The Kansas Meadowlark

March 25, 2008
(updated March 26, 2008)

Kansas Democratic Party Disenfranchises Duly Elected Treasurers 
of Congressional District Committees

A review of state party, recognized and congressional district committees shows Democrats have a large political money edge in the state party and congressional district committees, while Republicans have an edge in the recognized Senate and House committees.  Democrats continue to use a scheme to channel money to the state party, which may be technically legal, but violates the spirit of the law.  This scheme allows PACs to send $25,000 to the Kansas Democratic Party every year when the limit is $5000.

All recent contribution and expenditure reports for State Party, Recognized and Congressional District Committees (dated Jan 10, 2008) were reviewed to compare and contrast political money of the major political parties in Kansas in 2007.  Table 1 shows some huge differences between the parties:  Democrats raised $904,680, spent $762,425, and have $421,119 in the bank.  Republicans raised only $245,215, spent only $107,148, but had $360,792 in the bank. These figures are summarized in Chart 1 below:

Chart 1.

Democrats held a money edge in state party and congressional district money, while Republicans held a money edge in the Senate and House committees.  Other political parties, Libertarians (Table 7), Reform (Table 8), and Constitution (Table 9), have little political money in Kansas.

Senate Party Committees.  With 2008 being an election year for the Kansas Senate, the Senate Democrats Committee raised about $67,000 (see Table 1 or Table 2) while the Kansas Republican Senatorial Committee raised almost $79,000 (see Table 1 or Table 5).  The Senate Democrats spent over $166,000, which is almost 11-times the Senate Republicans' spending of slightly more than $15,000.  But, Senate Republicans have 1.7-times as much money in the bank with about $243,000 vs. $141,000 for the Democrats.  

Senate PACs.  In addition to the Party Committee, Republicans have a PAC, the Senate Republican Leadership Committee, that raised almost $15,000, spent only about $5000, and has $173,000 in the bank.  Republicans have a money edge especially with both their Senate party committee and PAC.

House Party Committees.  With 2008 also being an election year for the Kansas House, the Kansans for a Democratic House (see Table 1 or Table 2)  raised almost $82,000, which was about $22,000 less than the $104,000 raised by the Republican House Campaign Committee (see Table 1 or Table 5).  While raising less money, the Democratic House committee spent $37,000, which was about $18,000 more than the $19,000 spent by House Republicans.  House Republicans have almost twice as much money in the bank with $111,000 compared with the House Democrats $56,000.  Republicans have a money edge in their House party committee.

State Parties and District Committees.  The biggest differences between Democrats and Republicans was in the amount of money raised and spent by the state parties, and amount of money raised and spent by the congressional district committees (See Table 1, Table 2, and Table 5).  Democrats in general had more large donors (Table 3) than the Republicans (Table 6).  The major difference between the parties is how the Democrats use a scheme to channel money through its congressional district committees (Chart 2) and treat the duly elected officers of these districts as PACs (Table 4.)   As a party committee, the congressional district party committees can contribute $15,000 to the state party each calendar year, while a PAC can only give $5000 per year to the party.

Why do we allow the four duly elected congressional district Democratic Party treasurers disenfranchised in their oversight of party money in their congressional district by the duly elected state party treasurer?  Would thes state KDP allow the national DNC to take over its political money? Why is the state party treasurer allowed to be the treasurer of FIVE separate party committees at the same time?

In 2005-2006, this scheme allowed a Los Angeles housewife to write six checks on one date that totaled $35,000 to the Kansas Democratic Party.  There are more than a dozen similar examples of huge contributions from a contributor writing multiple checks on a single date to groups controlled by the same treasurer in 2005-2006. 

The duly elected treasurers for the four Kansas Democratic Party Congressional District Committees are NOT the treasurers of "Party Committees" but rather are treasurers of PACs, namely, 

  • First District Democratic Party PAC, 

  • Kansas Democratic Second District Committee PAC, 

  • Kansas 3rd Congressional District Democratic Caucus PAC, 

  • Kansas 4th District Democratic Party Committee PAC. 

Dan Lykins, the duly elected treasurer of the statewide Kansas Democratic Party, also serves as the treasurer of all four congressional district "Party Committees".  Lykins is the treasurer of five different groups and often solicits five checks of the same amount from contributors on the same date. Kansas Democratic Party Chair,

While the scheme used by Kansas Democrats may be legal technically, it violates the spirit of Kansas law since Democratic Congressional Committees are simply "shells" to transfer money to the state party, and do little in support of their respective districts. This scheme allows a number of donors to exceed their $5000 contribution limit to the state party by a factor of four.

