Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron has formally requested an FBI investigation into former Gov. Matt Bevin’s controversial pardons.
A number of pardons and commutations issued by the ex-governor – including one of a man whose family raised funds for the Republican – have drawn bipartisan scrutiny in the days since he left office. Bevin issued more than 400 pardons after the November election, with the majority focused on low-level drug offenses. But cases involving rape and murder have put the governor on the defensive.
Now, the state’s top law enforcement official – a fellow Republican – is referring the matter to federal investigators. In a letter to lawmakers, Cameron went on to say he has informed the bureau his office is "willing to assist in any way it needs."
Senate Minority Floor Leader Morgan McGarvey has been among the lawmakers urging a deeper dive into the nature of the pardons.
"I think there are probably some good pardons and commutations in there, but some of the things [Bevin] did, there's no logical or rational explanation for it," the Democrat told WUKY.
In a press release, McGarvey and Rep. Chris Harris thanked the AG for taking the step – singling out the pardon of Patrick Baker, whose family raised tens of thousands of dollars for Bevin in 2018.
