Republican Auditor Allison Ball has nominated three individuals for the Executive Branch Ethics Commission, including Christine Trout Van Tatenhove, special counsel to Republican House Speaker David Osborne, and Laurance VanMeter, former Kentucky Supreme Court Chief Justice. Ball’s nominations were included in a press release issued Wednesday, along with a letter to Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear.
The nominees also include David Beck, former president and CEO of Kentucky Venues, who was removed from the role over the summer after the Supreme Court ruled a 2021 law unconstitutional. Ball wrote to Beshear, stating, “All of these individuals will honorably, faithfully, and aptly serve the Commonwealth through service on the Commission.” She expressed anticipation for Beshear’s expeditious appointment of one of the nominees.
In June, the Kentucky Supreme Court ruled that a 2022 law granting other executive branch officials appointment power over the Executive Branch Ethics Commission was unconstitutional, along with a state fair board law. The Republican-controlled General Assembly had approved both laws during Beshear’s first term as governor. Republicans in the executive branch requested the high court to reconsider the decision.
Ball’s nominations are made under a previous process outlined in a 2020 executive order from Bes, which she cited in her letter to him. That order states that the attorney general and auditor may provide the governor with a list of three names, and he will choose a representative among them for the commission. The Executive Branch Ethics Commission oversees ethics standards for all executive branch employees.
