The investigation was prompted by an anonymous letter that was sent to several legislators, including leadership, on February 28th. WHAS 11 obtained a copy of the letter through the Open Records Act. That letter claims an employee in the LRC director's office is using her relationship with Sherman to essentially run the day-to-day operations of the legislative branch. The letter says Sherman's favoritism and friendship with one underling "is the source of the harassing, hostile and biased workplace environment of the agency." The writer asks lawmakers to take "corrective measures.... to restore the character of the legislative staff workplace in Kentucky." The letter was "sent anonymously due to risk of retaliation and reprisal."

After a dozen female house members pushed their leadership for an investigation in March, little happened until August. That's when the Speaker's office hired Lexington attorney Mason Miller to review the complaint and LRC policies then recommend options on what action they could take or not take. After receiving the attorney's letter, Speaker Richards decided to proceed with an investigation of the claims made in the letter. Rep. Richards had already written Senate President David Williams, asking the senate leadership to join in an independent review of the allegations in the letter but Williams declined. The Senate President told me that he has "serious concerns" about launching a personnel investigation based on claims made in an unsigned letter. Williams says that could prompt a plethora of similar letters against lawmakers and staff members. He says the legislature has a policy for dealing with signed complaints and is confident the full Legislative Research Commission, comprised of both parties' leaders in both chambers, would "do the right thing" if asked.

State Rep. Kathy Stein (D), who's been pushing for an investigation of Sherman says "it's the right thing to do" to protect LRC employees and the legal interests of state lawmakers who might be susceptible to a lawsuit claiming they ignored hostile workplace claims if they didn't pursue a probe.

Sherman says he honestly knows nothing about any potential investigation of his management of LRC. Back in March he told me he treats every employee fairly and doesn't let his friendships affect his management. Sherman says he's been a state employee for 31 years. He currently earns $131,520 and supervises 390 full time employees.

After confirming that House leadership planned to go ahead with an investigation, staff in Speaker Richards' office have clammed up about details. However, spokesperson Jennifer Brislin says Mason Miller was paid a total of about $8500 at $250/hour for his review and recommendations. Richards' general counsel David Kaplan had told me earlier that he expected the same attorney to do the independent investigation.