Frankfort, Ky. ? A judge on Thursday dismissed accusations that Gov. Ernie Fletcher violated state hiring laws, allowing him to get out from a long-running legal jam without personal punishment.

The judge signed an agreement dropping misdemeanor charges and ending a case that alleged Fletcher, a first-term Republican, broke the law by basing personnel decisions on political considerations.

The order, signed by Special Judge David E. Melcher, dismissed the charges with prejudice, meaning they can’t be brought again.

“It’s over, and I think the people all across the Commonwealth of Kentucky will be very pleased that this sad ordeal is over,” Fletcher said.

A grand jury has investigated for a year hiring decisions by the Fletcher administration. The administration had been accused of illegally giving protected state jobs to political supporters.

Several witnesses alleged the administration had discriminated against them because of their political leanings. They claimed to have been passed over for promotions, transferred, demoted or fired.

Fletcher was indicted in May on charges of criminal conspiracy, official misconduct and political discrimination.

By settling the matter, Fletcher can seek re-election without the shadow of criminal charges. Atty. Gen. Greg Stumbo, who prosecuted the case and has been considered a potential Democratic candidate, could run without breaking his promise not to challenge Fletcher for governor while the case was pending.

Melcher ruled this month that Fletcher could not be tried while in office. The judge had asked prosecutors and defense attorneys to try to reach a settlement.

“We recognized that the governor probably would never stand trial in this case,” Stumbo said Thursday after two days of negotiations. “Our objective was to see that the law was complied with, to see that the truth was brought forward.”

Doug Doerting, the former state employee who triggered the investigation by turning over evidence to the attorney general’s office, said that his goal all along was to restore integrity to the state civil service and that he was pleased with the outcome.

“I agree with the attorney general,” Doerting said. “I don’t believe the case would ever go to trial.”

Fletcher acknowledged as part of the agreement that the evidence “strongly indicates wrongdoing” by his administration, and that the actions were inappropriate.