“Republican for Moore” Mary Ca Ralstin runs for State Board of Ed but supported teacher busted with marijuana?

Mary Ca Ralstin recently appeared at a candidate forum with her opponent, Brandon Kenig, to discuss education issues in Kansas. While Ralstin is a passionate advocate for education, she seems to act like a Democratic Party activist while calling herself a Republican. Is this deception, or advancing one’s political agenda, or both?

At the candidate forum, why was Ralstin not asked about policy questions related to teachers having drugs at school? Unbelievably, in 2005 Ralstin supported a teacher dismissed for having drugs in a high school parking lot.

From Channel 9 on Nov 22, 2004:

KMBC’s Peggy Breit reported that Albert Spungen, 52, a social studies teacher, was pulled over for a routine traffic violation in the school’s parking lot.

The officer smelled marijuana and a search of the car allegedly turned up a small amount of pot and a pipe

Later Mary Ca Ralstin appeared on Fox 4 talking about Mr. Spungen:

“There are some teachers that are not good role models, and there are some that are. He is a good role model and I think the school needs to keep him.”

Who might be an example of a “bad” role model in Mary Ca Ralstin’s mind? The Ralstin family took the Shawnee Mission Northwest “Safe Home Pledge” that under age drinking or illegal drugs would not be allowed in their home, but then supported a teacher busted with illegal drugs in the school parking lot?

For the last three elections cycles (six years) Ralstin has supported Democratic Congressman Dennis Moore over various Republican opponents through a “Republicans for Moore” group of Democrats masquerading as Republicans. The following gives a chronology of Ralstin’s political activities as a “Republican for Moore”:

Chronology of Mary Ca Ralstin’s Political Activities

An enlarged version of the above Republicans for Moore 2002 political ad:

Note in 2002 the Republicans for Moore were endorsed by the Mainstream Coalition’s MAIN*PAC and Kansas Families United for Public Education (now called Kansas Families for Education).

In a March 2002 Letter to the KC Star, Ralstin mocked Culture of Life leaders using some rather twisted logic:

“school funding [was] a moral issue” more important than the unborn.

“The legislators who have the courage to stand up and do the right thing by the majority of children who are here now are the real heroes of life.”

In Feb 2004, Ralstin wrote a letter to the Hutchinson News, “Education must cross party lines.”

In early 2004 Ralstin served on two different groups supporting Democratic candidate, General Wesley Clark, for President.

In addition to being part of the Republicans for Moore 2004 ad, Ralstin wrote an anti-Kobach letter to the Kansas City Star in Oct 2004 in support of Democrat Dennis Moore.

Ralstin was “randomly” picked to ask a question at the Moore-Kobach debate in 2004 that she intended to be embarrassing to Kobach.

Note that Republican for Moore Sue Gamble also supported Democrat Dennis Moore along with a long list of Johnson County cultural elite.

This picture was taken of Ralstin’s front yard in Shawnee in Oct 2004 since she was a Republican for Moore:

Ralstin was a registered Republican voter, but she seemed to support only liberal Republicans, like Stephanie Sharp, or Democrats, like Dennis Moore for Congress, Peter Roman for State Senate, and the liberal group, Kansas Families United for Public Education.

According to Kansas Governmental Ethics reports, Mary Ca Ralstin in 2004 contributed $50 to Democrat Pete Roman for State Senate District 10 (against Republican Senator Nick Jordan), and $100 to Democrat Nate Hogan for State Senate 8 (against Republican Senator Barbara Allen). What’s a bit curious here is many Republicans consider Barbara Allen as being “moderate” if not “liberal”, yet “Republican” Ralstin gives money to the Democrat candidate instead of a moderate Republican?

[Kansas contribution data from the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission.]

Ralstin opposed the Kansas Marriage Amendment in Spring 2005. From a Kansans for Fairness press release on April 1, 2005:

Ralstin said many parishioners are e-mailing each other about the need to defeat the amendment. She said she didn’t think the amendment was either moral or necessary. “I feel like this amendment isn’t going to do anything to protect my marriage or any one else’s marriage,” Ralstin said. “I don’t think it’s very moral to make somebody else a second-class citizen.”

Ralstin wrote an anti-Doug Mays (Republican, Speaker of the House) to the Hutchinson News, July 2005.

Ralstin wrote an anti-Nick Jordan (Republican, State Senator) letter to the Shawnee Dispatch, Sept. 2005.

Ralstin appeared on KC Fox 4 in Sept 2005 to oppose the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR). How Ralstin support accountability and fiscal responsibility in government?

Ralstin was elected a Republican precinct committee woman with 22 write-in ballots in her Shawnee 4-5 precinct. Shortly after being elected, Ralstin gave $250 to Democrat Dennis Moore for Congress. Did Ralstin tell her Republican neighbors she was a “Republican for Moore” when she ran as a Republican precinct committeewoman and asked for their write in votes?

[FEC contribution information from Open Secrets]

Ralstin serve as a Kansas Families United for Public Education volunteer at the State Fair in Hutchinson in Sept.

[Kansas contribution data from the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission.]

Ralstin wrote an anti-Phill Kline (Republican, former Attorney General and newly elected JoCo District Attorney) letter to the Kansas City Star on Dec 24, 2006.

Ralstin is endorsed by these liberal groups in her bid for State Board of Education:

• Kansas Families for Education PAC
• KNEA PAC
• MAIN*PAC

Suprisingly, Ralstin did NOT receive the endorsement of the Greater Kansa City Women’s Political Caucus who is only endorsing Democrat Sue Storm.

• “Using the moderate-conservative continuum … characterize your political views…” (the Ralstin-Kenig candidate forum), Kansas Meadowlark, July 22, 2008.
• “Republican for Moore” Running for Kansas Senate as a Republican (Sue Gamble), Kansas Meadowlark, June 11, 2008.
• Republicans For Moore — the last five election cycles, Kansas Meadowlark, Feb 28, 2007.
• Republican-for-Moore Daughter Supports Teacher Busted for Marijuana But Wanted Random Drug Testing of Fellow Students?, Kansas Meadowlark, Nov 27, 2004.

Tags: Brandon Kenig, Kansas Primary Election 2008, Mary Ca Ralstin, State Board of Education District 2