Even when there was an large "independent" expenditure by a district committee it was for the state party and not the district.  For example, the 4th District Democratic Tallgrass Committee spent $18,950 on a "statewide poll" with Cooper & Secrest Associates, Washington, DC on 11/30/2007.  This expenditure wasn't for the 4th District, but rather the state KDP.  The "congressional district" party committees have become part of the state party, and the local districts have no control over them.

Money Scheme is Old Trick.  The Kansas Democratic Party's money channeling scheme is not new.  In 2003-2004 Kansas Democrats used this scheme for channeling money from Dr. George Tiller, through his ProKanDo PAC, through the Congressional District Committees, to the Kansas Democratic Party to support candidates for the State Senate.  Also in 2003-2004 over $100,000 from Dr. Tiller may have been channeled through the Democratic Governor's Association, through the Congressional District Committees, to the Kansas Democratic Party.  By 2005-2006, Kansas Democrats had perfected this scheme and 16 or more groups channeled money to the KDP via their Congressional District Committees.  Also see Past Kansas Democratic Party Scandals/Controversy Involving Political Money Transfers.

In conclusion, we're likely to see variations of this money transfer scheme used in the 2008 elections in Kansas. 

Charts and Tables Summary

Chart 1.  Kansas Political Party Money Summaries for 2007

Chart 2.  Scheme Used by Kansas Democrats to Channel Money to the State Party Via Congressional Committees in 2007

Table 1. Summary of State Party, Recognized and Congressional District Committees for Democratic and Republican Parties in Kansas in 2007

Table 2.  Political Contributions and Expenditures for the Kansas Democratic Party Committees in 2007

Table 3.  Major Contributions and Expenditures for the Kansas Democratic Party Committees in 2007

Table 4.  "Political Action Committees" Maintained by Duly Elected Congressional District Committees

Table 5.  Political Contributions and Expenditures for the Kansas Republican Party Committees in 2007

Table 6.  Major Contributions and Expenditures for Kansas Republican Party Committees in 2007

Table 7.  Political Contributions and Expenditures for the Kansas Libertarian Party in 2007

Table 8.  Political Contributions and Expenditures for the Reform Party of Kansas in 2007

Table 9.  Political Contributions and Expenditures for the Kansas Constitution Party in 2007

Chart 2.  Scheme Used by Kansas Democrats 
to Channel Money to the State Party Via Congressional Committees in 2007

Notes:
  • The Bluestem Fund PAC (Kathleen Sebelius) wrote its five $5000 checks on the same date, March 16, 2007,
  • KNEA PAC wrote its five $5000 checks on the same date, Feb 23, 2007.
  • The Carpenters District Council of Kansas City & Vicinity (KCMO) and SEIU PEA Int'l (Washington, DC) do not file PAC reports since they are out-of-state.  Their "Verified Statements" are not put online and can only be viewed in the Secretary of State's Office in Topeka.
  • SEIU PEA checks for $5000 were received 4/12/2007 by Legislative Victory Fund (1st District), and  4/13/2007 by Legislative Victory Fund (2nd District) and Legislative Victory Fund (3nd District), Democratic Tallgrass (4th District).
  • Carpenters' District Council checks for $5000 were received on 6/11/2007 by all four district committees:  Legislative Victory Fund (1st District), Legislative Victory Fund (2nd District), Legislative Victory Fund (3rd District), Democratic Tallgrass (4th District).
  • The Kansas Democratic Party reported receiving the $15,000 checks on various dates:  8/28/2007 for Legislative Victory Fund (2nd District); 10/8/2007 for Legislative Victory Fund (1st District); 12/6/2007 for Legislative Victory Fund (3rd District) and Democratic Tallgrass (4th District).

 

 

Table 1. Summary of State Party, Recognized and Congressional District Committees
for Democratic and Republican Parties in Kansas in 2007

Source:  Reports online at Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission 
(Last Updated Feb 11, 2008)

 

Kansas Democratic Party Summary for 2007

Name $
Raised		 $
Spent		 $
In the Bank

Kansas Democratic Party

 $557,973 $539,487 $82,140

Senate Democrats Committee

 $67,100 $166,562 $141,024

Kansans for a Democratic House 

 $81,838 $37,202 $55,634

All Four Congressional Districts

 $202,769 $87,590 $142,321
GRAND TOTAL $909,680 $762,425 $421,119

 

Kansas Republican Party Summary for 2007

Name $
Raised		 $
Spent		 $
In the Bank

Kansas Republican Party

  $53,590  $65,693 $4,153 

Kansas Republican Senatorial Committee

 $78,964  $15,563 $243,130 

Republican House Campaign Committee

  $104,211 $19,942 $111,163
All Four Congressional Districts  $520  $234 $390
GRAND TOTAL $245,214 $107,148 $360,792

