Louisville Metro Council committee recommends seeking Piagentini's removal from office

Nick Hollkamp and Eleanor McCrary, Louisville Courier Journal
Updated ·2 min read

Louisville Metro Council's Charging Committee recommended late Tuesday that formal removal charges against Anthony Piagentini, who has been accused of using his seat for monetary gain, be heard by the full council.

“After thorough review of the evidence in this matter and in light of the Ethics Commission’s recommendation for removal due to misconduct on the part of Councilman Piagentini, the Committee is obliged to uphold the integrity of the Metro Council and move forward with removal charges,” Councilman Andrew Owen, D-9th District, said in a release.

The move comes after the Metro Ethics Commission found Piagentini, a Republican who represents the 19th District, in violation of six ethics rules last month. He had been accused of using his position to land a $40 million grant for the Louisville Healthcare CEO Council, which then hired him as a consultant at $240,000 a year.

He has vehemently denied wrongdoing and filed a lawsuit in Jefferson Circuit Court this month appealing the commission's findings. He said there were "procedural abnormalities that went against the law and the Commission’s own rules" and that the ruling lacked "clear and convincing evidence."

On Tuesday night, Piagentini said he was "glad" the charging committee "finally took action so we can conclude this partisan attack on me and I can present my evidence to the full Council in an open meeting.

"I look forward to clearing my name and proving that these charges are bogus."

After hearing testimony, the commission recommended Piagentini be removed and gave him the maximum penalty of $500 per violation, which amounts to $3,000. But it did not have the power to remove him; only the council does.

A week later, on Nov. 1, council President Markus Winkler formally established a charging committee to investigate Piagentini and decide whether to seek his removal. The charging committee was comprised entirely of Democrats after no Republican came forward to join.

Now that the committee has made its recommendation, the full Metro Council will sit "as a court" and act as a jury over another public hearing. There are 26 members on the council, and 18 would have to vote against Piagentini for him to be removed, according to the Jefferson County Attorney's Office.

Piagentini does not get a vote. There are 16 Democrats and one independent on the council, meaning at least one Republican would have to vote "yes" to remove him. Piagentini is the Republican caucus chair.

Besides Owen, the council members on the charging committee were: Cindi Fowler, 14th; Paula McCraney, 7th; Pat Mulvihill, 10th; Jennifer Chappell, 15th; and Betsy Ruhe, 21st.

This story may be updated.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Anthony Piagentini removal from Louisville Metro Council backed by panel