Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear has asked a judge to stop Governor Matt Bevin from trying to recover $4.2 million dollars a Louisville law firm received as part of a state settlement against Oxycontin-maker Purdue Pharma.
Bevin said the law firm formerly known as Dolt Thompson Shepherd & Kinney should not have been paid because its contract to work for the state had expired. His administration filed a lawsuit Tuesday seeking to recover the money.
Beshear's lawsuit said the contract was not renewed because of a miscommunication. He said the Bevin administration instructed his office to issue a new contract so the firm could be paid.
Deputy Attorney General J. Michael Brown called the governor's lawsuit "silly and petty."
12:57 p.m.
Kentucky Republican Gov. Matt Bevin's administration has sued a Louisville law firm it says unlawfully received $4.2 million as part of a state settlement with Oxycontin-maker Purdue Pharma.
The firm Dolt Thompson Shepherd & Kinney had a contract to work on the case, but it expired in June 2015. Former Democratic Attorney General Jack Conway settled the case in December 2015.
In February 2016, new Democratic Attorney General Andy Beshear issued the firm a retroactive contract to pay for its work. Months later, Conway joined the firm as a partner.
Attorney Tyler Thompson said the contract expired because of an oversight. He said the firm continued to work on the case and was lawfully paid. He said Conway never received a penny from the settlement.
This story has been updated.
