Subpoena, contempt request follow juror's interviews with media

KENTUCKY–Kentucky Attorney General Ben Chandler in mid-July subpoenaed a reporter in his attempt to have a grand jury witness held in contempt of court for speaking with the press about his appearance before a special grand jury investigating the 1995 gubernatorial election, according to an Associated Press report.

The attorney general’s office postponed the contempt hearing of Tom Barrow, a Democratic legislative district chairman in Jefferson County, until late August without explanation, AP reported.

Barrow appeared before the grand jury in late June, and afterward spoke to reporters for the Lexington Herald-Leader and The Louisville Courier-Journal. Reporter Jack Brammer of the Herald-Leader was subpoenaed by the attorney general’s office to testify about his interview with Barrow.

The attorney general’s office alleged in its contempt motion that Barrow violated secrecy rules by discussing his testimony and the proceedings of the grand jury with the reporters.

According to the AP report, the grand jury is investigating suspected improper spending by the AFL-CIO, Teamsters Union, Democratic Party and the A. Randolph Institute, a national black voter-education organization in Gov. Paul Patton’s campaign.