Connect with us

Kansas

Two conservative Kansas lawmakers sue Republican leadership over convention of the states

Published

on

Two conservative Kansas lawmakers sue Republican leadership over convention of the states


Two conservative Republican legislators are suing their own GOP leadership in federal court as part of an effort to call a convention of the states to amend the U.S. Constitution.

Sen. Mike Thompson, R-Shawnee, and Rep. Michael Murphy, R-Sylvia, filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Topeka last month against Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, and House Speaker Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita.

The lawsuit alleges that Masterson and Hawkins were wrong to say that concurrent resolutions last session didn’t pass because they did not have supermajority support.

“Defendants’ decisions as the presiding officers of each Chamber to reject the passage of these concurrent resolutions pursuant to Article 2 Section 13 of the Kansas Constitution were incorrect as a matter of law,” the lawsuit alleges. “Accordingly, these concurrent resolutions should be declared to have passed both Chambers by majority votes and thereby to have been adopted.”

Advertisement

Kansas Legislature hasn’t been able to get supermajority

Conservative Republicans have tried for the past several years to add Kansas to the backers of a convention of the states to amend the U.S. Constitution. Past efforts have succeeded in getting simple majorities of lawmakers, but the Kansas Constitution requires supermajorities.

“The lawsuit is about resolving a longstanding question about whether the Kansas Constitution can require a higher threshold of votes to adopt measures envisioned by Article V of the United States Constitution, including the Convention of States,” said Mike Pirner, a spokesperson for Masterson.

A spokesperson for Hawkins didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Advertisement

The vote on last session’s House resolution was 74-48, or 10 yes votes short of two-thirds, while the Senate’s vote was 22-16, or five yes votes shy of a supermajority.

“This super-majority requirement violates the federal Constitution,” Thompson and Murphy allege in their lawsuit.

“When state legislatures act pursuant to their authority under Article V, they exercise a federal function from federal law,” the lawsuit states. “States cannot, whether through their constitutions or state law, impose limitations or additional procedural requirements on state legislatures acting pursuant to this federal authority.”

Ty Masterson and Dan Hawkins expected to be represented by AG

Thompson and Murphy are being represented by the law firm Graves Garrett and are seeking “declaratory judgments that Article 2 Section 13 of the Kansas Constitution is unconstitutional,” thus resulting in the resolutions having passed last session.

Advertisement

The civil cover sheet indicates that Thompson and Murphy expect Masterson and Hawkins to be represented by the Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach’s office.

The Kansas resolutions had called for amending the U.S. Constitution to “impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government and limit the terms of office for officials of the federal government and members of Congress.”

Some conservatives have opposed such efforts, raising fears that it could backfire politically with liberals advancing their own preferred amendments.

Jason Alatidd is a Statehouse reporter for The Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached by email at jalatidd@gannett.com. Follow him on X @Jason_Alatidd.

Advertisement





Source link

Kansas

Kansas City man sentenced for cocaine trafficking, possession of illegal firearm

Published

on

Kansas City man sentenced for cocaine trafficking, possession of illegal firearm


KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – A Kansas City man was sentenced in federal court for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy and possession of an illegal firearm.

According to the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri, 22-year-old Antoine R. Gillum was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison without parole.

His sentencing stems from a June 2024 incident in a metro gas station. KCPD investigators contacted Gillum inside and found that he had discarded a 9 mm pistol in an aisle between the merchandise. He also discarded a pill bottle containing multiple illegal substances: cocaine base, oxycodone/acetaminophen and oxycodone.

Officers searched the vehicle Gillum had arrived in and found approximately 32 grams of cocaine base.

Advertisement

On May 6, 2025, Gillum pleaded guilty to one count each of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Jennings. It’s a part of ‘Operation Take Back America,’ a nationwide Department of Justice initiative to eliminate cartels and transnational criminal organizations.

No further information has been released.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Kansas

Deadly 4-car crash kills 2 people, injures others in Kansas City

Published

on

Deadly 4-car crash kills 2 people, injures others in Kansas City


KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – A crash near a busy highway killed two people and injured two others.

Emergency crews responded to the crash at U.S. 71 Highway and Meyer Boulevard around 12:40 p.m. on Monday, March 2.

