FRANKFORT — Lucas Johnson was working hard during the final days of 2022.

Johnson’s job is to raise money for Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear’s political committees, and at the time he was facing a deadline of midnight Dec. 31.

Contributions before the deadline would be reported to campaign finance regulators in January. Posting big numbers would allow Democrat Beshear to boast of broad support within an overwhelmingly Republican state. Big numbers would make a statement to friend and foe alike.

Johnson knew where to turn — to a man who had come through big for Beshear exactly one year before when Beshear was just starting to raise money for reelection.

He turned to Randall Weddle, the mayor of London, a Republican and a founder of a company called WB Transport.

Johnson spent a lot of time communicating? with Weddle in the closing days of 2022, according to records obtained by the Kentucky Lantern from the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance (KREF) under an Open Records Act request.

The records show Johnson and Weddle exchanged at least 86 text messages between Dec. 27 and? Dec. 30 — texts that provide a rare glimpse into the murky world of political fundraising.

The texts also show that Weddle played an even more prominent role than previously reported in raising critical early money for Beshear’s campaign. Weddle and Johnson repeatedly refer in the texts to their work a year earlier at the outset of Beshear’s fundraising drive when they helped raise well over $200,000 for Beshear from not only Weddle’s family and employees, but also from the families of business associates who, like WB Transport, are engaged in the “reverse logistics” trade that buys merchandise returned by customers to retailers and resells it to discount or liquidation outlets.

Those contributions show Weddle played a role in raising well over a half million dollars in critical early money for Beshear’s campaign and the Kentucky Democratic Party (KDP).

‘I’ve got you 219K this week’

In the texts, the two discuss names of Weddle relatives and associates who might donate; Weddle secures donations from some of those people; Johnson — checking the campaign’s fundraising portal — confirms donations as the money rolls in. Through it all, Weddle keeps score.

On the night of Dec. 30, Weddle tells Johnson in his final text, “I’ve got you 219K this week”.

“Yessir you have! … ” Johnson replies. “Thank you so much. I’ve let the man know.”

The next week, Beshear’s campaign put out a news release trumpeting a fundraising record at the end of 2022 — a record the campaign attributed to accomplishments of Beshear’s three years in office. “I deeply appreciate everyone who donated to help ensure that we can continue this progress,” Beshear said.

As the 2023 gubernatorial campaign revved up, the Kentucky Lantern decided to try to figure out where all the money came from, which groups had bundled the most contributions to support an incumbent governor’s reelection.

The Lantern’s examination of the thousands of contributions which Beshear and the KDP had disclosed to the KREF and the Federal Election Commission (FEC) came to the surprising conclusion that the biggest financial backer of Beshear was Weddle.

Weddle himself was not listed as a Beshear donor, but his family members were, as were employees of WB Transport and close business associates. Most of these people had never before made a political contribution at all. Yet here they were listed as giving maximum contributions of $2,000 to Beshear’s campaign and $15,000 to the KDP.

The Lantern reported on April 17, 2023 that this Weddle/WB Transport group gave at least $305,500 — perhaps much more — to help Beshear win reelection.?

After Lantern story, Weddle reveals a problem

Four days after the Kentucky Lantern story, Weddle’s attorneys later told KREF, Weddle reported a possible problem directly to Beshear: Most of the contributions in late 2022 attributed in reports to his family members and employees actually were made by Weddle — on his personal credit card.?

The Beshear campaign and KDP quickly reported to KREF that Weddle had said he had inadvertently made excess donations on his credit card — donations that appeared to violate a law that prohibits a donor from exceeding contribution limits by giving in the name of others, so-called straw donors. The Beshear campaign and KDP complied with KREF’s recommendation that the $202,000 in excess contributions made on Weddle’s card be refunded to Weddle.

A record-breaking $70 million race for governor

Fully aware of the tens of millions of dollars that Republicans would spend to reclaim the governorship in Republican Kentucky, incumbent Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear began fundraising for his reelection early and never took his foot off the gas until defeating Republican challenger Daniel Cameron by about 5 percentage points in November of 2023.

In the end, Beshear’s campaign spent nearly $20 million in the general election — more than four times the $4.3 million spent by Cameron, according to reports the campaigns filed with the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance.

Cameron’s side was able to close the gap by getting more independent advertising from Republican outside groups than Beshear got from Democratic outside groups. A pair of Republican mega-donors gave millions of dollars to outside groups supporting Cameron.

In the end, according to an analysis by Louisville Public Media, the general election saw a record-breaking $70 million in total spending — with Beshear’s side spending about $40 million and Cameron’s side spending about $30 million.

KREF investigated the matter and last month its staff recommended that the KREF board find that Weddle had committed 20 violations of the law that prohibits a person from making contributions in the name of someone else, but that Weddle had done so unintentionally. (An unintentional violation is punishable by a fine of up to $5,000; an intentional violation results in a fine and a referral to a prosecutor for investigation of a possible Class D felony.)

The staff recommendation accepted Weddle’s explanation that he was following Johnson’s guidance in initially putting contributions of others on his credit card with the intention that donors later reimburse him. Weddle also said that when he learned his actions might have violated the law he tried hard, but without success, to have Johnson fix the problem.

But board members were troubled. Why did only one of the 13 straw donors agree to answer questions of the KREF investigator? Why was Johnson not interviewed?? And if the straw donors had genuinely wanted to give hefty contributions of their own money to Beshear, why did none of them contribute to him later after their initial contribution was refunded because it had been transmitted on Weddle’s credit card? One member said this situation was quite different from a typical, legal example of “bundling” contributions where one person gathers voluntary donations of multiple donors.

The board, composed of Democrats and Republicans, voted 6-0 to reject the recommendation and continue the investigation.

