00:00Senator Welch.
00:03Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
00:10I think it is.
00:11Mr. Meredith, I want to ask you about these pardons, and I know you've been asked about it,
00:18but my understanding is that Mr. Baker, he posed as a U.S. Marshal.
00:28Is that correct?
00:30Senator, I don't know.
00:31As I told Senator Durbin, I did not review any pardon file for Mr. Baker
00:38and did not advise the governor on that, so I'm not aware of the facts and circumstances.
00:47Seriously?
00:49Senator, I've read about it in the media.
00:52So you're aware?
00:53Well, I don't know the specifics of what you're talking about.
00:56I generally know that an individual with that name received a pardon, but I don't know the facts and circumstances of any of it.
01:02I'm asking you whether you know that he posed as a marshal.
01:07I do not know that, Senator.
01:08I know that he was convicted.
01:10Well, my understanding is that he was originally convicted of a murder, I believe, but I don't know the facts and circumstances, Senator.
01:16I mean, this was widely reported in Kentucky.
01:20It was very controversial.
01:21Well, Senator, that was, I think this was in the news maybe roughly five years ago, and, you know, all the details that were reported escaped me.
01:31Senator McConnell said that this was completely inappropriate.
01:35Are you aware of that, to pardon him?
01:40Senator, I recall that many elected officials made comments about that.
01:45I don't remember specifics.
01:47Okay.
01:47You know what?
01:48You're a lawyer.
01:48Yes, sir.
01:49And you understand specificity matters, right?
01:52I'm not asking you what you knew from personal experience.
01:58I'm asking you what everybody in Kentucky knew.
02:00This guy posed as a marshal.
02:02That was widely reported, right?
02:04Senator, again, you're asking me about facts that I just don't know about.
02:09I don't recall that from the report.
02:10You might be right, Senator.
02:11You know what?
02:13Be serious here.
02:15This is, like, incredibly controversial.
02:17I mean, so much so that Senator McConnell called it out.
02:20It's completely inappropriate.
02:22Everybody knew about it.
02:23This guy posed as a marshal.
02:25You're saying you don't know about that, even though it was widely reported.
02:28He murdered somebody, right?
02:30My understanding, Senator, is that he was convicted of a murder.
02:33And he killed a man's wife.
02:40He held his—this person he killed, he held his wife, that man's wife, and his kids at gunpoint, right?
02:45Senator, I don't know.
02:47You're asking me about specific facts and circumstances of a matter that—
02:50In 2017, a state jury found him guilty?
02:54Senator, I understand that—it's my understanding that he was convicted, but you're asking me about facts and circumstances that I'm not aware of.
03:01Well, all right.
03:01I'll pretend you're telling me the truth, and I'll enlighten you as to what happened.
03:09In 2017, a state jury found him guilty.
03:12He got a 19-year prison sentence, right?
03:17Senator, again, I don't know all the facts and circumstances.
03:19Just take it from me.
03:20We'll just assume I'm telling the truth.
03:23And he got a 19-year sentence.
03:27In 2018, Baker's brother—that's the man who was pardoned—hosted a fundraiser at his home for the governor, Matt Bevin.
03:34You worked for him, right?
03:36I worked—I was in the counsel's office and Governor Bevin's office.
03:39All right, so when I asked the question, did you work for him?
03:43Yes.
03:44Is the answer yes?
03:45Well, I worked—I worked for him in the governor's office while he was governor.
03:47So you worked for him?
03:49Correct.
03:51And his brother hosted a fundraiser, and Governor Bevin got $21,500, right?
04:00I don't know.
04:00I have seen in the media—
04:02All right, I'll let you know that's what happened.
04:04And in Governor Bevin's final days in 2019, he pardoned Mr. Baker.
04:11I have seen media reports to that effect.
04:14Right.
04:14And he had served two and a half years of his 19-year sentence.
04:19So let me just ask you this.
04:20Do you agree with that pardon?
04:23Senator, I did not review any pardon file for Mr. Baker.
04:26I didn't advise the governor on that.
04:29That's a discretionary function belonging to an executive branch official.
04:34You know, we all know that.
04:35The governor can do what he wants.
04:36President Trump can do what he wants with the pardon of power.
04:38I missed asking you if you agree with it.
04:40The guy shot somebody in front of his wife and kids.
04:44He got a 19-year sentence.
04:45He served two and a half years.
04:47His brother gave a $21,500 contribution to the governor.
04:50And lo and behold, he got a pardon.
04:51Do you agree with that?
04:53Senator, I'm not aware of all the facts and circumstances.
04:57While you were the governor's counsel, there was a subpoena to get the records so that
05:02people could understand what the deal was and why this murderer got a pardon.
05:07And you resisted the subpoena, right?
05:09Well, no, no, Senator.
05:10Senator, so what happened was, you know, several of us, no, I did not.
05:18I told the governor's office I'd be happy to respond to that.
05:24Well, the records went missing, as I understand it.
05:27No, that's not true to my knowledge, Senator.
05:30Well, where are they?
05:32Well, my understanding is that the governor's administration currently has them.
05:35And they resisted the subpoena while you were working as counsel for the governor?
05:41No, I don't believe that's true, Senator.
05:44But I see my time is up and my answers are not complete, but I can ask some follow-up questions.
05:52Senator Blumenthal.
05:55Thank you, Senator Kennedy.
05:58Thank you, Senator.
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