AFL-CIO’s nine-month “emergency monitorship” over the Ky. AFL-CIO will reportedly end next month after the state federation holds a rescheduled convention. But, the Ky. State Police and the FBI are still investigating a Sep. 4, 1998 arson that destroyed records at the federation’s Frankfort office and an Aug. 10 burglary of records, as well as hundreds of thousands of missing dollars. The convention was originally scheduled for Oct. 1998, but delayed by the scandal.
Ky. AFL-CIO bosses Bobby Curtis, Bobby Barnett and Ron Cyrus were suspended in Oct. 1998 and taken off the payroll in Dec. 1998. The day after the monitorship was imposed, Ky. AFL-CIO bookkeeper Donna Bayless disappeared. Her stepson found her body four days later on a remote piece of family property. In Mar. 1999, a Ky. jury unanimously ruled the death a suicide. Federation records show that its check-writing machine was used to pay Bayless and her husband, ex-Ky. AFL-CIO political dir. Morgan Bayless, about $285,000 more than their salaries since 1995. AFL-CIO has sued Morgan Bayless and Donna Bayless’ estate to recover the missing funds. [Lexington Herald-Leader 6/9/99]