KY Secretary of State honored for defending elections, warns of ‘tainted’ democracy
Kentucky’s Republican secretary of state, in accepting the prestigious John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award Sunday night for defending the integrity of Kentucky’s elections, said today’s politics have been tainted by “demagoguery” and the “reigning mob of the moment.”
“As touched and as grateful beyond words that I am to be given this award, part of me wishes that it did not exist, and that political courage did not have to be a thing,” Michael Adams said on stage at the ceremony in Boston.
He was bestowed the award by JFK’s grandson, John Schlossberg. He is the oldest son of Caroline Kennedy, the daughter of JFK and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.
But true democracy has been degraded, and the current model some have adopted is “tainted,” Adams said, adding that “today’s politics penalizes the workhorse and rewards the show horse. It prizes provocateurs and punishes problem solvers.”
“In this model, our elected representatives take their direction from the reigning mob of the moment. This form of direct democracy is an illusion,” he said, one in which “independent and judicious thought in our leaders is not encouraged. Leadership is out and followership is in.”
The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum award is given to one individual a year at the local, state or federal level who displays “political courage.” In May, Adams was named the 2024 honoree for “expanding voting rights and standing up for free and fair elections, despite party opposition and death threats from election deniers.”
The award, established in 1989 by JFK’s family, “recognizes public servants who have risked their careers by putting the public interest ahead of their own political standing.”
First elected in 2019, Adams has advocated for increasing absentee voting access and opportunities for in-person voting, beginning during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He gained most of his notoriety starting in 2020 for persistently speaking out about against false claims of state election insecurity, matched by a swell of backlash from some in his party that widespread fraud lost former President Donald Trump a second term as president.
Despite this opposition stance with many in his party, Adams was the highest vote-getter on the ballot in the November 2023 election, capturing 61% of the vote.
Schlossberg, in introducing Adams Sunday night, said 2020 was a defining moment for Adams and the “life of our country.”
“As a Republican elected by a razor thin margin, conventional wisdom said not to work with the other side. But Adams put country (and) election integrity first, before his party or personal interest,” Schlossberg said.
After Adams and his family received death threats, “he responded with optimism and courage. His strategy was simple but not easy. He focused on communicating the facts with voters who didn’t believe the election was safe or secure. He took time to explain specifics about why absentee and early voting were safe.”
Schlossberg said Adams wasn’t selected for this award “for opposing the GOP — he is a committed and lifelong Republican. He’s a profile in courage because he put himself, his family and career on the line to protect the right to vote.”
Adams praised voters, as well as election officials and poll workers at all levels, for helping up uphold the integrity of Kentucky’s elections. He lauded them for being willing to “vociferously rebut false claims of vote fraud and election rigging,” even “we had candidates for state offices and our legislature, who trafficked lies & demagoguery about our elections.”
He closed by saying, “May this award and this ceremony inspire others across our country at this critical time to go forth and do likewise.”
Past award recipients have included former presidents Gerald Ford, George H.W. Bush and Barack Obama, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and U.S. Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah.
This story was originally published June 10, 2024 at 7:21 AM.
