The Republican Party of Kentucky is demanding Attorney General Jack Conway clarify the circumstances surrounding the departure of his younger brother, Matt Conway, from the Jefferson County commonwealth’s attorney’s office.On Tuesday, Matt Conway resigned from the prosecutor's office for undisclosed reasons almost a year after it was revealed he lied twice about being tipped off by Louisville police detectives who told Conway he was the target of a drug investigation.No criminal charges were filed against Matt Conway.A subsequent internal investigation by police, however, did raise questions when records showed associates close to Jack Conway inquired about the drug investigation.In a news release, GOP Chairman Steve Robertson asks the attorney general if he ever intervened on his brother's behalf and what he knows about his recent resignation.“The fact is that Matt Conway was tipped off not once but twice by law enforcement that he was under investigation for drugs. The officers who tipped him off were fired or severely punished but Jack Conway’s brother appears to escape any consequence,” says Robertson. “We know Attorney General Jack Conway was involved at some point, which is a stunning development. In order to maintain the trust of Kentuckians, Jack Conway must admit what he knew, when he knew it and what he did and did not do to alert law enforcement that their investigation into his brother was compromised."Last year, Conway maintained that he had no involvement with his brother's investigation beyond recommending he get an attorney, but that didn't stop speculation and reports, particularly during Conway's failed Senate bid.From Politico:The Conway family attorney, Bart Adams, then got involved, asking Russ to provide more information, the records show. Adams, an attorney who had worked with Jack and Matt Conway’s father, called Russ on the phone to press him for more information about the investigation and floated Jack Conway’s name to make his case, according to police records.
Adams said that Jack Conway “wanted to know if we was working a case on his brother,” Russ said in his sworn statement. Russ said he couldn’t tell Adams one way or another what was happening with the investigation for fear that he could lose his job.
Adams reportedly responded: “Don’t worry about it. You’re not going to get in trouble. If anybody asks you, you can say that I’m friends of Matt and Jack,” Russ said in his testimony.
The attorney general's office has not yet responded to a request for comment. UPDATE: “This matter involves Matt Conway, not Jack Conway," says Allison Martin, an attorney general spokeswoman. "(A)nd Jack did not interfere in this matter.”