The ruling comes a day after Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear sued to block three laws passed by the Republican-led legislature curtailing his powers during the coronavirus pandemic.
Unless a court steps in, the new laws will limit the length of Beshear’s emergency orders and allow businesses and schools to open during the pandemic, as long as they follow CDC guidelines.
Legislators, who have voiced displeasure with Beshear's emergency orders and his attitude toward them, are all but certain to override his three vetoes, and he made clear what he would do after that.
The main requirement for state lawmakers will be to pass a new $12 billion state spending plan as Kentucky continues to face financial uncertainty amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Deputy Attorney General Barry Dunn argues that since the grand jurors have remained anonymous by having their attorney, Kevin Glogower, sign the impeachment petition, it should be thrown out.
After meeting for two and a half hours behind closed doors, the committee emerged to say that one of the four citizens who filed the petition wanted to be removed from it.
Citizen impeachment petitions usually aren’t publicized, but this year House Republican leaders created a special committee to review a petition that alleged Beshear should be removed from office for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Republican Party of Kentucky voted down a resolution calling on Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to oppose impeachment charges against former President Donald Trump.
The grand jurors have remained anonymous, though the petition was filed by Louisville attorney Kevin Glogower on their behalf. The citizen impeachment petition is the third filed this month against Kentucky officials.
Gov. Andy Beshear has vetoed a bill that attempts to change the venue for lawsuits that challenge the constitutionality of a law, executive order or state agency action.
