(Tampa Free Press)—The Liberty Justice Center (LJC) has called for an investigation into alleged election interference by multiple Kentucky school districts and the state’s Lieutenant Governor.
On August 26, LJC issued demand letters urging the Kentucky Attorney General to investigate the misuse of public funds for opposing Amendment 2, a proposed constitutional amendment on the November ballot.
The allegations involve local school districts using public resources, including websites and social media, to influence voters, actions that violate Kentucky election law and undermine public trust.
In November, Kentucky voters will decide on Amendment 2, a constitutional amendment that would allow the General Assembly to fund educational opportunities outside the public school system. Kentucky law prohibits the use of public resources, such as government officials’ social media accounts, websites, and staff time, for advocating for or against ballot measures. Such actions are considered illegal election interference, and Kentucky Supreme Court precedent allows taxpayers to take legal action.
The demand letters allege that various Kentucky officials, including multiple school district administrators and Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman, violated state election law by publicly opposing Amendment 2.
The Pulaski County School District is accused of using its websites, social media pages, and buildings to urge a “no” vote on Amendment 2. Additionally, the district allegedly violated First Amendment rights by deleting critical comments on its social media posts, and even blocked Mr. DeAngelis from their page until August 21.
The Daviess County School District is accused of going further by using taxpayer funds to pay teachers and staff to attend a mandatory rally where the district’s superintendent allegedly directed them to vote against the amendment.
These actions prompted Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman to issue an advisory on August 13, reminding districts that using public resources for political advocacy violates state law. Despite this, Lieutenant Governor Coleman continued to publicly oppose Amendment 2 on her official social media accounts, encouraging Kentuckians to vote “no.”
The Liberty Justice Center’s demand letter calls for an investigation into these alleged violations and urges the Attorney General to stop the illegal use of taxpayer funds for political advocacy. The organization also issued letters to the Pulaski and Daviess County School Districts, demanding compliance with state election law.
“Using taxpayer resources to oppose Amendment 2 isn’t just illegal—it’s a betrayal of public trust,” said Dean McGee, Educational Freedom Attorney at the Liberty Justice Center. “The Attorney General should act swiftly to uphold the law and protect the integrity of the November election.”