The text messages between Weddle and Johnson

After the board meeting, in response to the Lantern’s open records request, KREF released records gathered in the initial investigation — records that were distributed to board members and discussed at length during the board meeting.

The records include the 86 texts between Weddle and Johnson from Dec. 27-30, 2022. Weddle’s attorneys provided the texts to KREF in response to a subpoena, and the records include several redactions. Weddle attorney Guthrie True said the redacted texts were irrelevant to the investigation and that KREF did not question the redactions.

Weddle began the dialogue at 12:32 p.m. on Dec. 27, asking if Johnson received confirmation of contributions from his wife Victoria, son Nicholas and daughter Alexis to the Beshear campaign. He also tells Johnson, “Paul will be sending today.”

This is an apparent reference to Weddle’s business associate Paul “PJ” Guastello Jr., of Kansas City, Missouri.

Guastello signed a document filed with the Kentucky Secretary of State last year as “member” of WB Transport Holdings LLC, of London.

Johnson replies with texts clarifying for Weddle contribution limits set by law. The limit for the Beshear campaign is $2,000 for the entire primary election season. But the limit on contributions to the KDP is $15,000 per year.

Johnson explains that many of Weddle’s family, friends and employees have already given the “max” to the campaign, but even though many had already given the maximum to the KDP in late 2021 they could legally give another $15,000 in late 2022.

“It’s KDP that we need before the end of the year,” Johnson said. And Johnson texted Weddle a link through which he could transmit contributions to the party.

“That’s KDP link that everyone can use boss. Anyone who did the $15,000 last year I believe should be able to again if they are willing. Let me know how else I can help. Thank you, Randall!”

Money starts to flow

Within five minutes Weddle sends Johnon texts saying that his wife, son and daughter have each donated to the KDP. “That’s $45,000.”?

“Yessir we are checking that we received now,” Johnson replies. “You are the f – – – – – – man.”

Weddle then asks if his mother and mother-in-law can give.

Johnson checks his records and replies: “Yep they’re good no contribution on record. And anyone you got last year, like the Woods, Jeremy Bryant, etc can do KDP again.”

This text reveals Weddle’s role in raising a large bundle of contributions a year before for Beshear in December 2021. Johnson apparently is referring to the Kenneth Woods family, which owns H&K Pallet Sales, of London, and Weddle’s attorney Jeremy Bryant. Four members of the Woods family, Bryant and Bryant’s wife each were listed as giving the maximum $2,000 to Beshear’s campaign and $15,000 to the KDP in December of 2021. The December 2021 contributions were not part of KREF’s investigation.?

Reference to credit card

While discussing the pending contributions coming from his mother and mother-in-law, Weddle tells Johnson, “I’ll have to use my card they’ll give it back to me.”

Johnson replied, “Okay sounds good.”

Weddle’s lawyers say this exchange makes clear that Weddle was unaware his actions were illegal. They argue that Johnson’s response gave him the green light to advance contributions of others on his credit card.

Johnson did not respond to a phone message left for him at the headquarters of the Kentucky Democratic Party.?

Ensuing texts indicate Weddle transmits contributions totaling $14,000 in the names of his mother and mother-in-law to the Beshear campaign and KDP.

“So a total of $59,000 was given today by my family,” Weddle said.

“Thank you for your support Randall!” Johnson replied. “You’re the man!”

Later that day Weddle texts a list with names of nine additional donors. Johnson, however, says the campaign and party hadn’t yet received those contributions. The text exchange of Dec. 27 ends here.

‘Just trying to give the governor a good idea…’

Johnson resumes the discussion on the morning of Dec. 29 saying he still hasn’t gotten contributions from donors whose names Weddle had sent two days before. And Johnson reminds Weddle of the big batch of contributions made a year earlier by PJ Guastello and his family.

“Hey bossman,” Johnson tells Weddle, “I don’t think we’ve gotten anything from the list of folks you sent the other day. PJ did his $15K. Is his family planning to do more? Sorry to keep bothering you Randall, just trying to give the governor a good idea where we’ll be after the 31st”

Again, on the morning of Dec. 30, Johnson tells Weddle he still has received only contributions from Weddle’s five family members earlier in the week and PJ Guastello.

“OK I’ll work on it this evening,” Weddle replies.

He did. The two resumed their text dialogue that night. Here are the key texts from Weddle to Johnson on the night of Dec. 30:

At 9:29: “Ashley Gray, Kyle Gray, 30K to KDP”

At 9:35: “Chrystal McAdams, Caden McAdams, $30K to KDP”

At 9:39: “Carmen Weddle 15K to KDP”

At 9:41: “Michael Hacker 15K to KDP”

At 9:44: “Michael Hacker 2K to Andy”

At 9:48: “Jennifer Weddle 2K to Andy”

At 9:50: “Jennifer Weddle 15K to KDP”

At 9:56: David Owens 15K to KDP 2K to Andy”

At 10:07: “Alecia Owens 15K to KDP, 2K to Andy.?

At 10:07: “Lisa Weddle 15K to KDP, 2K to Andy”

At 10:09: Weddle brought the discussion to an end: “Good news I’ve got you 219K this week”

Johnson replied, “Haha It’s a usual thing in fundraising! Yessir you have. Let me know how else I can help boss. Thank you so much. I’ve let the man know.”

The records released by KREF include only one more text exchanged between the two, and it is a reference to the? Lantern’s Tom Loftus’ effort to learn more about how the large bundles of Weddle contributions came about.

“Hey Randall, loftus called the KDP today” Johnson texted Weddle on March 9, 2023. “We’ll probably need to hop on the phone at some point tomorrow just to make sure we are all on the same page. Thank you sir.”

Read the list of donors