MAGISTRATE SCOTT DAVIS VINDICATED BY CIRCUIT COURT

During the past few weeks several people have chastised Magistrate Scott Davis and me for challenging the secrecy of the Murner administration. Magistrate Scott Davis has been the recipient of the majority of the pejorative remarks. Further, many of those remarks have come from Magistrate David Voegele and more recently Voegele’s brother-in-law, former County Judge John Black.

Recent events have proven that Magistrate Scott Davis was more clairvoyant than any other person in the county. First, there was the issue of the Oldham Reserve. Davis openly stated that he thought that the deal with the Hocker group would fall through and that the county would not receive a penny from the proposed deal. That prediction turned out to be correct. Second, Magistrate Scott Davis was one of two magistrates to quickly realize that the people of Oldham County do not want an airport. The recent surveys taken by the Oldham Era and the professional survey company, ETC, proved that he and Magistrate Leslie were correct.

Then Magistrate Scott Davis realized that Judge Murner held an illegal meeting of the fiscal court under the guise that personnel would be the topic of the meeting. Magistrate Davis was the only magistrate to realize that the meeting was a sham and that it was illegal. At least he was the only one to speak up. Today, the Oldham County Circuit Court ruled that Magistrate Davis’ allegations were true. In the ruling, Judge Murner was ordered to publicize the minutes of the meeting and to pay for Magistrate Scott Davis’ attorney fees.

Last, Magistrate Scott Davis alleged that Judge Murner “willfully” withheld the name of an anonymous donor to the Oldham County Fiscal Court. In fact, Davis contended that Murner did this in the face of a Kentucky Supreme Court decision that clearly prohibited such action. Today the same Oldham County Circuit Court also ruled that the allegations made by Magistrate Davis were correct.

That makes four times that the position taken by Magistrate Scott Davis was found to be the correct position. Obviously, there are some people who are jealous of that fact. John Black went so far as to criticize Davis in the local newspaper. It is apparent that he owes Davis an apology. However, I doubt that will happen. I have now seen John Black for what he is. Although a lot of people disliked former Judge Mary Ellen Kinser, we can thank her for having the courage to challenge, and defeat, John Black. The people of this county do not need a leader who chastises other public officials for seeking the truth.

I would hope that today’s decisions by the Oldham County Circuit Court would finally give the credit and credence to Scott Davis that he deserves for his work. He has accomplished much more than the people could have expected from a first time holder of public office.