Kentucky’s AG-elect taps new leader for opioid commission. Does that change ibogaine plan?

Attorney General-elect Russell Coleman is bringing on a new leader for the state’s Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission.

Chris Evans, a former chief operating officer for the Drug Enforcement Administration, is replacing Bryan Hubbard as executive director of the commission.

The move, announced at a conference where Coleman unveiled picks for other senior staff, could signal a shift in the level of support the Attorney General’s Office has for a controversial psychedelic drug that could treat opioid addiction.

Hubbard made waves under Attorney General Daniel Cameron as a supporter of using $42 million of the near $900 million settlement the state of Kentucky received in an opioid lawsuit settlement to help fund research of the drug ibogaine, which is an illegal psychedelic that many have reported helped treat their addiction. The proposal to use the money in that way was announced in May.

Cameron, who is exiting after one term following a general election loss to Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear, previously stood by Hubbard and the commission’s interest in ibogaine.

When asked if the hiring of Evans in Hubbard’s stead signaled any change in the office’s perspective on the drug, Coleman said he would “take a look” at ibogaine, and emphasized that he’d focus on addiction prevention.

“What I need is to make sure we look at that (ibogaine) objectively, along with prevention efforts and other ideas that are out there — there are some great ideas out there on the prevention side I want to see if we can scale those up,” Coleman said. “There’s been a lot of ink spilled on ibogaine. My concern is that we are not focused as intently as we should be on the prevention piece of this.”

Hubbard has not responded to recent inquiries on the fate of ibogaine research and the Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission.

The proposal, controversial in part because ibogaine is a Schedule 1 drug in the U.S., has been spearheaded by Hubbard. The commission has hosted multiple public hearings on the proposal in the months since, and members have listened to several people share personal ibogaine success stories.

But detractors have warned of the drug’s cardiotoxicity and have cautioned against the state investing what amounts to taxpayer money into something so experimental.

Evans and Coleman crossed paths when Evans was the special agent in charge in the DEA’s Louisville office while Coleman was the Louisville-based U.S. attorney for the Western District of Kentucky. Coleman, who takes office as attorney general Jan. 1, said they worked together to establish a DEA office in Paducah.

Incoming Kentucky AG announces other staff picks

Jessie Halladay, a senior policy specialist with the Criminal Justice Institute and former adviser at the Louisville Metro Police Department, will serve as deputy director under Evans.

Vic Maddox, who currently serves as the deputy attorney general and is a prominent conservative litigator in the state (he recently led the office’s successful defense of redistricting maps drawn by the GOP-led state legislature) will continue in the office as counsel to the attorney general for special litigation.

Other notable staffing changes include Rewa Zakharia moving over from director of special prosecutions to criminal chief. Zakharia is a former assistant commonwealth’s attorney in Fayette County.

Richard Ferretti is reprising his role as commissioner of the Department of Criminal Investigations, a role that he previously held earlier in the Cameron administration.

Solicitor General Matt Kuhn will remain in his role overseeing civil and criminal appeals.

Justin Clark, a former Cameron staffer and general counsel to the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, is now the office’s civil chief.

Christopher Thacker, current head of the office’s civil division, will become the new general counsel.

Previously announced staffing decisions include former Northern Kentucky state senator and one-time candidate for attorney general Wil Schroder’s return to Frankfort. Schroder will serve as senior counsel. Rob Duncan, former U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, will be deputy attorney general.

In response to a question about public corruption and whether he would seek to investigate Beshear’s administration, Coleman offered no comment.

“As a general matter, I’m not going to comment either way on any potential investigation,” Coleman said.