Auditor Allison Ball is demanding answers regarding the whistleblower lawsuit reporting driver’s licensing fraud.
“I’m troubled by the reports of an alleged black market within the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet that allows illegal noncitizens to pay cash to bypass not only Kentucky law but also the law-abiding citizens waiting for long periods of time to obtain their driver’s licenses the legal way,” Auditor Ball said. “Today, I am requesting a formal explanation from the governor and the transportation secretary about their plan to address these reports. Kentuckians deserve to have confidence that their tax dollars are funding a government accountable to the people that serves them fairly and lawfully.”
“Kentuckians have been vocal about their frustrations with driver’s license services and appointments. To now learn that illegal residents may have been fraudulently provided licenses and IDs, documents that could enable participation in our elections, is simply unacceptable. It’s an affront to good governance,” he wrote.
“If these reports prove true, this is very concerning, as it will mean not only that licenses are being issued illegally, but also that these ‘contraband’ licenses are issued in a manner faster and more efficiently than those provided to legal citizens who are following the rules, waiting their turn, and doing everything asked of them under the law. In consideration of these many concerning reports, pursuant to my authority as Kentucky’s Auditor of Public Accounts, I am writing to formally request an explanation of your action plan to address all of these serious matters,” Ball affirmed.
Gov. Andy Beshear was asked about the lawsuit during Wednesday’s Team Kentucky Update. He read a prepared statement on the matter.
Ensuring the integrity of state-issued identification is a high priority. And any irregularities are taken seriously and investigated. So the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet regularly reviews credential applications, and during one of their reviews, they identified a number of irregularities, and they have revoked 1,985 credentials. To our knowledge, all employees involved have been hired through a temp agency and have been terminated. KYTC immediately contacted law enforcement, who are engaged in a criminal investigation, and it includes multiple offices that are both state and federal. The revoked credentials, if used, would not work at an airport and would be flagged if pulled over at a traffic stop. We are committed to getting all of the facts and to holding anybody who violated the law accountable.
Gov. Andy Beshear
Credit: Madylin Goins – FOX56/Lexington
