beshear part 3

beshear part 3

Tablet.

Those pardons by former kentucky governor matt bevin remain a big concern across the bluegrass.

In part three of our exclusive interview with governor andy beshear?

Jessica hartman sits down with the state's newest leader?

To explain his stance on those pardoning powers.

Jessica?

Jh: former governor matt bevin shocked a lot of people, outraged a lot of people with his hundreds of pardons right there at the end.

Then president trump came out a few months later, did basically the same thing.

What is your responsibility as a governor when you consider pardoning and then you have this bill going through state legislature that would your timespan?

Is that a responsible thing for kentucky?

Ab:?it is a great responsibility to have the pardon power and that is how you have to treat it.

I was kentucky top prosecutor, so i know the pain that these crimes can cause to victims and to their families.

One of governor bevin pardons was on a case that my office prosecuted of a western kentucky kid that was horrifically assaulted; horrifically assaulted.

That pardon and the proposed grounds for it, hurt.

Hurt the families, hurt the communities.

Now you see a prosecutor that is not welcome in his own courthouse because of it.

So, you have to have, not only the right approach, but you have to understand the impact that it has.

I can guarantee people that i will take a very different approach.

I will talk to victims and their families before any pardon.

But when it comes to changing a constitutional power that has existed for so long, i don think you let one bad governor make you make changes for all other governors.

Jh: i think that is a great way to put it.

Lastly, speaking of all that divineness and partisanship at the national level, watching the presidential campaign move through, is there a candidate that you feel is going to align with what you think is the next best step for the country?

Ab:?ie been governor for about 75 days.

What happens when you are elected governor, you have about 50 days to put together a government and a $48 billion budget.

So, we have been really busy and admittedly i have been so focused on our state needs and so focused on trying to build team kentucky and getting rid of that partisanship that i have not followed this presidential election like many others.

Admittedly, i haven watched one of the debates.

I want to spend that time doing everything i can for kentuckians and raising my family.

So, i think what people can expect from me is an intense focus on what is going on in the everyday lives of kentuckians.

I didn run for governor to get on the national scene.

I ran for governor to better the lives of our families and that is what i am going to do?

Jh: governor, anything else you would like to add?

Ab:?i like to say that i am really excited where kentucky is.

For the first time in 14 years, we are not falling backwards, we are stepping forwards.

For the first time in 14 years, a governor has been able to propose a budget with no new, painful cuts.

Because we have cut, not just the fat, but deep into the bone.

So, i proposed a budget that i think leads with our values; $400 million new dollars in public education.

First r?

Investment in higher education in because we are one of only two states that haven r?invested since the great recession.

An effort that will end us being number one in child abuse and neglect with 350 new social workers.

Full funding expanded medicaid because that is what keeps our rural hospitals open.

Ie proposed a really good budget that is going to help our families.

What i need our families to do, is help me pass that budget; to contact their legislators and basically say that these aren partisan issues.

They are causes that are good for all kentuckians and we all need to be a part of it.

Other thing i would say, come to frankfort.

When you step into this capitol, you will feel a different environment.

One where you are welcome no matter who you are.

Even if you are coming to voice a view that the person you are talking to might not agree with, we want you to feel heard.

This capitol is the people house.

Our people in kentucky should feel welcome any day of the year, whether it is i?

Session or not, we look forward to seeing you?

Jh: governor thank you for giving us a few minutes of