Strange Fruit #177: Governor Matt Bevin... Can he do that?




Strange Fruit show

Summary: Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin continues to do things his own way. He's been using executive orders to make changes with far-reaching implications — and getting sued for it. This week, we check in with Kentucky Public Radio's capital bureau chief, Ryland Barton, to get an update on Bevin's latest acts as governor. The one that got the most attention this week was Bevin's announcement that he was disbanding the University of Louisville's board of trustees (and that university president Dr. James Ramsey would step down). Bevin dismissed all the trustees and replaced them with three interim board members of his own choosing. But can he do that? A group of university faculty members (including our own Dr. Kaila Story) say they're worried the shakeup could affect the school's accreditation. Attorney General Andy Beshear is taking Bevin to court over this and other board reorganizations he says violate statutes. Dr. David Owen, chair of the Philosophy Department, joins us this week to talk about faculty concerns. And Lexington's EMW clinic closed this week after Bevin sued the abortion provider, saying they were performing abortions without the correct license. He's also sued Planned Parenthood of Kentucky and Indiana. Reproductive rights activist Molly Shah talks about what the loss of reproductive choices could mean in women's lives.