From Forward Kentucky: GOP installs partisan staffer as head of LRC, incl non-partisan staff
By BRUCE MAPLES
The heads of the state legislature, led by the GOP majority, chose a Republican partisan staff member as the new director of the Legislative Research Commission, meaning that he will supervise the non-partisan staff as well.
A search committee made up of both Republican and Democratic legislators had determined some time ago that they wanted to promote someone from within the LRC to fill the vacant director’s position. Since the firing of David Byerman as director by the GOP leadership in 2018, the LRC has been led by the two Republican chiefs of staff, one in the House and one in the Senate.
After reviewing a number of internal resumes, the GOP leadership decided to put forward Jay Hartz, the Deputy Chief of Staff to Senate President Stivers. Since the Republicans have a majority on the leadership of the LRC, the Democratic members had little choice in the matter. They raised objections, but in the end the GOP leadership did what they wanted.