Jefferson Davis Statue Removal Costing Taxpayers

Moving a statue of Confederate President Jefferson Davis from the Kentucky Capitol to Davis’ birthplace in western Kentucky is costing the state $225,000. 

The Lexington Herald-Leader reports the state Finance and Administration Cabinet recorded the no-bid contract with America Industrial Contractors on June 12, the day the Historic Properties Advisory Commission voted 11-1 to remove the statue. The statue was out of the Capitol the next day. 

Cabinet spokeswoman Jill Midkiff says it was not practical to bid the contract because of the work’s specialized nature and limited number of companies that could do the work. The 5-ton statue had stood in the Capitol Rotunda since 1936.