 

Table 2.  Political Contributions and Expenditures for the Kansas Democratic Party Committees in 2007

Name Report
City		 Committee Chair/
Treasurer		 State-
ment		 Jan 10, '08
Report		 $
Raised		 $
Spent		 $
In the Bank

Kansas Democratic Party

 Topeka* State Party Lawrence C Gates
Dan Lykins

S/O 

 200801 557KB $557,973 $539,487 $82,140

Senate Democrats Committee

 Topeka Senate Anthony Hensley
Timothy Graham

 S/O

 200801 789KB $67,100 $166,562 $141,024

Kansans for a Democratic House 

 Topeka House Dennis McKinney
Paul Davis

S/O 

 200801 291KB $81,838 $37,202 $55,634

Democratic Legislative Victory Fund - 1st district

 Topeka* 1st District Lawrence C Gates
Dan Lykins

S/O 

 200801 78.9KB $21,281 $15,222  $13,318

Democratic Legislative Victory Fund - 2nd district

 Topeka* 2nd District Lawrence C Gates
Dan Lykins

S/O 

 200801 70.9KB $20,219 $15,058  $11,962

Democratic Legislative Victory Fund - 3rd district 

 Topeka* 3rd District Lawrence C Gates
Dan Lykins

 S/O

 200801 235KB $63,241 $19,174 $50,433

Democratic Tallgrass Committee

 Topeka* 4th District Lawrence C Gates
Dan Lykins

S/O 

 200801 148KB $98,028 $38,136  $66,608
Total  All Congressional Districts $202,769 $87,590 $142,321
TOTAL All Committees Above $909,680 $762,425 $421,119

* Identical Address was used by KDP and its Congressional Committees:  700 SW Jackson, Suite 706, Topeka, KS

Table 3.  Major Contributions and Expenditures for the Kansas Democratic Party Committees in 2007

Name Major Contributions and Expenditures ($5000 or more)

Kansas Democratic Party

 $15,000 each from:
  • AFSCME People, Washington, DC
  • Steve Bing, Encino, CA
  • Democratic Governors Association, Washington, DC
  • Democratic Tallgrass Committee, Topeka
  • Fred Eychaner, Chicago, IL
  • Franklin Gaines, Hamilton, KS
  • Heavy Constructors Industry Advancement Fund, KC, MO
  • Kansas for a Democratic House (+$14,000 for "staff services")
  • Robert S Kaplan, New York, NY
  • Legislative Victory Fund (Third District), Topeka
  • Legislative Victory Fund (First District), Topeka
  • Legislative Victory Fund (Second District), Topeka
  • Thomas McDonnell, KC, MO, President DST
  • Mortgage Insurance Companies of America, Washington, DC
  • Phil Ruffin, Wichita
  • Senate Democratic Committee, Topeka

$13,000 each from 

  • Harper Hand Trucks, Wichita
  • Hyde Park, LLC, Wichita

$10,000 each from:

  • Archer Daniel Midland Co., Decatur, IL
  • IBEW Educational Committee, Washington, DC
  • William Koch, Palm Beach, FL
  • Palmer, Leatherman & White, LLP, Topeka
  • Sheet Metal Workers' International Assn, Washington, DC
  • UA Political Action Fund, Washington, DC

$5,000 each from:

  • Aflac, Inc., Columbus, GA
  • Altria Corp., New York, NY
  • Anheuser-Busch Co, St. Louis, MO
  • Bluestem Fund (Kathleen Sebelius), Topeka
  • Burlington Northern & Santa Fe Railway, Fort Worth, TX
  • Carpenter's District Council of KC & Vicinity, KC, MO
  • Charter of Kansas City Intertribal Gaming, Horton, KS
  • Committee for Industrial Local Unions, Topeka
  • Cox Communications, Atlanta, GA
  • GTECH, West Greenwich, RI
  • Erickson Retirement Communities, Baltimore, MD
  • Kansans for Lifesaving Cures, Lawrence, KS
  • Kansas Contractors Association PAC, Topeka
  • Kansas National Education Assocation PAC, Topeka
  • Kraft Foods Global, Inc, Glenview, IL
  • Machinists Non-Partisan Political League, Wichita
  • SEIU PEA International, Washington, DC
  • Wal-Mart, Bentonville, AR
  • Watco Companies, Inc., Pittsburg, KS

Major Expenditures (aggregate of expenditures of $5000 or more):

