Ethics complaint heard against Kentucky lawmaker Grossberg in day-long closed hearing

FRANKFORT — A Louisville Democrat who has been accused of inappropriate behavior toward women in and out of Frankfort appeared Tuesday in a hours-long closed door session with the Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission.

The commission took no final action on the matter Tuesday. 

Rep. Daniel Grossberg’s attorney Thomas E. Clay told reporters after his client left shortly before 5 p.m. that they could not comment on the matter.

Grossberg and his lawyer were in the meeting throughout the executive session. The commission called as witnesses women who work in politics and workers from a Louisville strip club. Also present for the  proceeding were former leaders of the Kentucky House Democratic caucus.

The hearing was held in the Capitol Annex but closed to the public. 

Grossberg has been expelled from the House Democratic Caucus and faces calls from within his party to resign his legislative seat following allegations against him for inappropriate behavior toward women, as reported by the Lexington Herald-Leader last year. In a separate investigation, the Legislative Research Commission questioned women about inappropriate text messages sent to them by Grossberg. Later, the strip club, Foxys Gentlemen’s Club, told the Herald-Leader  it banned Grossberg for life after he inappropriately touched a dancer.

Grossberg had attempted to sway Franklin Circuit Judge Thomas Wingate to block Tuesday’s proceeding but the judge dismissed the motion Monday afternoon. 

House Democrats sought the investigation by the Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission. However, what exactly is in the complaint against Grossberg, as well as any investigation findings, are not publicly known though some details have been reported by media outlets. Kentucky law makes the ethics commission’s proceedings, including complaints and other records related to a preliminary inquiry, confidential until the commission makes a final determination.

Members of the Legislative Ethics Commission met in an executive session for more than six hours, taking occasional five- to ten-minute breaks. The commission also ate lunch in the closed door session. Grossberg and his counsel were in the room for most of the time. Throughout the day, various witnesses were called into the room

Former lawmakers, House Democratic Floor Leader Derrick Graham of Frankfort and Democratic Whip Rachel Roberts of Newport, and House Democratic Caucus Chair Cherlynn Stevenson of Lexington, were at the annex for part of the day. They were in party leadership when the caucus began seeking an investigation from the commission into Grossberg. 

Roberts and Stevenson were mentioned in Grossberg’s dismissed complaint in Franklin Circuit Court. He accused them of seeking a retaliatory investigation from the commission. Neither was a defendant in his lawsuit. 

Three women who were initially anonymously quoted in an August Herald-Leader story and later went public were also at the annex Tuesday. They are Lexington Fayette Urban County Council member Emma Curtis, Kentucky Young Democrats President Allison Wiseman and former Democratic House candidate Sarah Ritter. Workers of Foxys, the Louisville establishment that banned Grossberg, appeared before the commission. 

Though Kentucky Democrats across the state have been steadfast in their call on Grossberg to resign, he continued to represent the 30th House District in the General Assembly earlier this year. 

He has gained some primary challengers for the 2026 election. 

If the commission now finds probable cause that Grossberg committed an ethics violation, it may issue a confidential reprimand or schedule an adjudicatory hearing. It may also choose to dismiss the case.

Correction: This story was updated to reflect testimony heard by the commission.