Ethics

Don Jordan, Secretary of the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services, sent a letter to an unknown list of Home and Community Based Service (HCBS) providers recently asking for information on behalf of the Service Employees International Union/SEIU including:

attendants’ names,
addresses,
telephone numbers.

Read the text of the letter below (or click on the [...]

Continue reading about SEIU collecting names from Kansas SRS and Dept of Aging a payback for $100,000 contribution to Sebelius’ PAC?

Today’s Kansas Government Ethics teleconference meeting dealt with two requests for waivers of civil penalties for late lobbyist reports, and two opinion requests about outside employment by state workers.

Continue reading about Single wrong digit results in $150 penalty from Kansas Ethics Commission

In a case involving widespread rumors at the state capitol, politics, and an exception provided by an old law, the Kansas Ethics Commission ruled that House Speaker Mike O’Neal (R-Hutchinson) had not violated state ethics laws.
The complaint was brought by Democratic State Rep Marti Crow (D-Leavenworth) after O’Neals wife was hired by the chief of [...]

Continue reading about Kansas Ethics Commission finds House Speaker Mike O’Neal did not violate nepotism law (video)

Frustrated that the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission took no action on a complaint, last August Kris Van Meteren talked to the press explaining some details in his complaint. But,  Kansas law currently gags someone after filing an ethics complaint — even after the Commission fails to act — and Van Meteren was fined $7500 [...]

Continue reading about Ethics Commission declines action on $17,500 claim in Free Speech case (video)

Earl Glynn on May 16th, 2009

On Wednesday, at the monthly meeting of the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission, Executive Director Carol Williams explained three changes to ethics laws in Kansas recently enacted by the Kansas legislature.

Continue reading about New Ethics Laws Enacted by the Kansas Legislature

After a secret Executive Session held by telephone conference call today, the Ethics Commission announced the complaint was being dropped against Kris Van Meteren for violation of Ethics Commission confidentiality rules.  Van Meteren was fined $7500 in Feb. by the Ethics Commission.
The Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission released an opinion from the Attorney General’s office about [...]

Continue reading about Attorney General Says Kansas Ethics Confidentiality Rules are Unconstitutional

Kris Van Meteren was fined $7500 by the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission in February in somewhat of an unusual case.
In March Van Meteren filed a law suit in Shawnee County District Court asking for judicial review of the case.
There was secret hour-long Executive Session during the April Ethics Commission meeting, with a member of the [...]

Continue reading about Kansas Ethics Commission’s Response to Van Meteren’s Request for Judicial Review

The Ethics Commission announced this morning a change in the location and the agenda for their  monthly meeting scheduled for Wednesday.  The meeting is back in the Commission’s conference room and will now only be a telephone conference call.
One big item has been dropped from the current agenda:  The public hearing of complaint No. 443 [...]

Continue reading about Big Agenda Change in Ethics Commission Meeting on Wednesday

Mark Simpson was introduced as a new member of the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission at its meeting last week.  Simpson was appointed by Kansas House Minority Leader, Paul Davis, and replaced Carol Zimmerman on the Commission.
Simpson gave this short introduction to other members of the Commission:
“I live in Lawrence … I’m an Assistant District Attorney [...]

Continue reading about New Kansas Gov’t Ethics Commissioner: Former Democratic Party Executive Director & Morrison campaign manager

Earl Glynn on April 16th, 2009

After a second secret executive session today, the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission announced that one of the hearings next month will involve the Kansas Speaker of the House, Mike O’Neal (R-Hutchinson).
The Ethics complaint alleges that that O’Neal violated Kansas law “by advocating or causing the transfer of employment as well as participating in an action [...]

Continue reading about Kansas Speaker of the House Faces Ethics Hearing Next Month