Lawsuit challenges Jefferson County attorney's role in Louisville's ethics commission

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Louisville Metro Ethics Commission is suing Metro government, challenging the county attorney's role in their work.

The lawsuit filed Thursday, Aug. 28, in Jefferson Circuit Court asks a judge to decide who gets to name the commission's attorney.

Members argue their lawyer must be independent from Metro government. But according to court filings, Jefferson County Attorney Mike O'Connell wants the authority to hire that lawyer.

The commission calls that a conflict, since they oversee his office.

The dispute has simmered for two years and is now boiling over as Metro government refuses to sign a new contract with the commission's chosen attorney.

The commission previously sued the city and O'Connell over control over its own records, claiming it didn't have total control over its own records as required by local law. The suit filed in October 2023 argued that the commission was "at the mercy" of Metro government and its open records personnel to fulfill those requests under Kentucky law.

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