BY PATRICK CROWLEY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
ERLANGER -- Republican state Sen. Gex "Jay" Williams has asked for a state probe into one of the key members of his campaign for U.S. Congress -- Gex Williams.
In a politically unusual move, Mr. Williams has asked the Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission to investigate allegations that he made campaign-related phone calls earlier this year from phones in the State Capitol.
Mr. Williams, running against Boone County Democrat Ken Lucas in the 4th District U.S. House race, said he requested the investigation "to clear my name."
But he also grudgingly admitted he is attempting a pro-active approach since sooner or later someone or some organization was likely to file a complaint against him.
"There is all this innuendo out there about me, and I really want (the ethics commission) to take a look at the records and make a determination," Mr. Williams said Monday from his Erlanger campaign office.
"I can't get at all the records, and the ethics commission can actually look at all the records. I'm being blamed for things that are out of my control, and I want to get all this out on the table," he said.
It is illegal for state lawmakers or employees to use state funds, personnel or time to campaign for office.
Anthony Wilhoit, executive director of the ethics commission, confirmed Monday that Mr. Williams has asked for the investigation. Mr. Wilhoit said the agency will honor the request.
"We'll examine the phone records and talk to any witnesses we know of," Mr. Wilhoit said.
Mr. Wilhoit refused comment when asked if any other lawmakers have ever requested an investigation of themselves.
Mr. Williams agreed that it's unusual, but he said he believes it has happened before. However, he could not recall any details or the lawmakers involved in similar requests.
Mr. Williams has denied making a large number of campaign-related calls from Frankfort.
Records Mr. Williams released to the Enquirer show he made less than $4 in calls from his state Senate office in Frankfort. Those calls went to: his Erlanger campaign office; Ralph Reed, the former head of the Christian Coalition and now a campaign consultant working for Mr. Williams; his Washington pollster; and his campaign manager in Michigan.
But the Legislative Research Commission, or LRC, the legislature's administrative arm, has refused to release records for calls Mr. Williams made from the Senate Republican leadership office -- even though the Kentucky attorney general's office has told the commission to release the records.
The Enquirer and other newspapers are fighting the commission's denial in Franklin Circuit Court.
Mr. Williams has also asked LRC Director Don Cetrulo to release the records, but Mr. Cetrulo said the court should decide the matter. Mr. Cetrulo maintains releasing the phone records will dissuade constituents from calling lawmakers.
Mr. Wilhoit said the ethics commission has subpoena power, but he stopped short of saying it will be used to see Mr. Williams' phone records.
"All I can tell you is we'll do what we have to to see the records," Mr. Wilhoit said.
Walton attorney Mark Guilfoyle, a member of Mr. Lucas' campaign team, was baffled by Mr. Williams' request for the investigation. "Geez, that's unheard of," Mr. Guilfoyle said Monday.
