You Can’t Make It Up…
Jack Conway Spends Two Years Fighting For Smiley Face Rock, But Refuses To Stand Up For Kentuckians Against ObamaCare
WASHINGTON – After Attorney General Jack Conway (D-KY) spent two years wasting taxpayers’ money and state employees’ time suing the state of Ohio over a rock that features a “smiley face” carving, a settlement was reached in the Democrat Senate hopeful’s bizarre and lengthy plight against the state of Ohio.
In 2008, the Associated Press reported that the eight-ton rock Conway was fighting for “rests in a city garage in Portsmouth, Ohio, along the Ohio River about 110 miles southeast of Cincinnati. Kentucky’s proposal calls for the Indian Head Rock’s return to Kentucky so it can be put on display. Conway also wants a public apology…”
While Conway was willing to fight tooth and nail for the large smiley face rock, he refused to join his fellow Attorneys General earlier this year who filed lawsuits against the federal government with regards to President Obama’s health care reform.
Last week, a Rasmussen poll found that “opposition to the national health care bill remains higher in Kentucky than it is nationally. Sixty percent (60%) of voters in the state favor repeal of the bill, while 36% are opposed. Those numbers include 44% who Strongly Favor repeal and 26% who Strongly Oppose it.”
“It’s disturbing that Jack Conway believes it’s worthwhile to spend two years wasting Kentucky taxpayers’ time and money fighting to move a ‘smiley face’ rock from an Ohio garage, but he refuses to stand up against a costly and damaging health care bill that cuts Medicare by $500 billion, endangers jobs, reduces benefits, raises costs for seniors, and could strip more than one million Americans of their health coverage,” said National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokeswoman Amber Marchand. “Jack Conway’s liberal priorities are grossly misplaced and out-of-step with mainstream Kentuckians, and voters will hold him accountable when they elect Rand Paul this November.”
Background Information:
For Two Years, Jack Conway Spent Kentucky Taxpayer Dollars Suing Ohio Over A Rock In A Garage That Features A “Smiley Face”…
Conway Was Involved In A Dispute Over Indian Head Rock As Early As May 2008. “The top law enforcement officials in Ohio and Kentucky are now involved in an effort to resolve a dispute over an eight-ton boulder known as Indian Head Rock. The fight over the rock, which features a ‘smiley face’ carving that some believe was done by prehistoric Indians, has escalated since last September. That’s when an Ohio historian led an operation to pull it out of the Ohio River on the Kentucky side near Greenup County. Allison Martin, spokeswoman for Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway, said the office is working with its counterpart in Ohio to ‘ensure a resolution that will bring the rock back home to its rightful place in Kentucky.’” (The [Louisville, KY] Courier-Journal, “Attorneys General Fight For Rock,” Stephanie Steitzer, May 29, 2008)
Conway Continued To Use Kentucky State Funds To Sue The State Of Ohio Over This Rock. “The fight over a rock that lay for years at the bottom of the Ohio River spilled into federal court Tuesday when Kentucky sued an Ohio city, seeking the boulder’s return. Attorney General Jack Conway sued the city of Portsmouth, Ohio, and three men in federal court Tuesday over the 8-ton boulder known as Indian Head Rock.” (“Ky. Attorney General Sues Ohio Over Rock Squabble,” The Associated Press, 2/4/09)
- This Rock Was Pulled Out Of The Ohio River By An Ohio Historian And Is In A Garage In Ohio. “The historic rock bears numerous carvings of initials, names and a crude face and was once an attraction for locals. It had been submerged since about the 1920s until last September, when a local historian led a team to extract it. The boulder now rests in a city garage in Portsmouth, Ohio, along the Ohio River about 110 miles southeast of Cincinnati. Kentucky’s proposal calls for the Indian Head Rock’s return to Kentucky so it can be put on display. Conway also wants a public apology and the city of Portsmouth to pay a total of $90,000 for attorneys fees and the cost of building a display on the Kentucky side of the Ohio River.” (“News Briefs From Around Kentucky At 4:58 A.M. EST,” The Associated Press, 11/7/08)
In April 2010, Conway Filed Another Motion In A Court Case Related To Recovering The Rock From Ohio. “‘Because neither state nor local government has the resources necessary to remove (the rock) from the truck, (the state) is making diligent efforts to find a company that does to assess possible costs,’ says a motion filed in U.S. District Court by Attorney General Jack Conway’s office. . . . Conway’s motion, filed last week in U.S. District Court, asks for an extension to resolve the crane issue before the settlement with the City of Portsmouth, Ohio, is finalized.” (Stephenie Steitzer, “Wanted: Crane To Lift 8-Ton Rock,” The [Louisville, KY] Courier-Journal, 4/27/10)
- In 2009, Conway’s Campaign Website Carried A Story About The Indian Head Rock Lawsuit. (Jack Conway For Kentucky Website, www.jackconway.org, 4/13/09)
But Conway Refused To Join A Lawsuit To Protect Kentuckians Against ObamaCare …
Conway Decided To Not File A Lawsuit Against The Federal Government With Regards To Health Care Reform. “KY AG Jack Conway (D) is wading into the health care debate, announcing Tuesday he will not file a lawsuit against the federal government in trying to refuse the legislation. ‘I do not intend to use my authority as Kentucky Attorney General to sign our Commonwealth onto a health care lawsuit against the federal government, because I will not waste taxpayer dollars on a political stunt,’ Conway said in a statement provided to Hotline OnCall.” (Erin McPike, “Conway Refuses To Join Lawsuit,” Hotline On Call, 3/23/10)
- Conway Characterized Such A Lawsuit As A Waste Of Taxpayer Dollars And A “Political Stunt.” “KY AG Jack Conway (D) is wading into the health care debate, announcing Tuesday he will not file a lawsuit against the federal government in trying to refuse the legislation. ‘I do not intend to use my authority as Kentucky Attorney General to sign our Commonwealth onto a health care lawsuit against the federal government, because I will not waste taxpayer dollars on a political stunt,’ Conway said in a statement provided to Hotline OnCall.” (Erin McPike, “Conway Refuses To Join Lawsuit,” Hotline On Call, 3/23/10)
- Conway Was Described As Having “Dismissively” Refused To Join The Lawsuit. “Mr. Conway also dismissively — and correctly — refused to join the ranks of right-wing attorneys general from some other states who are filing quixotic suits to overturn reform.” (Editorial, “Conway Is Best Senate Choice For Democrats,” The [Louisville, KY] Courier-Journal, 4/18/10)
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