Rogers called out over fire station grant, stimulus stance

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June 17, 2009

Democratic group refers to Congressman's position on program as 'hypocrisy'

By CHRIS HARRIS, CJ Staff Writer The Commonwealth Journal Wed Jun 17, 2009, 08:33 PM EDT

Is Congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers encouraging emergency responders to take part in something he doesn’t support?

That’s what one branch of political opposition is accusing Rogers of after the Fifth District Republican recently urged fire departments throughout his part of the state to apply for a new competitive grant program for firehouse improvements.

A release from the congressman’s office at the beginning of the week promoted the Assistance to Firefighters Fire Station Construction Grants program, part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in which Rogers has had a very influential hand over the years. The program provides financial assistance to fire departments to build new fire stations or renovate existing ones, with the goal to improve response capability and better protect the community from fire hazard scenarios.

“Times are tough and local government budgets are tight, but this is one of the few opportunities our rural fire fighters throughout Kentucky have this year to update and repair their firehouses,” said Rogers. “Firefighters are our first responders to the scene of a car accident, wildfire, or chemical spill, and adequate fire facilities improve morale and encourage others to volunteer and serve our region. I want to encourage all of our fire chiefs to try and take full advantage of this unique opportunity.”

Yet the grant program came about as a result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act — that is, President Barack Obama’s economic stimulus plan signed into law earlier this year. Rogers voted against the Democratic president’s piece of legislation, as did every other Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives back in January.

So does that make Rogers a political hypocrite? That’s what one Democrat organization is suggesting. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee issued a press release entitled, “Hypocrisy Alert: Representative Hal Rogers Urges Kentucky Firefighters to Apply for Grant Program That He Voted Against,” challenging Rogers’ position on the matter. .

“Representative Rogers continues to say one thing in Kentucky and do another in Washington,” said Jessica Santillo, Southern Regional Press Secretary for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “If Representative Rogers thinks these grants are a unique’ opportunity for Kentucky, why did he vote against them?”

Rogers responded by calling it his “duty” to keep rural Kentucky aware of such funding opportunities.

“With local communities struggling and our own state budget in deficit, making firefighters in southern and eastern Kentucky aware of resources to renovate or build new fire stations is hardly hypocrisy,” said Rogers.

Rogers noted that he voted against President Obama’s stimulus bill because of his position that the debt it would create — in many cases, going to causes the congressman opposes — could be too massive for the country to endure.

“(The bill) provides $8 billion to build a train track from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, takes an unnecessary stab at ending abstinence education, and worst of all, effectively allows these dollars or any potential jobs to go to illegal aliens,” he said.

“Of course, when the government spends a trillion dollars of the taxpayers’ money, there are going to be a few bright spots. This time, the bright spot was for firefighters and I will never hesitate to announce new opportunities for the hard working people of Kentucky.”

An application and information about the fire grant program may be obtained by visiting the DHS Web site at http://www.firegrantsupport.com/afscg/. Information and assistance can also be obtained by calling 1.866-274-0960 or e-mail firegrants@dhs.gov. The deadline for submitting application materials is Friday, July 10 at 8 p.m.

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Pulaski carries Girdler to win

In the weeks leading up to Tuesday’s primary election, it was impossible to miss the colorful signs dotting nearly every Pulaski roadway. The names in the race for the 15th State Senatorial District seat popped out: A.C. Donahue. Chris Girdler. Mark Polston.

Once citizens hit the ballots, however, the results mirrored the dimensions of the signs themselves: Chris Girdler stood the tallest.

Girdler, deputy district director for Congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers, ran away with the votes inside Pulaski County’s borders, earning 3,926 votes for 62.05 percent of the total number cast.

That number more than doubled the next highest vote-getter, businessman Mark Polston, who raked in 1,624 votes for 25.67 percent.

However, Polston — who owns Classic Carpet, a home-flooring business located just off the southern 914 bypass — can claim a moral victory ... three of them, in fact. In all three counties in the district other than Pulaski — those being Adair, Casey, and Russell Counties — Polston actually edged out Girdler.

In Adair, Polston beat Girdler 629 to 394. In Casey County, it was 538 to 417, and in Russell, it was 1,862 to 1,038.

Polston said he just “couldn’t pull it out with the numbers” and that “the machine worked for” Girdler in Pulaski County.

“I think that was their strategy — I think they had a Pulaski County strategy all along,” said Polston. “They played the political game well.”

Polston said the difference between his and Girdler’s campaigns was that “mine was a very, very grass roots campaign,” he said. “I did not have a political machine behind me. I understand how this process works, and in this instance, he prevailed.”

As for why Girdler didn’t take three of four counties, the winning candidate — since there are no Democrats in the race, winning the Republican primary was effectively a final victory for Girdler — said he didn’t have an answer for that.

However, “I believe things happen for a reason and I hope the long and strenuous campaign will only heighten my desire to move beyond the bitterness and partisanship of the recent past,” said Girdler.

“Regionalism is a goal of mine, and I look forward to helping all four counties,” he added, noting that he campaigned heavily in each of them.

Sen. Vernie McGaha, the long-time state senator whose seat the candidates were vying for, actually supported Polston after Liberty’s Todd Hoskins dropped out of the race earlier this month.

Donahue, a local attorney, got 556 votes in Pulaski County, 8.79 percent of the vote. He only received 145 votes in Russell County, 74 in Adair County, and 75 in Casey County, where hometown candidate Hoskins almost matched him with 71 votes despite no longer being officially in the race.

Polston said he’s “still digesting” what happened, and though “the process has been a very good experience for me,” he wouldn’t commit to running again in the future. “I wouldn’t shut the door to anything, but I’m not opening any doors either.”

Still, “I think I got a lot of people involved in the process that had not been involved before and would not have been otherwise,” he said. “A lot of people got out and worked really hard, got motivated to talk to friends and neighbors. I think a lot of people became involved through this campaign that are going to be involved for a long time.”

Girdler stressed his “positive message” and said that Rogers is a “mentor and good friend” that he would turn to for advice in dealing with a frequently combative legislative body in Frankfort, one for which Girdler hopes to help change the culture.

Girdler said that he was “confident and optimistic” during the day Tuesday because he’d “worked extremely hard.” Nevertheless, the realization that he’d won gave him “chill bumps,” he said.

“I’m absolutely honored,” said Girdler. “The position of state senator is more than an honor, more than an office. It’s a charge to keep, and I will give it my all.

“I pledge to be the people’s state senator,” he added. “I look forward to working with everyone to move this region forward.”

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