Former Gov. Steve Beshear kept a comprehensive printed list of thousands of financial donors dating back over his years in politics.
Unfortunately, he left it behind when he moved out of the Capitol in 2015.
Crews working to renovate the governor’s suite of offices discovered the 500-plus page donor list while moving furniture last month.
Amanda Stamper, spokeswoman for current Gov. Matt Bevin, said the binder was “chock full of information” about Beshear’s campaign donors and “was left curiously under a bookcase in the chief of staff’s office.”
Beshear didn’t immediately return phone calls to his Lexington law office on Monday.
“I’m not sure why it was hidden, but I bet someone searched frantically for it when leaving office,” Stamper said.
Organized alphabetically in a black binder, the list contains names and addresses of donors dating back at least a decade. It doesn’t provide dates for the contributions, but some of the donor information provides clues. For example, U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth, D-Louisville, is identified as “Journalist The LEO” in a line documenting a $1,000 gift. Yarmuth has been in Congress since 2007.
The list documents more than 17,000 contributions.
Beshear’s son, current Attorney General Andy Beshear, is on the list for $4,000 in contributions. Former Gov. Julian Carroll and his late wife are listed for $2,000.
Democratic operative Kathryn Groob of Covington is on the list with six $1,950 entries.
While Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes does not appear, three members of her family, including her father, former state Rep. and one-time Kentucky Democratic Party Chairman Jerry Lundergan, appear with amounts that total $9,000 in five listings. Lexington Mayor Jim Gray has three listings at $1,500 each.
(Photo courtesy of Kentucky Today)
