In the weeks leading up to Tim Longmeyer's Thursday sentencing on bribery charges, letters flooded the mailbox of U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell.
A retired judge, church associates, friends and family all urged leniency for the former state official and Democratic Party insider caught in a criminal kickback scheme.
Meanwhile, the Kentucky Personnel Cabinet, in which Longmeyer served for years as secretary, sought a greater spotlight on his crimes. His former colleagues also wanted an apology.
"The full impact of his actions on the Cabinet and every area of state government he touched remains cloaked in darkness," read the agency's unsigned letter, called a "victim impact statement."
The letters were unsealed, and some released, in the court record Thursday morning, several hours before Longmeyer was set to appear for sentencing. He faces up to 10 years in prison and fines.
Longmeyer pleaded guilty in April to accepting kickbacks from a Lexington consulting company in return for helping secure contracts with Humana and Anthem, administrators of the Kentucky Employees’ Health Plan. A criminal cohort, Democratic activist and political consultant Larry O'Bryan, pleaded guilty Wednesday to serving as a middleman in the scheme. (Read KyCIR's coverage of the Longmeyer case)
In letters to the judge, Longmeyer supporters stressed his years of public service, charitable actions, faith and more.
Read the letters in support of leniency for Longmeyer:
[documentcloud url=https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3116131-Tim-Longmeyer-Letters-to-Judge-Urging-Leniency.html format=normal sidebar=false ]
Read the statement filed on behalf of the Kentucky Personnel Cabinet:
[documentcloud url=https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3116132-Tim-Longmeyer-Victim-Impact-Statement-From-KY.html format=normal sidebar=false ]
Managing Editor Brendan McCarthy can be reached at bmccarthy@kycir.orgor (502) 814.6541 .