After a drawn-out series of disputes, the London City Council voted to impeach and remove embattled Mayor Randall Weddle on Friday. The removal comes after council members voted 5-1 in August to move forward with the impeachment hearing.
During his testimony at the hearing on Friday, Weddle recalled being blindsided by the charges.
“They love the surprise tactic … 'aha' moments. They just tee-totally changed the agenda, and that is what happened in this meeting,” Weddle said.
Stacy Benge was the one council member who voted against the impeachment hearing in August. He was removed from the council unanimously early last week.
Before that meeting adjourned, Weddle blasted his critics on the council.
“You have blatantly stacked the council for the removal of the mayor,” he said. “So I want this on the record tonight, that you're appointing people that for years have been on Facebook blasting me, nothing to do with your charges.”
Retired Chief Justice of the Kentucky Supreme Court Joseph Lambert presided over the impeachment hearing on Friday. After seven hours of testimony, he called on council members to vote on whether Weddle should be removed from office based on 11 charges of misconduct and/or willful neglect.
Council members voted unanimously on three of the charges they brought against Weddle.
Under Kentucky state law, Weddle can appeal in circuit court. It is not known at this time if he is planning to file an appeal.
The council then quickly voted to appoint Tracie Handley as interim mayor.
During testimony on Friday, Weddle said, with his removal, there would be only three elected members of the council and three who have been appointed, as well as an appointed mayor who was not elected by the people of London.
Click HERE to see the full list of charges the council brought against Weddle.
