Attorney General Andy Beshear has appointed an independent counsel to investigate allegations against Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes.
Grimes faces allegations that her office misused voter data and potentially violated Kentucky’s Personnel laws, as well as claims that her staff used the voter registration database to look up the party affiliation of merit staffers applying for a job at the state board of elections.
The Herald Leader reports the investigation will focus on a letter from Executive Director of the State Board of Elections Jared Dearing. Grimes has denounced the allegations and the investigations into her activity as political. But that declaration is complicated by the fact that Dearing and Beshear are both Democrats. Beshear has appointed Garrard County Attorney Mark Metcalf to represent the Commonwealth.
By appointing an outside attorney, Beshear may be trying to avoid the appearance of investigating a potential political rival. Beshear is running for governor next year, and Grimes is also considering such a run.
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