  • $298,508 to Kansas Democratic Party, Topeka, KCC Federal, H3 Transfer
  • $95,678 to Econ-O-Print, Topeka, Mail Printing
  • $16,204 to Central National Bank, Topeka, Payroll Taxes
  • $12,018 to Ramada Inn Downtown, Topeka
  • $31,500 to Craig Grant, Lawrence, Consulting
  • $5,255 to Hyatt Regency Wichita, State Committee Meeting

Senate Democrats Committee

 $5,000 each from:
  • KNEA PAC, Topeka
  • Kansas Contractors Association, Topeka
  • AFSCME, Washington, DC
  • Heavy Constructors, KC, MO
  • Sunflower Electric Power Corp, Hays

Major Expenditures (aggregate of expenditures of $5000 or more):

  • $15,000 to Kansas Democratic Party, "Contribution" 
    (+ $8000 for "Staff Services")

Kansans for a Democratic House 

 $5,000 each from:
  • KNEA PAC, Topeka

Major Expenditure:

  • $15,000 to Kansas Democratic Party, "2007 Contribution"

Democratic Legislative Victory Fund
1st district

 $5,000 each from:
  • Bluestem Fund (Kathleen Sebelius), Topeka
  • Carpenters' District Council of KC & Vicinity, Kansas City, MO
  • KNEA PAC, Topeka
  • SEIU PEA International, Washington, DC

Major Expenditure:

  • $15,000 to Kansas Democratic Party, "Contribution"

Democratic Legislative Victory Fund
2nd district

 $5,000 each from:
  • Bluestem Fund (Kathleen Sebelius), Topeka
  • Carpenters' District Council of KC & Vicinity, Kansas City, MO
  • KNEA PAC, Topeka
  • SEIU PEA International, Washington, DC

Major Expenditure:

  • $15,000 to Kansas Democratic Party, "Contribution"

Democratic Legislative Victory Fund
 3rd district 

 $5,000 each from:
  • Bluestem Fund (Kathleen Sebelius), Topeka
  • Carpenters' District Council of KC & Vicinity, Kansas City, MO
  • Fred Eychaner, Chicago, IL
  • KNEA PAC, Topeka
  • SEIU PEA International, Washington, DC

$848 in unitemized contributions 

Major Expenditure:

  • $15,000 to Kansas Democratic Party, "Contribution"

Democratic Tallgrass Committee

 $5,000 each from:
  • Anheuser-Busch Co., St. Louis
  • Bluestem Fund (Kathleen Sebelius), Topeka
  • Carpenters' District Council of KC & Vicinity, Kansas City, MO
  • Democratic Governors Association, Washington, DC
  • Fred Eychaner, Chicago, IL
  • Heavy Constructors Industry Advancement Fund, Kansas City, MO
  • Kansas Contractors Association PAC, Topeka
  • KNEA PAC, Topeka
  • Midwest Region Laborers' Political League, Springfield, IL
  • Greg Orman, Olathe
  • Pipefitters Local Union #533 Volunteer PAC
  • SEIU PEA International, Washington, DC

$848 in unitemized contributions 

Major Expenditure:

  • $18,950 to Cooper & Secrest Associates, Alexandria, VA, "Statewide Poll"
  • $15,000 to Kansas Democratic Party, "Contribution"

 

Table 4.  "Political Action Committees" Maintained by Duly Elected Democratic Congressional District Committees

Name Report
City		 Committee Chair/
Treasurer		 State-
ment		 Jan 10, '08
Report		 $
Raised		 $
Spent		 $
In the Bank

First District Democratic Party PAC

 Dodge City 1st District Vic Moser
Lawrence P Daniels

S/O

 200801 154KB $2,370 $624 $1,967

Kansas Democratic Second District Committee PAC

 Topeka 2nd District Claude Lee
Larry Wilson

S/O

 200801 138KB $1,175 $753 $758

Kansas 3rd Congressional District Democratic Caucus

 Olathe 3rd District Tom Thompson
Steve Wright

 S/O

 200801 448KB $3,205 $1,032 $4,058

Kansas 4th District Democratic Party Committee

 Wichita 4th District Elizabeth Kinch
Leroy Lehman

S/O

 200801 125KB  $608 $35 $1,947
Total  All Congressional Districts $7,358 $2,444 $4,792

 

 

Table 5.  Political Contributions and Expenditures for the Kansas Republican Party Committees in 2007

Name Report
City		 Committee Chair/
Treasurer		 State-
ment		 Jan 10, '08
Report		 $
Raised		 $
Spent		 $
In the Bank		 Comments

