LOUISVILLE, Ky. — On Thursday, Metro Council court met for the first time since Councilmember Anthony Piagentini was found guilty of six ethics violations involving a $40 million dollar American Rescue Plan grant that he co-sponsored for the Louisville Healthcare CEO Council.
Councilmembers were given a general overview of the process by the county attorney's office.
"It will be President Winkler who will make decisions on testimony and evidence," Sarah Martin, an assistant county attorney at the Jefferson County Attorneys Office, said.
Just two thirds of the council, or 18 votes, will decide if Piagentini keeps his seat.
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Metro Council President Markus Winkler said it's important to be transparent with the public in the face of serious allegations.
"Part of a democratic society is you got to have faith in your government, and the way you have faith in your government is through transparency; it's also what holds government accountable," he said.
The council court will meet again next Wednesday Jan. 24 to address the pending motions to dismiss some of the charges filed by councilmember Piagentini's attorney.
"The charging committee brought the same seven charges that were brought by the ethics commission and then added two perjury charges; those are the ones that we will hear a decision to dismiss or not," Winkler said.
Piagentini responded to WHAS11 after he was asked if he's expecting to keep his position moving forward.
"Your questions are a bit premature. Nobody has made a case yet," he said. "I am probably not going to speak much about this until it is done. I will let the testimony do the talking until this is concluded."
Meantime, they are moving toward a formal ethics trial.
Metro Council President Markus Winkler said they are working with both sides to finalize availability to being the trial sometime around late February or early March.
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