FRANKFORT– Jerry Lundergan, the father of Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes, appeared in a Frankfort courthouse Wednesday, asking for his trial to be pushed back to a later date.
Lundergan, and his alleged co-conspirator Dale Emmons, were both scheduled for trial starting November 13. Lundergan is facing 10 counts that include unlawful campaign contributions, false statements to the Federal Elections Commission and falsifying records. Emmons is facing similar charges.
According to court documents, Lundergan’s attorney, J. Guthrie True, received 440,000 pages of documents related to the case. True said he needs more time to go through the papers.
True declined to make any statements, but when asked about a possible plea deal, True said, “probably won’t do that.”
While multiple lawyers did come to the hearing, Lundergan’s newest attorney Marc Elias did not attend. Elias is the attorney who hired Fusion GPS, who then hired former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele. Steele is the person who compiled the now infamous Russian dossier on President Donald Trump.
No new trial date was set. The judge in the case said he will take the request under advisement.
True has requested a trial date of September 2019.
However, that date could have implications. Lundergan’s daughter, Alison Lundergan Grimes, is rumoured to be considering a 2019 run for either Attorney General or Governor. If Lundergan has his trial pushed back until just two months before the gubernatorial election, that could loom over Grimes’ head as she campaigns for elected office.