In the days before the Kentucky primary election, a publicly released video has roiled one of the most-watched political races in the country – U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie versus Trump-backed Republican Ed Gallrein.
The video features Massie’s former girlfriend alleging the congressman offered to give her $5,000 cash to “just walk away” from Washington D.C.
Massie said that conversation never happened. In a 45-minute conversation with The Enquirer, the Garrison Republican said he did indeed give his former girlfriend, Cynthia West, between $5,000 and $10,000 while they dated – but not for anything nefarious.
“She represented to me that her estranged husband was giving her no child support or alimony,” he said. (...)
West said in the video that Massie asked her to move to Washington D.C. to be closer to him and got her a job working for Indiana U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz, a Massie political ally.
But Massie disputes that.
“I don’t have the power to grant people jobs in other offices,” he said, but he knew Spartz had a staff opening and recommended West for the job due to her background in social work.
West still had to apply and interview for the position, he added. (...)
Semi-retired attorney Marc Carey, who lives in Owen County, is behind the release of the video.
Carey ran for office in the 2012 congressional Republican primary, which Massie won.
But he told The Enquirer, while he disagrees with Massie’s politics, his role in the video release isn’t political.
“I’ve never said anything about him that is personal. I’ve been critical of him, but that’s politics,” he said.
Political firebrand Eric Deters, former attorney and host of the online Eric Deters Show, also promoted the allegations on his social media.
Deters, of Independence, ran for office against Massie in 2024 and lost.
The interview was held at attorney Todd McMurtry’s office in Crescent Springs. He told The Enquirer he provided a notary to swear in the witness.
McMurtry ran against Massie in the 2020 Republican primary.
“It’s three bitter, former opponents that lost to me and I think they want revenge,” Massie said about their involvement.
Read the rest (and you should) at the Courier-Journal.
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