The leaders of the Kentucky House and Senate are beginning the process of hiring a new director of the Legislative Research Commission.
Former director Robert Sherman resigned amid accusations that he didn’t do enough to address staffers’ sexual harassment complaints. He was also accused of having a long-running personal relationship with a subordinate LRC staffer. The state agency has been under intense scrutiny since August of 2013, when three LRC staffers accused former Rep. John Arnold of sexual harassment.
Senate President Robert Stivers says he’s not satisfied with the recent audit of the LRC and wants to know how other states deal with maintaining a professional, impartial administrative staff in a state capitol.
“And [the LRC] needs to be constantly monitored which is probably the biggest flaw of the entire LRC situation," Stivers said. "There was not enough independent monitoring to make sure the director was doing what the director should have been doing.”
House Speaker Greg Stumbo said the new director will be responsible for reforming the state agency.
“So the balancing approach is to make sure this is a nonpartisan, apolitical staff but that you have certain controls on, but not too many controls on because you don’t want there to be a hint of preference or partisanship between chambers or parties,” Stumbo said.
Stivers predicts that a permanent LRC director will be hired by July 1. Marcia Seiler has been serving as interim director sinc Sherman stepped down in September 2013.