The Conservative Fool Of The Day is...Jon Draud!

Jon Draud is Kentucky's Education Commissioner. He's long been a thorn in the side of those of us with a brain.

In 1999, when Draud was a Republican state legislator from Kenton County, he wrote a rambling op-ed for the Kentucky Post in which he blamed the First Amendment for school shootings. I swear I am not making this up.

Later, Draud had opportunities for advancement under the corrupt regime of Republican Gov. Ernie "Hey Bert" Fletcher. Fletcher was almost as much of a right-wing activist as Bush, as the likelihood that Fletcher would appoint some big shot to an important post increased in proportion to how truly miserable said big shot was. Everything became about advancing an agenda.

Naturally, Jon Draud was appointed Education Commissioner by the Kentucky school board, which was stacked with Fletcher ideologues. He was about the very worst person they could possibly select, and they chose him.

But now it's all crashing down for poor ol' Jon, as he's caught up in a major scandal!

In late May, Draud told Louisville's Courier-Journal newspaper that he knew nothing about the cost of a fancy new 2008 car with $13,000 in extras that was purchased at taxpayer expense for his official vehicle.

But now it turns out that he knew. He knew it all along! The former school principal ordered thousands of dollars in amenities for the car on the taxpayers' dime - then lied about knowing about it.

He approved the expenses even though a state finance official warned him that the state had a budget crisis on its hands. This seems to fly in the face of current Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear's executive order that the heads of state agencies provide justification for expenses over $1,000.

The extras Draud requested for his new Chrysler luxury sedan include a telephone system and a GPS device. Um, Jon??? Wouldn't a road atlas have been much cheaper?

Oh well. Maybe we should give Jon Draud the best things in life to make his feewings feel better, because he seems to be a sickly guy and all - judging by the fact that he demanded a bonus of 30 days of sick leave in addition to the 20 days of leave he already gets (when most new state employees only get 12 and no bonus). His annual salary is $220,000.

At least this wasteful scandal might take Draud's attention off doing any more damage to Kentucky's school system.

(Source: http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080604/NEWS01/806040902;
http://pageonekentucky.com/2008/05/23/ed-commission-jon-draud-his-fancy-new-car)