Boone Parkway in honor of sitting U.S. Congressman Hal Rogers (a Republican).

More information: WKYT: Daniel Boone to get back on the road (Aug. 8, 2005) , Associated Press: Daniel Boone's name to go on Highway U.S. 25E (Aug. 9, 2005) , Governor Ernie Fletcher’s Communication Office: Governor Ernie Fletcher signs Executive Order naming southeastern Kentucky road after Daniel Boone (Aug. 9, 2005) 

Descendants of Daniel Boone feel slighted by Kentucky politicians. First Paul Patton had the Daniel Boone Parkway renamed the Hal Rogers Parkway, and then state legislature failed to either re-rename the Hal Rogers Parkway or rename another road in honor of Boone.

More information: Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer: Descendants of Daniel Boone feel insulted by politicians (Feb. 1, 2005) 

U.S. Attorney Gregory Van Tatenhove said today that an investigation into former Gov. Patton’s involvement in having his mistress’ business approved as Disadvantage Business Enterprise is over. His former mistress, Tina Conner, was sentenced to probation today for mail fraud charges arising from the investigation.

The Disadvantage Business Enterprise program is designed to help minority owned businesses compete for transportation cabinet contract.

More information: Associated Press: U.S. attorney says investigation over (Feb. 9, 2004) , (Northern) Kentucky Post: Attorney: Patton will not be indicted (Feb. 9, 2004) , WKYT: Conner Request To Withdraw Plea Denied (Feb. 9, 2004) 

The scandal that just won.t die: Tina Conner, the former mistress of Gov. Patton, has filed a petition to withdraw her guilty plea to charges that she committed mail fraud to have her business approved by the transportation cabinet as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise.

More information: Courier-Journal: Conner Asks to Withdraw Guilty Plea (Feb. 7, 2004) 

The Northern Kentucky suburb of Burlington is applying for a state-controlled federal transportation grant to refurbish its sidewalks. Boone County Administrator Jim Parsons indicated that he believes the county's chances of being awarded the grant are improved this year now that Gov. Patton is no longer in office. Last year's grant money went to fund a study of Interstate 66 in Pike County, Gov. Patton's home county.

More information: Cincinnati Enquirer: Burlington seeks sidewalk help (Jan. 29, 2004) 

Ground breaking for the last section of the US 119 widening project in Pike County was celebrated as .Paul Patton Day. on Nov. 22, 2003 to honor the former governor.s contributions to Eastern Kentucky highway projects.

More information: WKYT: It's "Paul Patton Day" in Pike County (Nov. 22, 2003) , Lexington Herald-Leader: In Pike County, they came to praise Patton (Nov. 23, 2003) 

Former Gov. Patton settled ethics charges by admitting to two of the four charges he faced from Executive Branch Ethics Committee. He agreed to pay a $5,000. He admitted to intervening in the approval of a company owned by his mistress Tina Conner as a disadvantaged business enterprise and to intervening in the promotion of a Kentucky Vehicle Enforcement officer who helped Conner out of a speeding ticket.

More information: Courier-Journal: Patton admits 2 charges (Nov. 17, 2003) 

The last few months have seen the renaming of two parkways and the AA Highway. The Kentucky Post editorialized the situation: Kentucky Post: The name game (Sept. 17, 2003) 

A September 17 article in the Courier-Journal looked back at the costs of Governor Patton's scandal: Courier-Journal: One year later, Patton scandal's costs assessed; Conner faces tougher fight than governor (Sept. 17, 2003) 

State Representative Brent Yonts has filed a resolution to place two names on the parkway connecting London and Hazard. Yonts proposes the parkway be officially known as both the Hal Rogers Parkway and the Daniel Boone Parkway. He hopes that the compromise proposal will please those wishing to keep Daniel Boone.s name on the parkway and still provide recognition for U.S. congressman Hal Rogers. Rep. Rogers helped secure federal money to remove tolls from the parkway; In May, Governor Paul Patton directed that the parkway be renamed as the Hal Rogers Parkway. Yonts. resolution cannot be voted on until the General Assembly convenes in January.

