The Mason County Commonwealth Attorney, Kelly Clarke, has resigned following a sheriff’s investigation into harassment allegations. Clarke, who served as commonwealth attorney for Mason, Bracken, and Fleming counties, resigned effective Aug. 1 and has dropped out of his re-election campaign. Mason County Sheriff Ryan Swolsky confirmed that his office was investigating Clarke based on a complaint received from a person working in the commonwealth attorney’s office alleging potential criminal conduct related to harassment.
The allegations came to light after Clarke recused himself from a fatal DUI case involving Justin Scott, who hit and killed James Lindle in June 2023. Clarke was at the same bar as the suspect at the time of the incident. The investigation has now been taken over by the Kentucky Attorney General’s office.
A temporary commonwealth attorney will be appointed by the attorney general to replace Clarke until a permanent replacement is made by the governor. FOX19 NOW contacted Clarke for a statement, but he declined to comment. The attorney general had not responded at the time of publication.
This sudden resignation and investigation have sparked concerns within the community. Residents are eagerly awaiting further updates on the situation. Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.
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