Lawsuit: Political donors paid settlement for former speaker

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) – The spokeswoman for Kentucky House Republicans says the former GOP speaker had a sexual relationship with a woman in his office and used money from political donors to help pay her a secret settlement outside of court.

Daisy Olivo filed a lawsuit Monday saying she was retaliated against for reporting official misconduct.

Olivo said she reprimanded the woman several times for what she called a consensual but inappropriate relationship.  Olivo said Hoover’s chief of staff tried to fire the woman. When Olivo objected, she said, she was subject to retaliation.

Former Republican House Speaker Jeff Hoover resigned his leadership post last month after acknowledging the settlement.

He acknowledged sending inappropriate but consensual text messages, but denied having a sexual relationship with the woman.  He says he never engaged in sexual contact of any kind with a staff member during his 21-years in the legislature.

Hoover says claims he used money from political donors to pay the sexual harassment settlement is absolutely not true.

He says calls for him to resign from the legislature are premature without knowing all of the facts.