On June 14, 2005 Adams was one of three Fletcher employees indicted by a grand jury on three misdemeanor counts: political discrimination, official misconduct, and criminal conspiracy, for the firing of a Democratic state worker on the basis of his political beliefs.

On August 29, 2005, Adams was one of nine indicted Fletcher administration employees granted a blanket pardon by the Governor, which dismissed his indictment.

Permalink | Updated 4/21/06

In August, 2005 Beverage's name surfaced in connection to the investigation and he testified before the special grand jury.

On September 14, 2005 Beverage was fired by Fletcher due to his involvement in the Merit System case.

On September 30, 2005 Beverage was named as a conspirator in the indictments of Daniel Groves and Vincent Fields.

On May 11, 2006 Beverage was indicted for perjury, a class D felony. The indictment alleges he gave false testimony to the grand jury on August 30, 2005, which is not covered by Fletcher's pardon because the alleged perjury occurred after the pardon order (by 1 day).

On June 2, 2006 Beverage pleaded not guilty to the charge of perjury.

Permalink | Updated 6/7/06

On July 11, 2005 Brock was indicted on a single misdemeanor charge of criminal conspiracy to violate state merit system laws.

On August 29, 2005 Brock was one of nine indicted Fletcher administration employees granted a blanket pardon by the Governor, which dismissed his indictment.

On September 14, 2005 Brock's resignation was sought by Fletcher due to his involvement in the Merit System case. But on September 17, 2005 the state party's central committee defied Fletcher and voted to retain Brock as state party leader.

Permalink | Updated 4/21/06

While Cave has not been formally indicted, his name has cropped up several times during the investigation, and he appeared in court in June, 2005.

On September 14, 2005, the same day that Fletcher fired nine staff members, investigators searched Cave's office in connection to the case.

Permalink | Updated 4/21/06

In August, 2005 Disponett was named in court filings as a conspirator in cases leading to the July 6 indictment of Richard Murgatroyd.

On October 20, 2005 Disponett was indicted on three counts of criminal conspiracy to commit political discrimination in the hiring of his nephew for a state transportation job.

On November 17, 2005 a judge dismissed Disponett's indictment, saying Disponett was covered by Fletcher's August 29 pardon order.

Permalink | Updated 4/21/06

On June 14, 2005 Druen was one of three Fletcher employees indicted by a grand jury on three misdemeanor counts: political discrimination, official misconduct, and criminal conspiracy, for the firing of a Democratic state worker on the basis of his political beliefs. Later that month a circuit court judge unsealed a so-called "hit list" of state employees whose positions were to be examined for political reasons. Transportation Cabinet officials acknowledged that Dan Druen created the list.

On July 6, 2005 Druen was indicted again on ten misdemeanor counts: nine counts of political discrimination and one count of criminal conspiracy, in regards to more personnel decisions that were allegedly based on political grounds.

On July 11, 2005 Druen was named as a conspirator in the indictments of Darrell Brock Jr., Basil Turbyfill, and Bob Wilson.

On July 19, 2005 Druen was indicted again, this time on a felony charge that he tried to influence the testimony of his former assistant, the first felony charge in the Merit System case. On the same day Druen was forced to resign from his job as Transportation Cabinet administrative services commissioner, though Fletcher claims the resignation was unrelated to the indictment.

On August 3, 2005 Druen was indicted again on 21 felony counts: 1 count of witness tampering and 20 counts of evidence tampering, including shredding and altering documentary evidence.

On August 29, 2005 Druen was one of nine indicted Fletcher administration employees granted a blanket pardon by the Governor, which dismissed all indictments.

Permalink | Updated 4/21/06

In June, 2005 Fields' name surfaced in connection to the investigation.

On September 14, 2005 Fields was fired by Fletcher due to his involvement in the Merit System case.

On September 30, 2005 Fields was indicted on three misdemeanor counts of criminal conspiracy and political discrimination in connection to the appointments of two employees for political reasons.

On November 17, 2005 a judge dismissed Fields' indictment, saying Fields was covered by Fletcher's August 29 pardon order.

Permalink | Updated 4/21/06

In May 2005, state Attorney General Greg Stumbo began an investigation of the Fletcher administration's practices of hiring, promoting, demoting and firing state employees based on political loyalties, illegal under Kentucky's state Merit System. The investigation was prompted by a complaint filed on May 16 by Douglas W. Doerting, the assistant personnel director for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.

Over the course of the special grand jury's ensuing investigation, 13 current or former members of Fletcher's staff were indicted, some multiple times. On August 29, 2005 Fletcher issued a blanket pardon to all staff members who had been indicted up to that point. However the pardon did not cover the governor himself. Over the next few months Fletcher tried repeatedly to put a stop to the investigation, with the case eventually reaching the Kentucky Supreme Court.

On May 11, 2006 the grand jury indicted Fletcher on three misdemeanor charges: one count each of criminal conspiracy, first-degree official misconduct, and violating the prohibition against political discrimination. Indicted on the same day was Sam Beverage, bringing the total number of Merit System indictments to 15.

The official misconduct charge carries a penalty of up to 12 months in jail and a $500 fine. The two other counts allege violations of the state Merit System law and carry a penalty of 30 days to six months in jail, forfeiture of state office, and a ban on holding any state job for five years.

On May 18, 2006 the Kentucky Supreme Court ruled that the special grand jury cannot indict people covered by Fletcher's August 29th pardon. The court's 4-2 decision does not affect Fletcher's indictment since he excluded himself from his pardon order. And the court will allow the grand jury to issue a final report.

