Bevin appoints Democrat to lead Justice Cabinet
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) – New Republican Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin plucked an influential Democrat from the state House of Representatives on Thursday to serve in his administration, opening a GOP-friendly House seat and furthering his quest to flip control of the only Southern legislative chamber still controlled by Democrats.
State Rep. John Tilley of Hopkinsville will be the next secretary of the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet. The move gives Tilley a massive pay raise while forcing a special election in a Republican-friendly district. If Republicans win, it would leave them just three seats shy of a majority they have had not had since 1920.
Democrats had an eight seat majority in the House heading into the fall elections. But since then, when Republicans won four of the six statewide elections, Louisville state Rep. Denver Butler has switched parties and now Tilley, who chaired the House Judiciary Committee, has left the House. That leaves Republicans just three seats shy of a majority. With the margin so close, Republicans are likely to try and convince a few Democrats from conservative districts to switch parties before the legislature convenes in January. That would give Republicans complete control of state government, as they already have a sizeable majority in the state Senate and new Republican governor.
The news dampened an otherwise buoyant event in Louisville for Kentucky Democrats on Thursday, when influential Democratic state Rep. Jim Wayne announced he is cancer free and plans to seek re-election in 2016.
After learning of Tilley’s appointment, Democratic House Speaker Greg Stumbo told reporters he knows of at least six House Democrats who have been approached by Republicans about switching parties. He would not name them.
State lawmakers make about $21,000 a year while cabinet secretaries usually make more than $130,000 a year.
“I’m disappointed in John Tilley. I thought John Tilley had more character than that. But of course I thought Denny Butler had more character than that,” Stumbo said. “What that really gives people is the impression that their government is for sale, it’s for sale to the highest bidder.”
Attempts to reach Tilley were unsuccessful. In a news release, Tilley said he is “honored” to serve in Bevin’s administration.
“The Governor and I have discussed a vision for the Justice Cabinet that protects citizens, restores victims and reforms wrongdoers; all in a focused environment where everything we do will be measured for accountability and performance,” Tilley said.
Tilley has worked closely with Republican state Sen. Whitney Westerfield. The two are neighbors and often carpool to Frankfort together, where earlier this year they hashed out an agreement on a bill that changed how the state combats heroin abuse. In 2011, Tilley led efforts to reform Kentucky’s corrections system, which reduced the state’s prison population and lowered costs.
Tilley is one of the few remaining Democrats from western Kentucky, an area once dominated by Democrats in state and local elections. Republicans will have a good chance of winning the special election there, especially since their current representative now works in a Republican administration. House Republican floor leader Jeff Hoover, who would likely become the next speaker if Republicans take control, praised Bevin’s appointment.
“His bipartisan spirit in passing tough legislation has won him the respect and admiration on both sides of the aisle, I can’t think of a better choice,” Hoover said in a news release.
