Joseph Gerth

@Joe_Gerth

FRANKFORT, Ky. — House Speaker Greg Stumbo said Tuesday that there should be federal and state investigations into allegations that Gov. Matt Bevin’s killed a Jessamine County road project to punish a Democratic legislator who refused to switch parties.

And, Stumbo said, if it’s determined that Bevin did that, costing taxpayers $625,000, the House would consider bringing articles of impeachment against him.

Stumbo’s statement comes the same day the Courier-Journal and CNHI News posted stories about a voicemail Bevin left on the phone of state Rep. Russ Meyer that appeared to threaten retribution against Meyer and his district after he refused to become a Republican.

“There is a body of evidence that suggests that the governor has openly threatened members of the General Assembly, there is corroborating evidence in the form of that voicemail, there is a disturbing allegation that perhaps over $600,000 was spent in taxpayers' money to retaliate, carry forward with his threat of retaliation,” Stumbo said during an impromptu news conference.

In a statement, Bevin's office dismissed Stumbo's call for an investigation and possible impeachment a "desperate political stunt."

Bevin’s administration has claimed that it stopped the road project after it learned that the administration of former Gov. Steve Beshear rushed the project and that there was no way for the state to obtain the final pieces of right of way needed to complete it before its scheduled March 15 start date.

“I would think that either state or federal authorities would look at this and at least give it a look and see. There are certainly very serious allegations about an abuse of the separation of powers,” Stumbo said.

Stumbo said he believes at least two Democratic legislators were threatened in a Dec. 28 meeting with Bevin in the basement of the Governor’s Mansion and that House Minority Leader Jeff Hoover was there when Bevin allegedly made the threats.

Rep. Kevin Sinnette was one of the Democrats at that meeting who said he was coerced into switching parties.

Bevin's office said in a statement that Stumbo is simply trying to draw attention away from more serious issues. "Betting that people will be fooled by his idle chatter, he is attempting to change the subject through outrageous and untrue stories," the statement said. It did not say what parts of the story are "outrageous and untrue."

It went on to attack Stumbo further, saying, "Speaker Stumbo's erratic behavior and foolish comments are an embarrassment to the commonwealth. Kentuckians deserve better than such buffoonery from our leaders."

Reporter Joseph Gerth can be reached at (502) 582-4702.