The Martin Chronicles entire staff will be dining on a variety of leftover turkey recipes through the weekend. One of our most veteran political reporters made the insightful observation that, "(Villa Hills malfeasant Mayor Mike) Martin is the biggest leftover turkey around these parts. The bad news is that, unlike the food on our plates, the little fella will still be around for another month".
But, before we start looking at Mike Martin's final month as mayor, we should look at what has become known by Villa Hills political observers as A NOVEMBER TO REMEMBER. A whole lot of "stuff" has happened in the last thirty days.
1. Despite Martin's best-or, perhaps better put, worst-efforts, the little fella ran in to a buzz saw on election day. Our crack research staff has been unable to find a previous example of a defeat of an incumbent mayor in a town the size of Villa Hills that comes anywhere close to the ass-whuppin' Martin experienced last November 4. So, its fair to say that Martin's crushing 84% - 16% shellacking was historically bad. Which is appropriate. Why? Because everything Martin has done over the past four years has been historically bad.
2. We have learned that Martin and his personal-and now City-Attorney Toad V. McMurtry have managed to put themselves in between a legal rock and a hard place. How? Well, first Martin and McMurtry made the (official) claim to The Kentucky State Auditor's Office that the former leadership of the Villa Hills Police Department were guilty of "pension spiking".
Well, well, well. A source deep inside Martin's administration has sent us three letters demonstrating that Martin and McMurtry are now making the (official) claim to The Kentucky Retirement Board that there was no "pension spiking". What's at stake? Well over $200,000 TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
But there very well may be far more at stake. Why? Let's say The Kentucky Retirement Board finally decides-after denying Martin's and McMurtry's defense three times-that there was no "pension spiking". Then Martin and McMurtry have left the taxpayers wide open to a SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLAR TAXPAYER-FUNDED LAWSUIT for conspiring to defame the former leadership of the Villa Hills Police Department with their previous (official) claims to The Kentucky State Auditor's Office. Wild, crazy stuff, huh?
3. The social network chatter has "gone dark". We aren't seeing any posts telling us to stop being "negative" (LMFAO) or predicting that "the voters will do the right thing (even though they did exactly that)".
We haven't heard from anyone who claims the have "the truth about Villa Hills secured from the Kenton County Library". There have been no claims from people who make the odd assertion that folks defeated in previous elections are somehow disqualified from being elected again.
There have been no snarky comments from teen-aged prodigies that provoke justifiable backlash. And, there have been no snarky teen-aged prodigies mommas who have rushed out to wrong-headedly defend the snarky comments made by their snarky teen-aged prodigies.
4. Martin has tipped his nasty hand during a "drunk-fest" at his favorite watering hole. Martin has let us know that he doesn't plan to do the right thing and finally go away. He is still in it to win it.
Will Vaden and Koenig really do Martin's bidding for the next two years while the little fella positions himself for a 2016 city council run? That is what Martin himself has said. Heck, we just don't know. That's exactly why The Martin Chronicles isn't going anywhere.
5. The new police chief of Villa Hills gave a very ironic quote to The Community Recorder when he warned Villa Hills residents about possible "scams". We're glad the new chief is trying to help the residents.
But what the new police chief of the local police department has no way of knowing is that the biggest scam that has ever been perpetrated on the residents of Villa Hills is the outgoing Martin Administration. Hundreds of thousands of TAXPAYER DOLLARS squandered on lawyers and legal fees. Hundreds of thousands of TAXPAYER DOLLARS in fines levied by Kentucky agencies. Martin's very-expensive-to-the-taxpayers CRONY HIRES. CONVICTIONS on several counts of OFFICIAL MISCONDUCT and NEGLECT OF DUTY. A REPRIMAND from the Villa Hills Ethics Board. Judges affirming Martin's 2007 FORGERY ARREST. Misuse of taxpayer money sending out a POLITICAL PROPAGANDA PIECE last month. There is all of that-and a whole lot more.
Isn't this fun?
