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65th House race heats up fast; KDP files KREF complaint against Huizenga in race against Wheatley


NKyTribune staff

It didn’t take long for the race to fill the open seat in Kentucky’s 65th House District to heat up.

Huizenga

Less than two weeks after the May primary, the Kentucky Democratic Party has filed a complaint with the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance (KREF) against Republican Jordan Huizenga. Party officials issued a statement outlining the allegations against Huizenga which also included strong criticisms of the Republican candidate.

Huizenga, a two-term Covington City Commissioner and director of development at Children Inc., will face Democrat Buddy Wheatley, a Covington firefighter, in the November General Election.

The seat will become vacant when Rep. Arnold Simpson, D-Covington, retires at the end of the year.

Among the allegations from the Kentucky Democratic Party is that Huizenga unlawfully funded his House campaign with funds from a previous Covington Commission race.

The Huizenga for Kentucky responded within a few hours, in a statement attributed to the candidate, that criticized Wheatley’s “handlers in Frankfort” for making accusations “that range from demonstrably false to innuendo and half-truths.”

The Kentucky Democratic Party statement:

Wheatley

Today, the Kentucky Democratic Party filed a complaint with the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance (KREF) alleging Republican candidate for the state’s 65th House District has violated KRS 121.180(7), KRS 121.180(10), and KRS 121.180(3).

The complaint alleges that Jordan Huizenga unlawfully transferred $6,956.04 in unexpended funds from his previous race for Covington city commissioner to his House campaign account, submitted an allegedly falsified amended report to the registry, and failed to file his annual report for his city commission campaign account.

According to KREF: “Substantial civil penalties may be assessed for non-knowing violations of KRS Chapter 121. In the case of a knowing violation by an individual, a Class D felony conviction may result.”

Huizenga was personally recruited into the race by Mitch McConnell’s newly-named campaign manager, Shane Noem, and at times has been considered a rising star for the Republican Party in Northern Kentucky, though he has often failed to live up to expectations.

“The voters are getting a good look at why Buddy Wheatley is the best candidate in this race. He’s got the experience and judgment to do the job from day one,” said Brad Bowman, communications director for the Kentucky Democratic Party.

“His opponent has been unable to comply with the basic ethics and campaign finance requirements and isn’t ready for prime time. How can the voters trust him to do the job if he can’t even get through the election without a babysitter?”

A young and inexperienced candidate, Huizenga has struggled with basic ethics rules in the first four months of the campaign season and during his time as a Covington city commissioner. His campaign finance violations are just the latest in a string of missed deadlines and inaccurate reports that have characterized his tenure as a candidate and local elected official.

His compliance with filing deadlines for financial disclosures has been inconsistent.

KREF complaint introduction (click to enlarge).

According to the Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission (KLEC), Huizenga’s financial disclosure for his House race was received on April 12, 2018 — more than a month after it was due — and almost two weeks after KLEC sent a reminder about his failure to comply.

As a Covington city commissioner, Huizenga routinely ignored filing deadlines. His 2014 statement of financial disclosure was filed 3 months late. His 2016 financial disclosure was submitted in Feb. 2018 — almost a year after it was due. Huizenga’s 2017 financial disclosure, also filed in Feb. 2018, failed to list his business, Built In Properties, LLC, created to rehab and develop income properties in Covington.

The Statement from the Huizenga for Kentucky Campaign

“So, Buddy Wheatley’s first official campaign act is to hide behind his handlers in Frankfort to make accusations that range from demonstrably false to innuendo and half-truths. These are the same, tired campaign tactics that have turned off regular people who no longer believe government exists for them. That’s why turnout in Kenton County for the May primary was only 10 percent. The last thing the people of this District need is for professional political operatives to insert themselves into this race.

This is exactly why we don’t want Buddy Wheatley as our next representative.

Frankly, I hoped this campaign would be about real issues that affect the lives of real people. Sadly, Buddy has allowed his handlers to take the low road right out of the gate. That’s what you do when you have no new ideas, no vision for making things better, no regard for the voters and your own baggage to worry about. You distract. Same old, same old.

The people of this district can expect more of the same from Buddy Wheatley. They’ve certainly seen it before.

What the people of the 65th district want is a great education for their kids. They want jobs they can raise a family on. And they want problems to be solved, not politics as usual. I look forward to talking about these and other real issues, and will be happy to engage Buddy on any or all of them. That is, if his handlers let him.”

With the election five months away, and the first shots already fired across the bow, the race for the 65th House District could become one of the most contentious in recent memory.


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3 Comments

  1. This comment is strictly my own creation—no “handlers” or “operatives”, typed slowly into my phone by thumbs.

    It was unfortunate to awake this morning to this misleading headline and story. The NKY Tribune did not contact me for a statement on what I had no control over—the filing of the complaint cited in the headline. I did not know this complaint was being filed, and it certainly was not filed on my behalf. I saw the complaint for the first rime last night.

    The “same old same old” being portrayed here is a made up narrative that can leave even more people with a bad taste in their mouths about politics. I’m new at this political stuff. I’m I got in this race to represent the people, to be a part of the solution, and not make inflammatory statements. I wish my opponent well and as far as I’m concerned, the race will be about the best ideas and the most positive solutions for the 65th District and the state of KY, and not about the ugly side of politicos, like the false narrative presented in this story.
    I’ve known the NKY Tribune to be a reputable online news source, and I’m sure, on balance, it will continue in that fashion.

  2. If Huizenga cannot manage a commissioner seat and reporting deadlines, he will surely flounder at higher levels. His ideas and policies do not match that of McConnell or the Kentucky Republican Party at present and his political future in the party will be shelved once he fails to win this November. Huizenga has little appeal to general Republican voters and his lackluster short career in politics does not win over anyone. Sometimes just showing up is not enough. His main voter will be those who lazy and uniformed click the straight ticket option.

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