News

KDP Launches 'Bevin Corruption Watch' to Hold Matt Bevin Accountable for Corruption & Cronyism, While Working Families Are Falling Behind

Berry Craig
Social share icons

FRANKFORT, KY—Today, the Kentucky Democratic Party is launching a new project called "Bevin Corruption Watch," which will expose Matt Bevin’s corruption and cronyism. 

Bevin’s self-enrichment comes as working families are falling behind on his watch. A recent report concluded the median wage for Kentuckians is not enough to meet a family budget and Kentucky’s public education is one of the worst funded in the nation.

“Working families in Kentucky are worried about rising health costs, earning enough to raise their families, keeping the lights on at their public schools and the future of their pensions,” said Marisa McNee, spokesperson for the Kentucky Democratic Party. “But instead of looking out for Kentuckians, Matt Bevin has been using the governor’s office and taxpayer dollars to enrich himself and his cronies—while keeping his own tax returns a secret. We’re going to be updating this project to continue exposing Matt Bevin’s corruption and cronyism from now until election day.” 

Instead of helping working families struggling to make ends meet, Governor Bevin’s first term has been filled with corruption, self-enrichment, cronyism, and utilizing taxpayer resources to play petty political games. Bevin Corruption Watch highlights several clear examples of this behavior, including: 

  • Matt Bevin purchased a multi-million dollar mansion for a steep discount from a friend and political donor, who then received a major tax giveaway for the transaction.

  • Matt Bevin chose to skip paying property taxes on his mansion until media reports called him out on it.

  • A company owned partly by Matt Bevin received over $1 million through a state program. 

  • Matt Bevin gave his long-time friend, Charles Grindle, a government position and a taxpayer-funded $215,000 raise. In total, Grindle now makes $375,000 a year, which is roughly 10 times more than what the starting salary is for a Kentucky State Police officer, while Kentucky public school teachers remain underpaid.

  • Matt Bevin has given over $500,000 in taxpayer funds to a law firm, with direct ties to the Kentucky Republican Party, to investigate his political rivals, which over the course of 3 years has “produced no criminal charges.”