Ex-Kentucky governor Matt Bevin barred from estranged wife’s home for ‘aggressive and unsettling’ behaviour

The former Republican governor of Kentucky Matt Bevin saw his access to the house where his estranged wife lives limited this week after she came forward with allegations that he follows her around inside the house asking questions about their divorce.

In an affidavit connected to an order looking for the exclusive use of the home east of Louisville that they co-own, Glenna Bevin referred to Mr Bevin’s actions as “aggressive and unsettling” and “disruptive to the household”, the Lexington Herald-Leader reported.

Jefferson Circuit Judge Angela Johnson made the ruling following a motion from Ms Bevin asking for the exclusive use of the home, that she and Mr Bevin only speak via a parenting app, that Ms Bevin gets half of the funds from the sale of another property in Jefferson County, and that Mr Bevin be held in contempt for failing to answer discovery.

The judge granted all counts apart from holding Mr Bevin in contempt, saying it would be “premature”. She pointed to Mr Bevin’s hesitancy to share some documents because of the risk of having information about the prominent family made public.

“Because of the parties’ well-known status, the Court agrees with the Respondent’s concerns and believes that a contempt motion is premature,” Judge Johnson wrote.

Ms Bevin currently lives in the home in Anchorage east of Louisville with their two children, while Mr Bevin mostly lives in another home that they also co-own in Jefferson County. Judge Johnson ruled that the Anchorage home be listed for sale within 60 days.

The judge gave Mr Bevin a week to get “essential” things from the home, such as clothes and work items, after which he will have to have the permission of Ms Bevin or a judge to enter the home.

Ms Bevin filed for divorce in May last year, calling the marriage “irretrievably broken”. The ruling stated that Mr Bevin hasn’t slept in the home in Anchorage for more than two years.

Judge Johnson wrote in her order that Mr Bevin “seems to be a caring father that is trying to maintain as much a sense of normalcy as possible while the divorce proceeds”.

“While [Mr Bevin] admitted that he did not want the divorce, [he] seems to be trying to keep the parties’ relationship and maintain a ‘business as usual’ environment,” she added. “However, the truth of the matter is that the parties are getting a divorce. Normalcy and the ‘business as usual’ environment are gone.”

The 57-year-old Mr Bevin served as the Republican governor of Kentucky between 2015 and 2019 before losing his re-election bid to Democrat Andy Beshear, who won re-election last year.

Ms Bevin stated in her affidavit that Mr Bevin often refuses to leave until after she goes to bed and that he tries to talk to her about their divorce case, and when she attempts to end the conversation, “he follows me from room to room and even into the bathroom or my bedroom, disrespecting my privacy; to me, his conduct is aggressive and unsettling”.

Mr Bevin’s attorney said his client rejects the allegations in response to Ms Bevin’s motion. He “vehemently denies” that he follows her around the home “and otherwise harasses her” about the case.

The attorney wrote that Mr Bevin “is at a loss” as to why she wants to revoke his access to the home, according to Louisville Public Media.

“Such an assertion is simply not true and is designed to embarrass and malign Matt,” lawyer Jesse Mudd wrote.

After Judge Johnson’s ruling on Tuesday, Mr Mudd moved to request that the case be sealed from the public.

“As the Court is aware, the parties to this case are the former Governor and First Lady of Kentucky, and as such, this divorce action has already garnered media attention and public discourse and will likely continue to do so,” Mr Mudd wrote. “To that end, Matt seeks to protect the parties from the public dissemination of their finances, business interests and other personal information relating to their family.”

The Independent has attempted to reach Mr Mudd for comment.