The Frankfort LINK

The Frankfort LINK: National conservative ‘dark money’ group joins fight over certificate of need in Kentucky

A national libertarian-leaning conservative group known for its connections to the Koch brothers and its “dark money” network is weighing in on the certificate of need debate expected to heat up in Kentucky over the ensuing months as some seek to repeal or reform the decades-long program.   Listen as politics and government reporter Mark Payne interviews Dean Clancy,  the senior health policy fellow for Americans for Prosperity, and St. Elizabeth CEO Garren Colvin.

The Frankfort LINK: Business owners face uncertain future due to skill-games ban

Business owner Kama Reed is still determining how much longer she'll own her business after a ban on skill games passed the Kentucky legislature in the spring and the law took effect on Thursday.  The manufacturer of the games, Pace-O-Matic sued the state over the ban, but the case is stuck in the court system with the next hearing in August. While the lawsuit plays out, businesses who have skill games have been forced to shutter the machines until there’s final word.  Reed, who owns BJ Novelty with her husband, Jeff, faces an unlikely future after the ban of the games — often seen in gas stations and bars — were banned.  Listen to hear how Reed's take on the new law and how business in NKY are effected.

The Frankfort LINK: Former NKY attorney Eric Deters ‘99%’ sure he’s going to run against Thomas Massie

Former Northern Kentucky Attorney Eric Deters said he's "99%" sure he'll run against Rep. Thomas Massie in the Republican primary for the 4th Congressional District in 2024.  Deters, fresh off running for the Republican nominee for Kentucky governor, sent out a Tweet and an email saying, "I will announce my decision to run against Thomas Massie at Patriot Freedom Fest September 9." In the three-minute video release about the potential announcement, Deters said he'd make the announcement at Freedom Fest — Deters' annual political picnic, where he invites top Republican names from around the country, such as the Trump brothers.  Deters said he might choose to run because of two of Rep. Massie's recent votes.  Listen to hear more about why Deters said he's going to run against Massie.

The Frankfort LINK: Daniel Cameron stumps in first NKY campaign stop as GOP nominee

At his first general election campaign event in Northern Kentucky as the GOP gubernatorial nominee, Daniel Cameron ran through a list of campaign talking points similar to what he provided on the primary campaign trail.  Cameron talked about his fight as attorney general against the opioid scourge in the Commonwealth, his battle against Gov. Andy Beshear over the COVID-19 shutdowns, and his concern that top Democrats in Washington and Kentucky are causing friction with the values of average Kentuckians.  Listen to hear an interview with a voter from Boone County on why he’s voting for Cameron, and how Cameron feels about the latest charges against former President Donald Trump and his connections to Sen. Mitch McConnell.

The Frankfort LINK: Massie’s ‘yes’ vote key to passing of debt limit bill

Northern Kentucky Congressman Thomas Massie voted in favor of the debt limit bill that suspends the country’s borrowing limit until January 2025 and reduces the federal deficit but also showed support for spending cut provisions if Congress doesn’t pass mandatory appropriation bills.   Massie’s vote just days earlier in the House Rules Committee, however, proved crucial to the Fiscal Responsibility Act moving to a House floor vote, where it passed Wednesday night. It then passed the Senate on Thursday.   The 99-page bill suspends the $31.4 Trillion debt limit until January 2025. It cuts federal spending by $1.5 trillion over the next decade, according to the Congressional Budget Office, which includes $11 billion returned from COVID-19 pandemic funding.   The Rules Committee voted 7-6 on a rule that governed debate over the debt bill, which ensured the bill reached the House and would pass the lower chamber — Massie’s ‘yes’ vote gave the rule a narrow margin that allowed the bill to pass by the June 5 deadline to avoid default.   Listen to hear more on this week's episode.