FRANKFORT — Lt. Gov. Jenean Hampton filed suit against Gov. Matt Bevin on Thursday, asking for court orders that would restore her two fired staff members to their jobs.

The 12-page lawsuit, filed in Franklin Circuit Court, argues the Bevin administration illegally dismissed Hampton's chief of staff, Steve Knipper, in late January and her deputy chief of staff, Adrienne Southworth, in late May.

The lawsuit asks for a court order declaring that such firings — done without Hampton's consent — were "wholly and legally ineffective," and it asks the court to declare the lieutenant governor is the proper appointing authority for employees of the lieutenant governor's office.

"I think the world of her as a person. Needless to say, we have a difference of perspective on certain things," Bevin, who was in Louisville for the state fair, told the Courier Journal later Thursday. "But I think the world of her personally, she's a friend and she's someone I have tremendous respect for."

The latest:Beshear says Hampton has the power to hire, fire her staff

Bevin declined to talk about Hampton's lawsuit specifically when asked by reporters, but he did dispute the lieutenant governor's recent assertion the two hadn't talked about the controversy.

"Look, I did not talk to him," Hampton told the Lexington Herald Leader last week. "I’ve never talked with him about the dismissals. My staff has not been treated right, and I stand by my staff.”

Bevin said they had spoken about the situation, but he ignored the question when asked three times if Hampton was lying about them not having the conversation.

"We've talked, yes," Bevin said. "We'll let it take care of itself, it's a non-story and it'll be a moot point soon enough."

Bevin and Hampton's public feud over her staff has produced one of the more visible cracks in his administration amid a tough reelection battle against Democratic challenger Attorney General Andy Beshear.

And the state Democratic Party pounced on the lawsuit as an opportunity to further highlight Republican infighting.

“Matt Bevin is already the most unpopular governor in the entire country," Democratic spokeswoman Marisa McNee said in a statement. "But instead of campaigning together, his own lieutenant governor wants to see him in court."

Related:Bevin's 'partisan hack' chief of staff overstepped in firing aide, Hampton says

Hampton's suit names Bevin and the Personnel Cabinet as defendants in the case and charges that their "unlawful actions constitute a de facto attempt to partially remove Hampton from her duly-elected position as the Lieutenant Governor of this Commonwealth.”

Elizabeth Kuhn, spokeswoman for the Governor's Office, responded to the lawsuit with a statement that noted Knipper and Southworth have already appealed their dismissals to the Kentucky Personnel Board and argued it is inappropriate to file a lawsuit before that board makes a decision.

"We will move for immediate dismissal of the complaint," Kuhn said.

A hearing in the case has been scheduled for 10 a.m. Monday before Judge Phillip Shepherd.

Republicans Bevin and Hampton were elected as a slate as governor and lieutenant governor in November 2015.

But early this year, when he filed for reelection, Bevin chose Sen. Ralph Alvarado, a Winchester Republican, as his lieutenant governor candidate.

The first visible sign of conflict between Hampton and Bevin happened in late January when Knipper was given a letter signed by a Finance Cabinet official saying his services were no longer needed. The letter gave no reason.

Background:The firing of Hampton's aide has sparked a GOP civil war in Kentucky

The firing happened after Knipper filed to run for the GOP nomination for secretary of state. His filing was contrary to a Bevin administration policy that any politically appointed members of the administration must resign from their jobs if they file for elective office.

Hampton attempted to reappoint Knipper, but the Personnel Cabinet ignored her.

In late May, the Bevin administration sacked Southworth, again giving no reason. That left Hampton with just one staff member. Hampton objected immediately on her Twitter account, blaming "dark forces" within the Bevin administration and asking for prayers.

She protested the action in an email and letter to administration officials, insisting only she had authority to hire and fire her staff members. But her appeals were ignored.

Later, Blake Brickman, chief of staff to Bevin, released a statement to the Courier Journal saying Southworth was fired for exercising poor judgment and listing examples in which he said Southworth advocated policies inconsistent with the administration.

Hampton sought a legal opinion from Beshear, who is the state's attorney general, on the question, and his office last week said Hampton does have the legal authority to hire and fire her own staff members.

The beginning:Hampton asks for prayers against 'dark forces' in Bevin administration

Bevin said Thursday there is a hiring and firing process that some people are trying to circumvent, but that it will play out as it should. He said Hampton's legacy is up for the people of Kentucky to decide.

"In her tenure, there's another two and a half months' worth of time she has the ability to do things for the people of Kentucky, and what she chooses to do is her prerogative," Bevin said.

In a motion accompanying the lawsuit, Hampton's attorney Joshua Harp, of Frankfort, said there were actually 117 days left in Hampton's term and it's important for the court to decide the case quickly.

"Time is of the essence," Harp wrote. "There is no monetary value, no price, which can be placed upon each day of the Lieutenant Governor's term."

Reporter Tom Loftus can be reached at 502-875-5136 or tloftus@courier-journal.com. Twitter: @TomLoftus_CJ. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: courier-journal.com/toml.