Kansas

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

Published

6 months ago

January 2, 2024

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.”

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.

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.

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.

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Kansas

Heavy rainfall causes flash flooding in SW Kansas

Published

18 mins ago

June 30, 2024

Press Room

Heavy rainfall causes flash flooding in SW Kansas

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) – Impressive amounts of rainfall fell Sunday across southern Kansas. Some areas received too much rain too fast, resulting in flash flooding.

The Dodge City Fire Department rescued a driver trapped in the floodwaters under a train bridge this morning.

According to rainfall reports from Storm Team 12 Meteorologist Dean Jones, Dodge City received just over four inches of rain from 2 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Sunday, with over two inches falling between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m.

Across Kansas, rainfall totals ranged from half an inch to almost five inches overnight. An additional 1-3 inches are possible through the remainder of Sunday.

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Kansas

REPORT: Travis Kelce Admits Raiders Significantly Hurt His Christmas with Taylor Swift

Published

8 hours ago

June 30, 2024

Press Room

REPORT: Travis Kelce Admits Raiders Significantly Hurt His Christmas with Taylor Swift

The Las Vegas Raiders’ commanding victory over the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, 20-14, was a triumph for then-interim head coach Antonio Pierce and the Silver and Black. It forecasted the style of play that Pierce would build a team around in the months after with the hiring of general manager Tom Telesco.

That day also proved to be a rough one for arguably the world’s most prominent couple: Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and his mega-star girlfriend, Taylor Swift. Kelce discussed the defeat on a recent episode of the “Bussin’ with the Boys” podcast. He said that the couple’s first Christmas was “ruined.”

“We got our a– beat by the f—–g Raiders on Christmas. F—–g ruined Christmas, motherf—–s,” Kelce told podcast hosts Taylor Lewan and Will Compton. “[Antonio Pierce], he had those dudes were ready to brawl out there on the field. One hundred percent man. And I love that s–t. I was like, man if we play with that kind of edge, or that kind of toughness, that kind of like don’t f–k with us mentality, we won’t be stopped. And it just kind of ended up like that. But that Raiders game was definitely a turning point.”

The defeat served as a wake-up call for the Chiefs, as they would cap off the regular season with two wins. The Chiefs marched all the way back to the Super Bowl, beating the seemingly unstoppable Baltimore Ravens in the process. The Chiefs are now looking to three-peat in 2024.

The good news for Kelce and the Chiefs is that Christmas Day is behind them and they won’t have to face the Raiders on the holiday in 2024. Instead, they will play the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Kelce and Swift have a 50-50 chance of another ruined Christmas.

More bad news arrives for the Chiefs by way of the Silver and Black: the team that was “ready to brawl” will continue to do so under Pierce. The team is better, too. Signing defensive tackle Christian Wilkins and drafting linebacker Tommy Eichenberg and cornerback Decamerion Richardson will only bolster what was becoming one of the most physical, and best, defenses in the NFL.

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Kansas

Kansas City embracing spot in international soccer limelight

Published

15 hours ago

June 29, 2024

Press Room

Kansas City embracing spot in international soccer limelight

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – Some of the best soccer players in the world are in Kansas City this week for the Copa America soccer tournament.

The tournament pits the best teams in North and South America against each other once every four years. On Tuesday, Children’s Mercy Park played host to a group-stage match between Peru and Canada. Next Monday, the US Men’s National team is set to host Uruguay at Arrowhead Stadium.

The game, and the tournament, are giving Kansas City attention on the global scale.

“It gives Kansas City a great chance to showcase ourselves as a destination, not only for soccer fans in the Midwest and around the country but also internationally, too,” said Kurt Austin, Sporting KC’s Senior Director of Communications. “I think it’s a great opportunity for the city. You see it not only in the events we’ve been able to host in the past but also now looking forward and the events we’re going to be able to host in the future all kind of gearing up towards 2026 with the World Cup.”

Former Sporting KC legend Roger Espinoza played in two World Cups for his home country of Honduras. He says Kansas City is ready for FIFA to come to town.

“Kansas City is ready,” said Espinoza. “They don’t know what’s coming, but I think Kansas City is ready. I think it’s a city that has hosted many events, a lot of championships here, so they know how to host the world.”

Kansas City sports fans say soccer has elevated the city’s standing. The fans told KCTV5 they are grateful the sport has had a positive impact on KC.

“With the World Cup coming, I don’t think everyone is prepared for what kind of money that’s going to bring into the area,” said Ken Dotson, a long-time MLS supporter.

“It’s huge. It’s really putting us on the map, especially with us getting the World Cup, and now the COPA, it’s phenomenal,” said fan Brandon Murphy.

With the eyes of the soccer world on Kansas City on Monday, Espinoza thinks KC is about to put on a show.

“They get to see what we’re all about,” Espinoza said of the international fans. “They get to see that there are true fans here that support the sport.”

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