Meanwhile, Governor Patton proposed renaming US 25E between Corbin and Middlesboro to honor Daniel Boone. US 25E generally follows the route of Boone.s Wilderness Road. The road has been upgraded to four lanes over the pass 20 years.

More information: Courier-Journal: E. Kentucky parkway could get 2 names (Sept. 11, 2003) , Associated Press: Patton Makes Suggestion To Solve Parkway Uproar (Sept. 19, 2003) , Courier-Journal: Governor would name U.S.25E for Boone to defuse controversy (Sept. 20, 2003) 

At Gov. Patton's direction, the Blue Grass Parkway will be officially renamed the Martha Layne Collins Blue Grass Parkway in a ceremony to be held on Thursday. Martha Layne Collins was Kentucky's first (and currently only) woman governor. She was governor from 1983 to 1987. This leaves only the Audubon Parkway to have its original name.

More information: Associated Press: Blue Grass Parkway to be renamed in honor of Collins (Sept. 16, 2003) 

A group representing the descendants of Daniel Boone has launched a PR campaign to express their outrage over the renaming of the Daniel Boone Parkway as the Hal Rogers Parkway. For the first time, a spokesman for Gov. Patton admitted that the governor recommended the name change to the Transportation Cabinet.

Former Gov. Louie B. Nunn has offered a renaming compromise. He has proposed renaming the Cumberland Parkway in honor of Congressman Rogers. In 2000, the state legislature renamed the Cumberland Parkway the Louie B. Nunn Cumberland Parkway in honor of the former governor without his consent. Nunn says the signs on the parkway could easily be changed to honor Hal Rogers.

More information: Associated Press: Descendants furious over removal of Daniel Boone's name from Kentucky highway (Aug. 23, 2003) , Associated Press: Former governor offers compromise to restore Daniel Boone's name to Kentucky parkway (Aug. 27, 2003) 

A Franklin County judge dismissed a lawsuit brought by Norris Beckley against the Transportation Cabinet and Gov. Patton. Beckley formerly headed the Transportation Cabinet's Office of Minority Affairs. He claimed that he was unfairly fired after his role in the Governor's sex scandal was revealed.

More information: Associated Press: Judge dismisses case against Transportation Cabinet, governor and others (Aug. 18, 2003) , WKYT: Suit Against Patton Dismissed (Aug. 18, 2003) 

On August 6, the Associated Press picked up the news of the Daniel Boone Parkway being renamed for Congressman Hal Rogers: Associated Press: Congressman's name takes place of Daniel Boone's on Kentucky parkway (Aug. 6, 2003) 

Sources as varied as The Guardian , a British newspaper, and The Washington Times  picked up the story.

Update Aug 8, 2003: The Courier-Journal has posted an editorial concerning the renaming: Courier-Journal: Boone vs. Rogers (Aug. 8, 2003) 

• Lexington Herald-Leader: Transportation Cabinet scandals bringing scrutiny (July 29, 2003)  - After costly law suites and high profile scandals, the state legislature will direct the Legislative Research Commission to hire a consultant to study management at the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.
• Associated Press: Governor's former mistress pleads innocent to mail fraud charge (July 30, 2003) , Lexington Herald-Leader: Conner pleads not guilty to mail fraud (July 31, 2003) , Cincinnati Enquirer: Tina Connor pleads innocent to mail fraud (July 31, 2003)  - The charges relate to the state's certification of a contracting company owned by Tina Conner and her former husband as a disadvantaged business enterprise.
• Lexington Herald-Leader: Judge dismisses lawsuit against Transportation cabinet, officials in their state capacity (Aug. 4, 2003) , Courier-Journal: Judge dismisses part of suit over minority-contractor program; Claims against Transportation Cabinet rejected (Aug. 5, 2003)  - A lawsuit against the Transportation Cabinet has been dismissed; however, Sec. Codell and State Highway Engineer Yowell may still be sued as individuals.
• Lexington Herald-Leader: Governor appoints new director of Transportation Cabinet's minority affairs office (Aug. 5, 2003)  - Alleged misuses of the cabinet's minority affairs program are at the heart of the current crises.

