LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Kentucky Lt. Gov. Jenean Hampton says Gov. Matt Bevin's Chief of Staff was responsible for firing her Deputy Chief of Staff.
In a tweet in late May, the lame duck lieutenant governor said she didn't know who initiated the "unauthorized personnel action ending (the) employment" of her assistant, Adrienne Southworth. Hampton praised Southworth for her "stellar" work and said she did not want Southworth terminated. Hampton's tweet ended with a request that people "pray for me as I battle dark forces."
In a written statement released on June 18, Hampton said Blake Brickman "overstepped his boundaries" when he fired Southworth.
She continued: "Every Kentuckian should be concerned that an unelected bureaucrat appears to have power over the office of the Lieutenant Governor, a constitutional officer duly elected by the people of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. I am perplexed by the vacuous decision to deprive an active, productive Lieutenant Governor of her staff."
Southworth was making $81,000 a year and had worked in Hampton's office since late 2015.
Earlier in the year, Bevin's administration fired Hampton's chief of staff, Steve Knipper, against her wishes after he filed to run for secretary of state.
Hampton's statement said no one in Frankfort will provide her with details of why Southworth was fired, or grant her request for reinstatement. Hampton also said Southworth and other staff affected by recent changes will be reinstated.
"Ms. Southworth will continue to assist me, tracking her time manually until she is back in the personnel system,' Hampton said in the statement. "I am pursuing action to reinstate my staff soon."
Bevin dropped Hampton from his ticket in January as he launched his reelection campaign. Bevin chose state Sen. Ralph Alvarado as his running mate this year. He denied any involvement or knowledge of Southworth's firing.
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