Former Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes has been acquitted of ethics charges stemming from allegations that the once rising Democratic star abused access to voter registration data to benefit herself and Democrats. became.
Franklin County Circuit Court Judge Philip Shepherd ruled Monday that Grimes lawfully accessed the data while “acting within the scope of his official duties” as secretary of state.
In his order, Shepard wrote that “federal elections officials who accessed voter data or downloaded the data to flash drives despite failing to identify any illegal or unethical use of the data.” It is unclear how the commission can punish those who do so.”
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Grimes was fined $10,000 by the state Executive Office Ethics Commission for ethics violations, including improperly ordering the download and distribution of voter registration data. The judge canceled the commission’s order, meaning Grimes does not have to pay the fine.
One of Grimes’ attorneys, John Salomon, said Tuesday that the verdict vindicates Grimes.
“Secretary Grimes should never have been investigated simply for fulfilling the job for which Kentucky voters twice elected her,” he said in a statement. “The courts have properly exonerated her of all charges.”
The commission announced Tuesday that it was considering the issue.
Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes speaks to reporters in Frankfort, Kentucky, on November 14, 2019, following allegations that the once rising Democratic star abused her access to voters. He was released on ethics charges. Her registration data will be used for her own benefit and that of her Democratic Party. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley, File)
Grimes was considered a rising political star when she was first elected secretary of state in 2011. In 2014, he mounted a high-profile challenge to longtime Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell, but lost miserably. She won reelection as secretary of state in 2015, when Republicans controlled most statewide offices. The only other Democrat to win that year was Andy Beshear, who was then elected attorney general and is now in his second term as governor.
The ethics commission’s complaint against Grimes stems from activities in 2015 and 2016, in which Grimes was accused of failing to follow government procedures in downloading and sharing voter information.
She engaged in unethical conduct while running for re-election, including instructing employees to download voter information onto flash drives and sharing voter registration information for state House districts. All of them failed to comply with public records rules and did not collect fees.
Shepherd ruled that the allegations were “arbitrary and unsupported by substantial evidence.” The judge said there are no laws or regulations that prevent her from accessing or sharing the information.
He said the long-running issue led to a “thorough” investigation by the Ethics Commission and the state attorney general’s office, but that “allegations of substantial violations of voter roll integrity laws and regulations have been cleared.” There wasn’t,” he said.
Republican Michael Adams replaced Grimes as Kentucky’s secretary of state. Adams’ office noted Tuesday that state law was changed in response to the accusations against his predecessor.
“Due to scandals that preceded Secretary Adams in this position, direct access to voter files was restricted during the 2019 General Assembly, and my administration has followed the letter and spirit of the law,” said Michon Lind, Adams’ press secretary. Strom said. statement.
The judge also ruled that the Ethics Commission did not abide by the statute of limitations in filing the case against Grimes.
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The commission’s accusations followed a 2019 series by the Lexington Herald-Leader and ProPublica. Two news organizations published articles about Grimes’ conduct as Secretary of State.
