Tagged: Kentucky’s Executive Branch Ethics Commission

Former Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer has been charged with 42 ethics violations by the executive branch of the Kentucky Ethics Commission.

The panel’s executive director John Steffen says the charges are for alleged misuse of state funds and state employees during Farmer’s two terms in office. He also says number of violation is the highest ever issued by the Commission.

“I believe 16 was the prior high number of counts containing an executive order, an initiating order,” Steffen said. “We have not seen misuse of office at this level in the nearly 9 years I’ve been with the commission I’ve not seen anything that compares to this abuse of public trust and abuse of public office.”

Kentucky's Executive Branch Ethics Commission has charged a former government official with violating the state's ethics code by allegedly using his position to solicit campaign contributions for Gov. Steve Beshear's re-election campaign last year.

Kentucky’s Executive Branch Ethics Commission is alleging former Tourism Commissioner Mike Cooper misused state resources for his own financial gain.  The Lexington Herald-Leader reported Monday the ethics panel also alleges Cooper failed to follow personnel rules for travel expenses, charged personal items to a state-issued credit card and conducted personal business while on state travel.