A Day Off

Two days off of work in a row. This gives me more time to get work done in my spare time.

My remarks on the upcoming NBA finals? Preferably the Pistons but there is a UK alumnus on both teams.

Albert Pujols was last week's NL co-player of the week.

Bayh to speak with Iowans.

Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., also will speak. Their presence renewed D.C. conversation about 2008 presidential aspirations. Bayh is interested. Thune says he is not. But Roll Call headlined an item on the speeches "Calling all would-be presidents."

That's because any time anyone does anything with Iowans present, presidential curiosity is piqued because it is the first presidential test.

Shame on Murgatroyd for invoking the Fifth Amendment. If he was not guilty, he would have spoken. My feelings tell me he's guilty.

Richard L. "Dick" Murgatroyd, deputy chief of staff to Gov. Ernie Fletcher, declined to answer questions yesterday before a special grand jury investigating allegations of political hirings in the Fletcher administration.

Louisville attorney Jack Smith, representing Murgatroyd, told reporters that his client followed his advice not to testify, invoking his Fifth Amend-ment right against possible self-incrimination.

Besides Murgatroyd, three other state officials -- Dan Druen, commissioner of administrative services in the Transportation Cabinet; Vince Fields, chief of staff for the Personnel Cabinet; and Cory Meadows, executive director of the Transportation Enhancement Program -- appeared separately and briefly before the grand jury.

Each witness spent less than five minutes in the grand jury room and then proceeded with his attorney and lead prosecutor Scott Crawford-Sutherland to meet privately with Franklin Circuit Judge William L. Graham, who had empaneled the grand jury earlier in the day.

Dave Baker was named to a sex crime panel by Gov. Fletcher. This move comes as a surprise.

WLAP radio talk show host Dave Baker, an outspoken supporter of Gov. Ernie Fletcher and his administration, was named to an 11-member sex offender task force yesterday by Fletcher.

Baker said yesterday that the appointment to a panel comprising mostly criminal justice leaders and victims rights advocates was an outgrowth of his concern for child safety, not because of political connections or favors.

"First and foremost, we're citizens, and when citizens have an opportunity to serve, we should do that," Baker said. "This is a situation of making things safer for my kids and kids all over the commonwealth. And that is something I can't see anyone having a problem with."

The appointment comes two weeks after Baker interviewed Lt. Gov. Steve Pence regarding the hiring scandal in Fletcher's administration and about a month after he went through the governor's office to buy $1,076 worth of hard-to-get tickets for the Kentucky Oaks and Derby horse races.

Pence said in a statement yesterday, "Dave Baker, as each member of the coalition, brings a unique perspective to the group. He is a father of four children all under the age of 7, active in charities involving children, and has been a passionate, outspoken advocate on this subject."

When Fletcher or Pence are guests on his show, Baker says, his membership on the committee won't prompt him to "lay off" asking any questions or reserve criticism for the administration.

As for the race tickets, Baker said anyone could request them and that he attended the Oaks but not the Derby. He said he gave his Derby tickets to a "business associate," though he declined to name the person.

Media experts say there aren't ethical guidelines for talk show hosts. While most journalists would be ethically barred from serving on a panel for a group they cover or accepting favors from them, the experts said, talk show hosts are in a different category.

The MTV Movie Awards air this Thursday on MTV. Your host? Jimmy Fallon.