Senator, MSU officials deny GOP contract fraud claim
By TOM BERRY
Staff Writer
Kentucky Republicans have accused a Democratic state senator of taking tens of thousands of dollars in consulting fees for work performed at Murray State University when he was reportedly on the job in Frankfort.
A release from GOP Chairman Steve Robertson stated that he sent a letter to Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway requesting that Conway appoint a special independent prosecutor to investigate Third District Democratic Sen. Joey Pendleton, D-Hopkinsville, for allegedly cheating MSU out of almost $70,000.
The letter accused Pendleton, who serves as farm operation and agricultural project manager at MSU, of violating the terms of his employment by accepting salary on days he was actually in Frankfort for legislative duty. Robertson said Pendleton's contract show the senator was not to be paid while attending legislative sessions. According to Robertson, state personnel records show Pendleton accepted pay for 244 days from both MSU and the state during a period from April 12, 2006 through June 30 2008 when he was actually on duty in Frankfort.
According to Robertson, Pendleton was fraudulently paid $69,784.
Pendleton, the House minority whip, denied that in a news release Monday.
He did not return repeated calls from the Ledger.
“I have not received any payment from Murray while we were in session and I have honored my contract in the proper manner,” he added in his release. “This is the lowest of lows. This shows what a failing campaign will resort to.”
Catherine Sivills, a spokeswoman for MSU, said Tuesday that Pendleton was legally employed by MSU as a temporary part-time employee.
“We are unaware of any fraudulent payment,” Sivills said.
To read the complete article, see Wednesday's Murray Ledger & Times.
Story created Oct 22, 2008 - 12:36:28 EDT.
|
