FRANKFORT, Ky. - Lieutenant Governor Jenean Hampton is not giving up her fight to maintain her staff.

Hampton is suing Governor Matt Bevin and the personnel cabinet to ensure she has the right to hire or fire her own staff. This stems from two of her staff members being let go without her knowledge. The lawsuit states the termination of her employees has caused her suffering. 

“Because she has been wrongfully deprived of her lawful authority to appoint staff and employees of her choosing to her department, Hampton has suffered and continues to suffer, unique damages in the form of deprivation of the lawful rights, authority, and privileges attendant to her office,” the lawsuit reads.

It goes on to claim her rights as Lieutenant Governor have been violated, and she will continue to suffer “immediate, irreparable injury, loss or damage” unless a permanent injunction is issued.

The Bevin administration will be asking for this lawsuit to be dismissed.

“The matter is currently before the personnel board, and it is inappropriate for a lawsuit to be filed before the board issues its decision,” Communications Director Elizabeth Kuhn said in a statement. “We will move for immediate dismissal of the complaint.”

Former Chief of Staff Stephen Knipper was terminated in January, “without cause”, Bevin said this was because he ran for Secretary of State.

“One person thought the rules didn’t apply to him,” Bevin said of Knipper in earlier this month.

Knipper is appealing his termination.

Adrienne Southworth is also appealing her May termination. Hampton publically opposed the sudden firing of the employee, taking to Twitter to call for “prayer warriors” to defend against “dark forces.”

In a public statement, she attacked Bevin's Chief of Staff, Blake Brickman for “overstepping his boundaries” in the firing of Southworth.
Southworth says she was fired because she was investigating the governor’s office.

The lawsuit will be heard Monday, August 19 in Franklin Circuit Court.