FRANKFORT, Ky. — Middletown Rep. Jason Nemes insisted a House committee tasked with looking into calls to impeach Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear will be fair.
"We're going to follow not just the rules, not just the due process, but there will be no unfairness here," said Nemes (R-Dist. 33).
Nemes will lead the panel of seven lawmakers as they investigate a petition filed by four citizens that accuses the governor of violating the Kentucky Constitution during his response to COVID-19 pandemic.
Since the first step — filing a petition — has already been completed, Nemes said lawmakers move to step two: a meeting to set rules. Once that is finished, they will ask Beshear for his response.
"Now that we've received the papers from the petitioners, we will invite the governor to respond in writing and then if he'd like to respond otherwise, we'll probably allow that as well," Nemes said.
Once they receive arguments from both sides, the committee can vote to end the investigation if no wrongdoing is found or investigate further. After further investigation, they will either dismiss or send a recommendation of impeachment to the Kentucky House of Representatives.
If the House dismisses the recommendation, it will not go further. A majority vote, though, would bring the impeachment recommendation to the Kentucky Senate.
House members would have to prosecute the impeachment trial in the Senate. That trial could result in fines, censure or removal from office. Removal from office would require a two-thirds majority vote.
Nemes said he's going in open-minded, promising fairness and recommending anyone watching to stay level-headed as the process plays out.
"The committee was formed because it is legally required to be formed," Nemes said. "No one should get excited nor upset that the committee has been formed...it's just legally required to do. No decision has been made, so the evidence will lead us to where we need to go."
All sources at the Capitol expect there will be no removal from office, and that the committee will make quick work to clear it up before lawmakers return to work in early February.
Lawmakers are at the Capitol Wednesday for one final day before a recess.
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