Weddle is charged with violating restrictions on campaign contributions and expenditure limits. A Laurel County grand jury indicted him last month for making illegal contributions to the Kentucky Democratic Party and Gov. Andy Beshear’s re-election campaign.
According to court documents, Weddle is alleged to have donated $93,000 under 24 different names in 2022, all through his personal credit card. That includes $18,000 towards Beshear’s re-election campaign and $75,000 towards the Kentucky Democratic Party.
At that time, state law set a donation limit of $2,000 to a candidate per election and $5,000 to a state party per year.
Weddle’s attorney is arguing the trial’s venue should be changed from Laurel County to Franklin County. State law says campaign finance cases can only be prosecuted in the county where the violation was made, or in Franklin Circuit Court. Weddle was out of the country on a cruise ship when the donations were made.
The attorney general’s office, which is prosecuting the case, argues the trial should remain in Laurel County since the donations were made with a local address.
A hearing on the proposed venue change is scheduled for July 15 at 1 p.m. in Laurel Circuit Court.
