Kentucky Campaign Finance Regulators Launch Investigation into Excess Contributions by London Mayor Randall Weddle to Gov. Andy Beshear’s Reelection Campaign and Kentucky Democratic Party

Police – Accident – Death – Obituary News : FRANKFORT, Ky. — The Kentucky Registry of Election Finance (KREF) has recently initiated a civil investigation into the excessive campaign contributions made by London Mayor Randall Weddle to the reelection campaign of Governor Andy Beshear and the Kentucky Democratic Party. This investigation comes after the Kentucky Lantern published an article on April 17 highlighting the large and unusual political contributions made by Weddle and his associates, totaling over $300,000.

In accordance with state law, KREF has the authority to investigate potential violations of campaign finance laws and, if deemed necessary, impose fines. They also have the power to refer the matter to the attorney general or local prosecutor for further investigation of possible criminal violations. As part of the investigation, KREF has sent a notice to Weddle and other interested parties, including a copy of an “internal complaint” signed by KREF Executive Director John Steffen.

The complaint alleges that Weddle and his wife Victoria may have violated state law by making excess donations in the names of other individuals. This new investigation has been merged with an earlier complaint filed against Weddle regarding campaign finance violations during his 2022 mayoral campaign in London, the county seat of Laurel County.

Weddle has been given 15 days to respond to the notice, but he has not yet commented on the investigation. His attorney, Douglas McSwain, has also not returned any messages. Steffen of KREF has declined to provide further comment on the matter.

The Kentucky Lantern’s article revealed that Weddle’s family members, employees, and business associates were among a group of 19 donors who made substantial contributions to support Beshear’s reelection campaign and the Kentucky Democratic Party. These donors had never before made such large political contributions, raising suspicions about the source of the funds.

Initially, Beshear, his campaign, and the party denied any impropriety regarding the contributions. However, on May 2, attorneys for the campaign and the Kentucky Democratic Party contacted the election registry to report that Weddle had admitted that $202,000 in contributions attributed to various relatives or associates were actually made on his credit card and his wife’s credit card.

Steffen cited this information as the basis for the “internal complaint” against Weddle. On June 19, the Beshear reelection campaign publicly acknowledged the excess contributions, stating that they had inadvertently accepted $202,000 in donations made in the names of other individuals but drawn from the Weddles’ credit card. The campaign and party subsequently refunded these contributions.

State and federal laws impose limits on campaign donations, with the limit at the time of the questionable contributions being $2,000 per election to a candidate and no more than $15,000 per year to a state political party. The limit on contributions to candidates has since been raised to $2,100 per election. Making excess donations through the names of third-party “straw” donors is a crime under state law.

Due to the ongoing gubernatorial race between Beshear and Weddle, Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron was barred by a state ethics commission opinion from investigating this matter. As a result, Cameron’s office referred the case to the FBI, although the agency has not confirmed whether they are conducting an investigation.

If KREF’s board finds evidence of campaign finance violations, they can impose fines of up to $5,000 per violation. If they discover potential criminal violations, they can only refer the evidence to the attorney general or local prosecutor for further investigation.

Eric Hyers, the manager of Beshear’s campaign, has not responded to inquiries from the Kentucky Lantern regarding this investigation.

This article was originally published by Kentucky Lantern, a member of the States Newsroom network, and has been republished under a Creative Commons license. Kentucky Lantern maintains editorial independence. For further information or inquiries, please contact Editor Jamie Lucke at info@kentuckylantern.com. Follow Kentucky Lantern on Facebook and Twitter. Tom Loftus, a member of the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame, contributed to this article as a freelance reporter for the Kentucky Lantern..