The Beshear Administration has joined 22 other states and the District of Columbia in a lawsuit claiming the Trump Administration unlawfully froze unemployment funds already appropriated by Congress.
The suit seeks to overturn the Trump Administration’s withholding of $3.6 million in grants. In a news release, Beshear said the funds were designed to modernize the state’s unemployment insurance program, protect it from fraud and promote equitable access to the unemployment compensation program. Beshear said, “This is not about party affiliation – these funds were appropriated by Congress to help Kentuckians get back on their feet after a job loss, and it’s my job to make sure we get every penny.”
Also at stake is $4.2 million at-risk funding Beshear says the state was awarded, including money for disaster relief jobs and employment and training services for those affected by severe flooding.
A Beshear spokeswoman said the state does not hire outside counsel for federal litigation. A spokeswoman for Republican Attorney General Russel Coleman didn’t respond to an email asking if Coleman will join the suit.
