By Eric Groves
While watching Governor Patton’s tearful apology Friday afternoon, it dawned on me: Tina Conner (the Commonwealth’s own Monica Lewinsky) is from Clinton, Kentucky. Wow! Can you believe the irony of that? A small western Kentucky town sharing the name with one of the most controversial (and amoral) figures in recent American history is the town where our very own governor has been cavorting around after hours! But still, there are plenty of differences in Slick Willy’s affair and Governor Patton’s, and they are both good and bad.
The most serious allegation to surface out of this lurid affair is that Patton abused his power as governor by forcing state inspectors to find phony evidence and subsequently close Conner’s nursing home, a charge he denies. Now, while Bill Clinton was certainly lacking in the scruples department, and for his sexcapades with Monica, not once was he implicated in anything that bore the legal consequence of Patton’s accusation, at least in the context of his extramarital shenanigans. While it is unfair to declare Patton’s guilt in his pending litigation, let’s just say the circumstantial evidence presented by the media doesn’t do the Guv any favors. Sure looks like Ms. Conner has a case.
I will give Patton credit, however. After at first denying the allegations, he came forward and admitted he made a mistake. I’m not a talent scout, but given the sob job he pulled at the podium on Friday, I’m quite sure the man was sincere in his apology. Patton even went so far to apologize for denying the allegations earlier in the week, AND claimed he will reimburse the state for his 440 phone calls to Conner. (Although it can be argued that he was sorry he got caught, I suppose.) Anyone remember Clinton’s tap dance? How can anyone forget Clinton’s classic assertion, “I did not have sexual relations with that woman.” Sure, Bill. And luckily, here in the Commonwealth, we’ve been spared the sordid details that came from the Bill and Monica debacle. (I don’t need to go into specifics of the infamous blue Gap dress, I assume.)
So now of course, the question that begs to be answered is, “Should Patton resign?” In this case, there is no simple answer. If Patton is indeed guilty of closing down a nursing home–and displacing dozens of senior citizens–because he was unhappy about the unwanted outcome of an extramarital affair, then he is guilty of abusing his power and should resign and be held legally accountable. However, if he is not guilty, then there is no reason for him not to finish his term as governor. I certainly don’t condone his sleazy behavior, but the last time I checked, he is a human being, and I’m pretty sure all of us are prone to mistakes.
