LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Kentucky State Sen. Julie Raque Adams, R-Louisville, is facing scrutiny over payments she received from a nonprofit.

Records show Adams received $80,000 over the last few years from Kentucky Strong, a nonprofit set up to engage conservative women in the public policy process and help them run for office.

Adams is listed as Kentucky Strong's director.

The organization's only donors are interests that actively lobby the legislature, such as Churchill Downs, Revolutionary Racing, Charter Communications and LG&E. Since late 2022, according to the Kentucky Lantern, those organizations have made the following donations to Kentucky Strong: 

  • Revolutionary Racing: $50,000
  • Churchill Downs: $25,000
  • LG&E and KU Energy: $15,000
  • Charter Communications: $15,000

And the payments to Adams were the only expenses reported by the nonprofit since Jan. 1, 2023.

Kentucky Democrats called on the Ethics Commission and attorney general to investigate, saying the payments look like "textbook pay-to-play."

"As Chair of the Licensing and Occupations Committee, she took, and continues to take, money from the very industries she is tasked with regulating," KDP said in a written statement Tuesday. "A brief look into her legislative voting history reveals that this behavior isn't a coincidence: it's a pattern of advocating for and rewarding those donors that have personally enriched her."

"The ethics commission and attorney general should investigate immediately, especially as her decisions on energy, health care, and the horse industry have an immediate and critical impact on Kentuckians' finances," the KDP said.

In a written statement Wednesday, Adams said she's received a "modest compensation," which has been fully disclosed.

"Kentucky Strong was founded in 2015 to support, train, and mentor pro-business Republican women seeking public office, filling a gap that had previously existed in Kentucky," Adams said. "Running for office is a noble thing, but it's not easy. Over the years, I've had many women come to me asking how to do it, how to win, and how to serve well once they get there. I'm proud of that work. Kentucky Strong has made a different choice in how we operate. We do not charge women to participate or receive support. I've always believed the process is hard enough, and I want to be a resource, not a hurdle. We've also structured Kentucky Strong to stay lean. For the first seven years, I didn't take a dime. I was focused on getting the organization off the ground and making sure it could actually help people. Only in recent years, once it became sustainable and as our financial reports reflect, have I received modest compensation for serving as Executive Director. Everything we do, including compensation, has been fully disclosed in compliance with IRS requirements and has been publicly available since the organization's inception in 2015. There's nothing hidden here. Claims suggesting otherwise are false. Kentucky Strong remains focused on expanding opportunities for women in leadership. While progress has been made, women are still underrepresented in elected office, and that work is far from finished."

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