Controversy is swarming in Frankfort with the state's Personnel Cabinet saying Commissioner Richie Farmer hired a woman identified as his girlfriend as an assistant in the days before the November 8 election. Ag Commissioner-Elect James Comer is trying to reassure people in the Commonwealth a questionable hire will never happen under his watch.
"First priority will be to review applications for all non merit positions and we will go from there. It's hard for me to comment on this recent hire because I have never met the young lady and don't know anything about her," says Comer.
State Senate President David Williams, Farmer's running mate in the November elections - told the Courier-Journal Stephanie Sandmann is Farmer's girlfriend. She was hired as a non-merit employee for the state.
"It's gonna be a totally different deal when I take office in January. The people that know me know that I sincerely care about the agriculture industry in Kentucky. I want to hire the best and the brightest people and that's what we're gonna do. When I make hires I don' t think anyone will question their qualifications or integrity," says Comer.