When crews arrived they determined four cars were involved in the crash.

Police are investigating how the crash happened.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Kansas

Homegrown Jayhawk stars ready to shine at Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City

Published

on

Homegrown Jayhawk stars ready to shine at Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City


LAWRENCE, Kan. (KCTV) – As Kansas women’s basketball prepares to enter the postseason at the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City, they’ll be led by two Overland Park natives who have been two of the most electrifying players to watch in the country this year.

Junior guard S’Mya Nichols and freshman forward Jaliya Davis have played integral roles in the recent growth of the program. Both cite the desire to help grow the Jayhawks into something special as reasons for committing there.

“Where we wanted to take Kansas women’s basketball, I wanted to be a part of that growing evolution,” Nichols told KCTV5.

“We [my family] were also really big Jayhawk fans. We came to a lot of games,” Davis said about her childhood.

Advertisement

The two were both 5-star recruits in high school, and their commitments marked historic recruiting victories for the KU women’s basketball program.

First came Nichols in the Class of 2023, picking KU over Tennessee and Oklahoma.

“I genuinely wanted to go to Kansas,” she said.

Then Davis became the highest-rated player to ever commit to KU as part of the Class of 2025.

“When you go back to S’Mya Nichols being a local, Kansas City, Overland Park product, a nationally respected player, Jaliya was really the next one that was very important for the Jayhawks to keep home,” said head coach Brandon Schneider.

Advertisement

Now as a junior, Nichols has established herself as one of the most consistent scorers and physical guards in the nation.

But it’s the Shawnee Mission West’s alum’s leadership that defines her legacy in Lawrence.

“The team leader, the quarterback,” Coach Schneider described Nichols. “I think oftentimes the player that everybody looks up to off the court.”

“I mean it means everything. Knowing that I’m important to the team, and that they see me as that as well,” said Nichols with a smile.

Both Nichols and Davis were recruited by the Jayhawks for years, going all the way back to seventh grade.

Advertisement

“Well, we offered her in middle school,’ Coach Schneider said with a laugh about Davis.

“Oh he put in a lot of work,” laughed Davis. “I mean, obviously, seventh grade, that’s a long time.”

It was that dedication from Coach Schneider that led her to choose the Jayhawks over Texas, South Carolina, Baylor, and Oklahoma – where he dad played ball.

“I think it really was the relationship we had and grew. He was always there, every single one of my games,” Davis said about Schneider.

After just one practice as teammates, Nichols voiced a big belief about Davis into existence – and it’s probably going to come true.

Advertisement
The Jayhawks are the 11-seed in the Big 12 Tournament, and will face 14-seed UCF in the first round on Wednesday at 8:00 p.m.(KCTV5)

“I saw her first practice, and I sent her a text, and I’m like ‘I think you can win Freshman of the Year’, and I still stand by that,”

Davis is averaging 21.0 points per game, and has been named the Big 12 Freshman of the Week for eight weeks in a row. That sets a power conference all-time record.

“I think it’s really cool. I mean obviously it’s a team effort, they’re always looking for me,” Davis said about her historic accomplishment.

“Just a phenomenal stretch of basketball for her, and so well deserving,” said Coach Schneider.

Now these two homegrown stars are at the forefront of a late-season push to earn a bid to the NCAA Tournament. Right now, CBS Sports bracketology has them as a ‘First Four Out’ team.

Advertisement

But a few wins in the Big 12 Tournament could certainly help seal their invite to the big dance.

“Obviously we’re not in the position that we were hoping to be in, but I think we can make the most out of it, and get to where we want to be,” Davis said about the opportunity at hand in the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City.

The Overland Park kids are especially fired up about starting the postseason in their own backyard.

“I have a big support system. So I bet my family will take a big chunk of that area during that tournament,” Davis laughed.

“I remember being younger, and the College Basketball Experience is right next door. So I felt like at one moment that was the big stage, when I got to play my little AAU tournaments in there. And then all of a sudden I’m literally in T-Mobile Center on the actual big stage, so it’s pretty cool,” said Nichols.

Advertisement

The Jayhawks are the 11-seed in the Big 12 Tournament, and will face 14-seed UCF in the first round on Wednesday at 8:00 p.m.



Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending