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Attorney General: Not Allowing Poor People’s Campaign On Capitol Grounds Violated Law

Posted at 10:27 AM, Jul 02, 2018
and last updated 2018-07-02 10:27:26-04

FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX 18) — Blocking members of the Poor People’s Campaign from the state Capitol violated state law, Kentucky’s attorney general says.

In an opinion released Monday, Attorney General Andy Beshear argues that the Kentucky Finance and Administration Cabinet and the Kentucky State Police violated the law when they did not allow the Poor People’s Campaign into the Capitol Grounds.

Beshear says that KRS Chapter 13A was violated when the group was not allowed entry into the Capitol building to protest.

"Although we recognize that the KSP and the Finance Cabinet must have the flexibility and discretion to respond to imminent threats to the security and welfare of persons working or otherwise using state-owned buildings, this is not a case involving such an imminent threat that the promulgation of administrative regulations was impossible," the opinion reads. "The Poor People’s Campaign scheduled its events on the Capitol grounds a week apart.  Therefore, there was ample time for the Finance Cabinet and/or the KSP to avail themselves of the procedures for emergency administrative regulations reads the opinion."

The campaign rallied there June 4 to protest Medicaid work requirements and other issues when they were told they could only enter the Capitol building two at a time. The group claims other groups were then allowed in together.