Kentucky governor pleads not guilty to charges - Yahoo! News

Kentucky governor pleads not guilty to charges - Yahoo! News: "Fri Jun 9, 3:02 PM ET

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher pleaded not guilty on Friday to charges that he was involved in an illegal scheme to hire political allies for merit-based state jobs.

Fletcher, the first Republican to lead Kentucky in more than three decades, entered the pleas through a lawyer in Franklin County District Court in Frankfort, court officials said.

He was indicted last month by a grand jury on three misdemeanor counts -- official misconduct, which carries a possible one-year sentence, and conspiracy and violating a prohibition against political discrimination, which each carry six-month penalties.

While two of the three charges also stipulate removal from state office upon conviction, most legal observers say that would not likely apply to the governor, whose removal is subject to impeachment proceedings spelled out in the state constitution."