KY Gov. Beshear Seeks to Dismiss Lawsuit Over Access to Calendar

The Lexington Herald-Leader is suing to gain access to the governor's schedule, but the administration argues the case law is "settled precedent".

Jan. 30, 2026 at 6:47am

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Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear's office is asking a Franklin Circuit judge to dismiss a lawsuit brought by the Lexington Herald-Leader newspaper. The newspaper sued Beshear in early January after being denied an open records request for documents reflecting the schedules of Beshear, Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman, and senior adviser Rocky Adkins for a prior six-month period in 2025. The Beshear administration cited a 1995 appellate court ruling, Courier-Journal v. Jones, which classifies the governor's schedule as a 'preliminary' document, making it exempt from disclosure under the Kentucky Open Records Act.

Why it matters

The case highlights the ongoing debate over government transparency and the public's right to access information about elected officials' activities. The Herald-Leader argues that with officials now routinely publicizing their meetings in real-time, their schedules can no longer be considered confidential preliminary planning. However, the Beshear administration contends the case law has been consistently applied across party lines to shield executive officials' calendars.

The details

In the Jan. 26 motion, attorneys for the governor's office say the case law has transcended partisan politics throughout the years. They cite a 2016 case in which Beshear, then the state attorney general, found that GOP Gov. Matt Bevin did not violate the law by withholding emails about his schedule. And in 2023, then-Attorney General Daniel Cameron, a Republican, similarly ruled the governor was justified in denying a request for communication related to scheduling a meeting.

  • The Herald-Leader sued Beshear in early January 2026 after being denied an open records request for documents reflecting the schedules of Beshear, Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman, and senior adviser Rocky Adkins for a prior six-month period in 2025.
  • The judge in the case will decide on whether or not to allow the lawsuit to proceed.

The players

Andy Beshear

The current Democratic governor of Kentucky, who is seeking to have the lawsuit dismissed.

Lexington Herald-Leader

The Kentucky newspaper that is suing the governor's office to gain access to his calendar and those of other top officials.

Jacqueline Coleman

The current lieutenant governor of Kentucky.

Rocky Adkins

A senior adviser to Gov. Beshear.

Michael Abate

The attorney representing the Lexington Herald-Leader in the lawsuit.

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What they’re saying

“The Beshear administration is following what has been the rule of law in Kentucky for 30 years. If the Herald-Leader hopes to have that law changed, they should do so transparently and not try to blame one administration.”

— Scottie Ellis, Communications Director for Gov. Beshear

“If he wanted to set an example of transparency, he could release his calendars to the public to show people how he's been spending his time.”

— Michael Abate, Attorney representing the Lexington Herald-Leader

“It's clear the governor is doubling down on a flawed ruling to try to hide his activities from the public. We intend to pursue this and vindicate the public's right to know what their elected officials are up to.”

— Michael Abate, Attorney representing the Lexington Herald-Leader

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on whether or not to allow the lawsuit to proceed.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing tension between government transparency and officials' claims of confidentiality around their schedules and activities. The outcome could set an important precedent for public access to information about elected leaders' daily affairs.