Records show state office referred complaint to local government, which outsourced review to the agency’s own auditors and attorneys
LEXINGTON, Ky. — When a citizen filed a complaint with the Kentucky Auditor of Public Accounts alleging that the Lexington Convention and Visitors Bureau paid $284,000 in potentially unconstitutional bonuses using public tax revenue, the state’s top fiscal watchdog did not investigate.
Instead, records obtained through the Kentucky Open Records Act show, the auditor’s office passed the complaint to local government — which then let the tourism bureau’s own outside auditors and attorneys examine the allegations. Those hand-picked reviewers found no wrongdoing…