FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — A Kentucky judge has dismissed a whistleblower complaint from a former House Republican staffer who alleged she was retaliated against for shedding light on a sexual harassment settlement involving the former House speaker in 2017.
The Lexington Herald-Leader reports Franklin Circuit Court Judge Philip Shepherd ruled that there was no evidence that Daisy Olivo was fired because of her disclosure. Olivo, the former communications director for the House Republican caucus, filed the whistleblower suit against the Legislative Research Commission.
Shepherd wrote that Olivo appropriately reported the existence of the settlement, which included former House Speaker Jeff Hoover, Rep. Michael Meredith, former Rep. Jim DeCesare and former Rep. Brian Linder, all Republicans.
In her complaint, Olivo claimed that after she reported the settlement to the Legislative Research Commission, she was relieved of her duties as communications director and later fired.
But Shepherd said the decision to remove Olivo from her duties could not be considered retaliation because there was no added penalty, such as a loss of pay or benefits.
Shepherd said her termination appeared to be part of "routine staff turnover."
The revelation of the settlement, which included allegations of inappropriate sexual contact, led to Hoover's resignation as House speaker. Hoover is not running for re-election to his state House seat this year.
