In a biting press release tonight, the Kansas Democratic Party alleges that Kris Kobach ducked calls, was unable to be located and in the end worked to prevent proper procedure by a fellow Kansan, in this case, Democratic Candidate Chad Taylor.
KDP
For Immediate Release
September 9, 2014
For More Information, contact:
Dakota Loomis
(785) 979-6345
dakota@kansasdems.com
KDP Chair Wagnon Responds To DA Taylor's Legal Challenge Of Sec. of State Kobach's Partisan Decision
TOPEKA – Joan Wagnon, Kansas Democratic Party Chair, issued a statement in response to Topeka attorney Pedro Irigonegaray's filing on behalf of Shawnee County District Attorney Chad Taylor in the Kansas Supreme Court:
We will watch closely as this legal challenge proceeds through the courts. It is premature to comment on its merits, but one thing is clear: Kansans have no use for extremist politicians like Kris Kobach who continue to put partisan politics before what is best for Kansans.
Where was Kris Kobach Wednesday afternoon anyway? Chad Taylor had been trying to reach Kris Kobach all day. Where was he? Taylor went to the Kobach’s office at 4 o’clock, and Kris Kobach was nowhere to be found. Maybe he was out trying to get people to self-deport themselves. Maybe he was out trying to suppress voters’ rights. He surely wasn’t in his office working.
Kobach ignored multiple career employees of the Kansas Secretary of State’s Office who confirmed that the letter of withdrawal submitted by Chad Taylor was sufficient to remove his name from the ballot. In fact, these employees physically removed Chad Taylor’s name from the Kansas Secretary of State’s official list of candidates.
Kris Kobach continues to ignore what is best for Kansas to do what is best for Kris Kobach. Regardless of the outcome of this legal challenge, Kansans deserve a Secretary of State whose first priority is protecting our open and free elections, not bending the rules to serve his partisan political agenda.
# # #
Paid for by the Kansas Democratic Party, Matt Watkins, Treasurer.
http://www.politico.com/...
Wagnon's key argument fits with the long held belief of sites like New Republic, and the endorsement by DailyKos.
In speaking with County Party Chairs, Johnny Dunlap II, Ford County Chair informed me:
"This is a matter of dereliction of duty."
As the saga of what happens next in the Kansas race unfolds, as lawsuits are filed and the parties take to the courts, a new question pops up tonight: Was there an intent to deny service in play here? Or did Kris Kobach simply take the day off on a day that represented the last day by law to change your ballot registration?
In fact, these employees physically removed Chad Taylor’s name from the Kansas Secretary of State’s official list of candidates.
Today, I've been informed through people who wish to go unnamed that the potential of subpoenas remained as individuals who were informed by the county clerk of the drop - as well as those who manned the website and handled the registration change all face potential trips to the courtroom as to what changed as to their procedure that caused them to go along.. until the boss came back.
Other questions also remain: why was Kobach unreachable? Where, in fact, was Kris Kobach? As state aids and others float various stories - rumors mostly - the only thing that is clear is that he wasn't near his office, wasn't reachable by phone, and wasn't available to process a high profile candidate. Maybe he was busy in one of his other jobs.. like serving on Pat Roberts re-election committee.
Dereliction of Duty? The KDP may be prepared to make ti stick in court.. but the idea of an absent and unreachable secretary of state will not resonate well with the voters.
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UPDATE
Chad Taylor announces his legal team.
http://www.politico.com/...
Taylor’s challenge was filed by Topeka attorney Pedro Irigonegaray. Irigonegaray told POLITICO he wouldn’t comment on the content of the challenge and was reserving his argument for the state Supreme Court, which he said he hoped would consider the matter shortly. Kobach has argued that ballots must be printed by Sept. 18 in order to send them to overseas and military voters, and Taylor’s challenge points to that deadline to argue for a quick resolution by the high court.
“I believe that this is an incredibly important case for Kansas and for our nation,” Irigonegaray said.