LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Second district metro council member Barbara Shanklin wants the Louisville Metro Ethics Commission to dismiss the complaint against her.
Shanklin's attorney, Aubrey Williams, asked for the dismissal at the commission meeting Thursday afternoon. He argued in a motion the complaint is based on newspaper articles and not facts, as required by the city ethics code.
The complaint alleges Shanklin and her relatives benefitted from money managed by her office and cites several Louisville Courier-Journal news stories published in May, June and July.
The commission could take up the matter as early as its August 22 meeting.
Shanklin did not attend the ethics commission meeting.
"You have hearsay upon hearsay being sworn to. It is just beyond me how the commission can expect to go forward," Williams told reports after the meeting.
Williams said Shanklin did not do anything wrong under the city ethics code -- or criminally.
Metro police are also investigating Shanklin's handling of funds and employment of her grandson.
"My client is absolutely not guilty of any unethical behavior and not guilty of any criminal behavior," Williams said.
The man who filed the ethics complaint, Prospect attorney Richard Beliles, said the complaint does have merit.
"I feel rather confident in relying on those reports," Beliles told WDRB News.
It was not clear if Shanklin's motion to dismiss (and its scheduled hearing of Aug. 22) would take precedent over an earlier ethics commission deadline of Aug. 10 for her initial response to the complaint. Williams said he would seek clarification.
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