FRANKFORT, Ky. — During his regular press briefing Tuesday, Gov. Andy Beshear called out the writers of a petition pushing for his impeachment and criticized armed protesters who showed up at the Capitol three days after the deadly insurrection in Washington, D.C.


What You Need To Know

  • Gov. Beshear talks petition pushing for his impeachment, armed protests at briefing

  • Beshear addressed video from man who formed the petition, Jacob Clark, with a handgun above his shoulder

  • Clark says he always has a firearm next to his bed and hopes no harm comes to Beshear

  • Beshear’s office told Spectrum News he met with legislative leadership to plan a security evaluation for protests planned in Frankfort

Beshear showed pictures of armed protesters from Saturday, at least one of whom was carrying zip ties like some who stormed the U.S. Capitol. He warned against supporting movements like what played out last Wednesday.

"Going out and playing patty cake with these so-called militias that stormed our U.S. Capitol and murdered a D.C. Capitol police officer, and that put everybody else in danger, is just wrong," Beshear warned.

Beshear also addressed a different kind of warning from the lead writer of a petition to impeach him from office.

In an April video posted to Facebook, Jacob Clark said Beshear stepped too far when he tightened restrictions on in-person church service. He read scripture and compared Beshear to a wicked king from the Bible before saying, "Governor Beshear, I hope you heed this warning from the lord, and don’t stretch forth your hand against God’s people. I wouldn’t want to see any harm come to you, and I’m not saying that I would do anything like that."

During the briefing, Beshear displayed a screen shot from the video.

"That is his handgun right above his left shoulder," he said. "[I’m] pretty sure the statement he was trying to send to me then."

Clark, who ran an unsuccessful campaign for Kentucky's 18th district state House seat, posted a response the Beshear's comments Tuesday evening.

"I always have a firearm next to my bed," Clark wrote. "Some people are scared of them, I guess. Again, I clarified several times that I hope no harm comes to him, and will pray for him. I still will."

While Beshear fights this impeachment attempt from four of his constituents, he remains concerned about threats of physical violence around the country. ABC reports the FBI is warning of armed rallies planned in cities around the country ahead of the inauguration of Joseph Biden, a Democrat.

Beshear recalled a May rally in which armed protesters hanged him in effigy outside Kentucky's Capitol, then walked across the grounds to the doors and windows of the governor's mansion. Neither he nor his wife and young children were home at the time.

Beshear’s office told Spectrum News he met with legislative leadership to plan a security evaluation, with more armed protests planned in Frankfort, coinciding with the nationwide events.

"I never thought I’d see our US Capitol stormed in my lifetime, and it happened. It happened," Beshear said. "So, the question is, what do we do about it? What do we do about it? Do we say that this is not OK in America?"