LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Kentucky Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman said she has no regrets about helping some people she knew get faster help with their unemployment claims.
"I called every single person that reached out to me about unemployment insurance, whether I knew them or not, and I'll tell you, I knew a lot fewer people than I did know," Coleman told LEX-18 while she visited Lexington Senior Center on Thursday afternoon.
In March, WDRB News obtained Coleman's text messages to the then-head of the Office of Unemployment Insurance. In at least four instances last April, Coleman reached out to the then-executive director asking for special attention to certain people's claims, including her hairdresser.
In at least four instances last April, Coleman — who is also the secretary of the state cabinet that oversaw unemployment insurance at the time — texted the then-executive director of the Office of Unemployment Insurance, Muncie McNamara, asking for special attention to certain people’s unemployment claims, the messages show.
“Hey, guys! I need someone to reach out to a couple people,” Coleman wrote in an April 6, 2020, text message to McNamara and to McNamara’s direct supervisor, Commissioner of Workforce Investment Marty Hammons.
One of the people who needs help “does my hair (so we OBVIOUSLY need to take care of her (emoticon)). Here are her messages and contact info,” Coleman wrote in the group text. Three more texts followed containing images and a contact card.
“Second, here’s a friend of a friend. I’ll send her number when I get it,” and she attached another image.
McNamara and Hammons got right to Coleman’s requests.
Three minutes after Coleman’s texts, Hammons replied to the group, “Muncie I can take the first one. I’ll go ahead and call.” Within three hours, McNamara and Hammons reported back to Coleman that they had called both people and connected with one, leaving a message for the other.
McNamara said in texts that others, including Beshear’s senior adviser Rocky Adkins, also “sends me names” of people whom McNamara would then personally assist with their claims, though WDRB News did not obtain texts involving Adkins.
Coleman maintains she didn't play favorites and says she helped thousands of people.
"Our job as elected officials is to get them the help that they need, so that's what I did," Coleman said. "No one got special treatment. Everyone who reached out to me got the help I could get them."
When asked if she understands why some people think her actions look bad, Coleman didn't make any apologies and criticized the initial story.
"Well, the way it was written, it did, if you pull out certain text messages and only report on those, then it looks bad, but when you, like you just did, ask me about it, I can be very honest with you that every single person who reached out to me, whether I knew them or not, got the same treatment," she said.
While tens of thousands of Kentucky residents waited on checks that never came, the people Coleman named received help. Coleman says she'll continue to help as many people as she can, whether she knows them or not.
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