On June 9, 2006 Fletcher, through his lawyer, pleaded not guilty to the three misdemeanor charges. Fletcher was on vacation at the time; special Franklin District Judge David Melcher spared him the ignominy of the perp walk.

On July 7, 2006 Judge Melcher disqualified Attorney General Greg Stumbo from prosecuting the merit system case due to Stumbo's potential candidacy for governor in 2007 and hence potential bias against Governor Fletcher. Stumbo's office will continue the investigation.

On August 11, 2006, Judge Melcher ruled that the case against Fletcher could not proceed until he left office, as he is protected under executive immunity.

On August 24, Governor Fletcher and AG Stumbo reached a settlement agreement, and Judge Melcher dismissed all charges against Fletcher.

Permalink | Updated 8/24/06

In June, 2005 Groves' name surfaced in connection to the investigation and he testified before the special grand jury.

On September 12, 2005 Groves unexpectedly resigned as senior advisor, just two days before Fletcher's September 14 firings.

On September 30, 2005 Groves was indicted on three misdemeanor counts of criminal conspiracy and political discrimination in connection to the appointments of two employees for political reasons.

On November 17, 2005 a judge dismissed Groves' indictment, saying Groves was covered by Fletcher's August 29 pardon order.

Permalink | Updated 4/21/06

On June 10, 2005 Hall unexpectedly resigned under mysterious circumstances. A spokesman claimed it was not related to the Merit System investigation.

Later in the month investigators searched Hall's office in connection to the case.

In August, 2005 Hall was named in court documents as the sender of an e-mail related to the case.

Permalink | Updated 4/21/06

On July 11, 2005 Hazlette was named as a conspirator in the indictments of Darrell Brock Jr., Basil Turbyfill, and Bob Wilson.

On August 3, 2005 Hazlette was indicted on a single misdemeanor charge of criminal conspiracy to violate personnel laws.

On August 11, 2005, about a week after his indictment, Hazlette was promoted by Fletcher to the position of commissioner of administrative services, to fill the position left vacant by Dan Druen, who resigned on July 19 after he was indicted on his first felony charge.

On August 29, 2005 Hazlette was one of nine indicted Fletcher administration employees granted a blanket pardon by the Governor, which dismissed his indictment.

Permalink | Updated 4/21/06

On October 20, 2005 Hughes was indicted along with Dave Disponett on two counts of criminal conspiracy to commit political discrimination in the hiring of Disponett's nephew for a state transportation job.

On November 17, 2005 a judge dismissed Hughes' indictment, saying Hughes was covered by Fletcher's August 29 pardon order.

Permalink | Updated 4/21/06

On July 6, 2005 Meadows was indicted on five counts of political discrimination and one count of criminal conspiracy in regards to personnel decisions allegedly based on political grounds.

On August 29, 2005 Meadows was one of nine indicted Fletcher administration employees granted a blanket pardon by the Governor, which dismissed his indictment.

On September 14, 2005 Meadows was fired by Fletcher due to his involvement in the Merit System case.

Permalink | Updated 4/21/06

On July 6, 2005 Murgatroyd was indicted on 16 counts of political discrimination, two counts of violating the rights of a state employee, and one count of criminal conspiracy in regards to personnel decisions allegedly based on political grounds.

On August 29, 2005 Murgatroyd was one of nine indicted Fletcher administration employees granted a blanket pardon by the Governor, which dismissed his indictment.

On September 14, 2005 Murgatroyd was fired by Fletcher due to his involvement in the Merit System case.

Permalink | Updated 4/21/06

On June 14, 2005 Nighbert was one of three Fletcher employees indicted by a grand jury on three misdemeanor counts: political discrimination, official misconduct, and criminal conspiracy, for the firing of a Democratic state worker on the basis of his political beliefs.

On August 29, 2005, Nighbert was among nine indicted Fletcher administration employees granted a blanket pardon by the Governor, which dismissed his indictment.

On September 20, 2005 Nighbert was indicted again, charged with "violating the Kentucky whistleblower law and seeking revenge against a public employee," a Class A misdemeanor. He called a female whistleblower who worked under him "a she-devil" and rejected a recommendation from her supervisor that she receive a raise. He later told her that if it were 20 years ago "I probably would have come back there and socked you in the mouth."

On November 23, 2005 Fletcher promoted Nighbert to Secretary of the Transportation Cabinet.

In January, 2006 Nighbert issued a motion to dismiss the September 20 indictment, claiming Fletcher's August 29 pardon applied to this later indictment. On February 27, a judge refused to dismiss the indictment, saying Fletcher's pardon does not refer specifically to violations of the state whistleblower-protection law, under which Nighbert was charged.

Nighbert's trial date is set for July 26, 2006, making his 1 of 3 indictments left standing, along with those of Sam Beverage and Governor Fletcher. If convicted, Nighbert could face up to 12 months in jail.

Permalink | Updated 4/21/06

On July 11, 2005 Turbyfill was indicted on a single misdemeanor charge of criminal conspiracy to violate state merit system laws.

On August 29, 2005 Turbyfill was one of nine indicted Fletcher administration employees granted a blanket pardon by the Governor, which dismissed his indictment.

On September 14, 2005 Turbyfill was fired by Fletcher due to his involvement in the Merit System case.

Permalink | Updated 4/21/06

On July 11, 2005 Wilson was indicted on a single misdemeanor charge of criminal conspiracy to violate state merit system laws.

On August 29, 2005 Wilson was one of nine indicted Fletcher administration employees granted a blanket pardon by the Governor, which dismissed his indictment.

On September 14, 2005 Wilson was fired by Fletcher due to his involvement in the Merit System case.

Permalink | Updated 4/21/06