Kansas Republican Party

 Topeka State Party Kris W Kobach
David Thorne

 S/O

 200801 1.16MB  $53,590  $65,693 $4,153   

Kansas Republican Senatorial Committee

 Topeka Senate Barbara Allen
Karen Rippel

 S/O

 200801 415KB $78,964  $15,563 $243,130   

Republican House Campaign Committee

 Topeka House Arlen Siegfreid
Joe Patton

 S/O

Amendment
200801 323KB

  $104,211 $19,942 $111,163  
First Congressional District of the 
Kansas Republican Party		 Gem 1st District Randy Duncan
Steve Ziegelmeier		 S/O 200801 57KB  $520  $234 $390  

Second District Republican Committee

 Parker 2nd District Caryn Tyson
James J Blair

S/O 

 200801 213KB  $2319 $1979  $494   

Third District Republican Committee

 Kansas City 3rd District Ernest Straub III
Domingo Soto

S/O 

 200801 52KB  $0  $0 $272  Filed affidavit of exemption (received or spent less than $500). Cash in bank from Jan 10, 2007.

Fourth District Republican Committee

 Wichita 4th District Jamie J Woodworth
Mark A Kahrs

S/O 

 200801 762KB  $5660 $3737  $2346  
Total All Congressional Districts $8,449 $5,950 $3,502  
TOTAL All Committees Above $245,214 $107,148 $360,792  

 

 

Table 6.  Major Contributions and Expenditures for Kansas Republican Party Committees in 2007

Name Major Contributions and Expenditures ($5000 or more)

Kansas Republican Party

 Major Contributions:
  • $15,000 from Koch Industries, Wichita, KS
  • $8,220 from Polly Bales, Lawrence
  • $5,500 from Andrew Smith Homes, LLC, Overland Park
  • $5,330 in-kind from The Singularis Group, Topeka

$726 in unitemized contributions

Major Expenditures ($5000 or more):

  • $11,085 to The Source, Topeka, printing/postage
  • $5,000 to Ron Freeman, Topeka, "2006 Bonus"

Kansas Republican Senatorial Committee

 No major contributions or expenditures

Republican House Campaign Committee

 $5,000 each from:
  • William Bryant Campaign Fund ($5129), Washington, DC
  • Cox Communications, Atlanta, GA
  • EDS, Plano, TX
  • Heartland Surgical Specialty, Overland Park
  • Kansas for Doug Mays, Topeka
  • Pinnacle Entertainment, Las Vega, NV

Major Expenditures ($5000 or more):

  • $12,000, Cornerstone Strategy & Communication, LLC, West Palm Beach, FL,
    "Donor database"
First Congressional District of the 
Kansas Republican Party		 No major contributions or expenditures

$520 in unitemized contributions

Second District Republican Committee

 No major contributions or expenditures

$1190 in unitemized contributions; $383 in contributions when contributor not known

Third District Republican Committee

 No major contributions or expenditures

File "Affidavit of Exemption" with less than $500 raised or spent

Fourth District Republican Committee

 No major contributions or expenditures

$1055 in unitemized contributions;

 

Table 7.  Political Contributions and Expenditures for the Kansas Libertarian Party in 2007

Name Report
City		 Committee Chair/
Treasurer		 State-
ment		 Jan 10, '08
Report		 $
Raised		 $
Spent		 $
In the Bank

Kansas Libertarian Party

 Wichita State Party Rob Hodgkinson
Patrick Wilbur

 S/O

Amendment
200801 674KB

  $2762  $4706 $4038

No major contributions or expenditures

 

Table 8.  Political Contributions and Expenditures for the Reform Party of Kansas in 2007

Name Report
City		 Committee Chair/
Treasurer		 State-
ment		 Jan 10, '08
Report		 $
Raised		 $
Spent		 $
In the Bank		 Comments

Reform Party of Kansas

 St. Marys State Party Bad link

 S/O

 200801 159KB  $0  $0 $538  

No major contributions or expenditures

 

Table 9.  Political Contributions and Expenditures for the Kansas Constitution Party in 2007
[files as a PAC instead of a Party]

Name

Report
City

 Chair/
Treasurer		 State-
ment		 Jan 10, '08
Report		 $
Raised		 $
Spent		 $
In the Bank

Kansas Constitution Party
(formerly Kansas Taxpayers Party)

 Wichita

Cedric Boehr
Curtis Engelbrecht

 S/O 200801 101KB  $70 $66 $12

No major contributions or expenditures

Related:

efg

Send corrections, errors, or constructive criticism to:
K a n s a s M e a d o w l a r k @ g m a i l . c o m