The transportation cabinet has run into a number of scandals of late. Here is a run down of articles related to the transportation cabinet's woes:

• Associated Press: FBI says subpoena related to Conner case (Jan. 31, 2003) 
• Associated Press: Grand jury hears Cabinet witnesses (Feb. 13, 2003) 
• Associated Press: Bill would give review powers over Transportation Cabinet (Feb. 26, 2003) 
• Herald-Leader: Transportation Cabinet oversight bill passed (Feb. 27, 2003) 
• Herald-Leader: Report: Tina Conner friend got promoted with outside influence (Mar. 4, 2003) 
• Courier-Journal: Report: Patton helped officer who aided Conner (Mar. 5, 2003) 
• Herald-Leader: Ticket 'fix' may have led to raise (Mar. 5, 2003) 
• Courier-Journal: Governor hopefuls promise change (Mar. 9, 2003) 
• Courier-Journal: Minority firms receive little state business in Kentucky (March 18, 2003) 
• Herald-Leader: Ethics panel charges Patton; Allegations Stem Ffrom Conner Affair (Mar. 26, 2003) 
• Herald-Leader: Ethics Charges (Mar. 26, 2003) 
• Courier-Journal: Patton charged with 4 ethics violations (Mar. 26, 2003) 
• Associated Press: State paying $12 million to settle suit over bridge in bribery case (May 27, 2003) 
• Associated Press: Former transportation official sues governor (June 12, 2003) 
• Associated Press: Lawyer for Patton's ex-mistress says she could still be charged (June 26, 2003) 
• Associated Press: Two companies sue Transportation Cabinet over program (July 1, 2003) 
• Associated Press: Auditor criticizes planned Transportation Cabinet kitchen deal (July 1, 2003) 
• Herald-Leader: Suit alleges fraud by officials on contracts (July 2, 2003) 
• Bowling Green Daily News: Suit uses BG company to highlight its concern (July 5, 2003) 
• Herald-Leader: Governor's ex-mistress is indicted (July 10, 2003) 

Midnight June 1, 2003 marked the end of tolls on the Louie B. Nunn Cumberland Parkway and the Daniel Boone Parkway. Transportation officials and U.S. Congressman Hal Rogers commemorated the occasion on June 9 at the London toll both on the Daniel Boone Parkway. At the ceremony, Congressman Rogers personally manned a bulldozer and knocked over one of the toll booths. It was also revealed at this ceremony that the Daniel Boone Parkway would be renamed the Hal Rogers Parkway.

Read more for more information about Hal Rogers, the removal of tolls, pictures of the parkways, the renaming of the Daniel Boone Parkway, and the controversy it sparked.

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Gov. Patton has defended the design of the new license plates by saying, "they don't put Rembrandts on the backs of cars." He also said that he personally had nothing to do with the design of the license plates, but that he does like it.

More information: Herald-Leader: Patton defends hiring and smiley-face plates (Jan. 7, 2003) 

The Courier-Journal reports in this Mar. 4, 2002 article  that the top donors to Gov. Patton's campaigns have been from the highway industry. The highest single donor has been John Stovall, who heads Road Builders Inc. in Muhlenberg County. Stovall and his wife have contributed $69,200 since the mid-1980s. When interviewed Stoval seemed surprised that he had topped the list.

Information about Gov. Patton's testimony can be found in this press release . This transcript  of his testimony is also available.

Every two years a Six Year Highway Plan is prepared and approved by Kentucky's legislature. The 2002 Recommended Six Year Highway Plan  has been posted on the KYTC website. The KYTC is concerned that funding might not be available to complete all of the projects because a gas tax increase was not passed by the state legislature. Instead the legislature directed the Governor to use the highway reserve fund to pay for improvements. This fund will soon be depleted. This Courier-Journal article  and this KYTC press release  have more information about the Six Year Plan and the transportation budget.