Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher Blocks Blogs On State Computers

TPM Muckraker is reporting that the administration of Gov. Ernie Fletcher (R-KY) is selectively blocking state computers so that state employees cannot access blog sites it finds objectionable. TPM writes:

[S]tate employees arrived at work this morning to discover their computers were blocked from viewing the muckraking blog Bluergrassreport.org. The site has doggedly pursued the administration of Gov. Ernie Fletcher, who's at the center of one of the largest scandals in the state's history.

The admin's tech office is responsible for the deed, which seems ham-handedly political -- Wonkette has also been blocked, though other blogs have not. The blog has been hitting Gov. Ernie Fletcher (R-KY) for months and months over his administration's illegal cronyism. You can see the long list of scandal casualties here on our Kentucky Grand Ole Docket -- 15 indictments, nine of which Fletcher pardoned.

TPM quotes Rep. Ben Chandler (D-KY), whose district includes the state capitol as saying, "I believe the recent action of the Fletcher administration to block access to a handpicked number of blogs is a violation of the equal protection clause of the Constitution." "This flies in the face of a fundamental right of free speech."

Bluegrass Report has been compiling a list of blocked blog sites here. Coincidentally, the State of Indiana added new blocking software to state computers this week as well. Taking Down Words initially reported that its blog site was blocked by the software, but that report proved untrue. TDW later reported the blocking was only for two pornography categories.