Effort to muzzle Van Meteren's right to free speech backfires on Williams

Ethics Commission under fire after 'scolding' by attorney general

A growing storm of criticism — including a humiliating public scolding by the attorney general's office — is leading some public officials to call for an overhaul of the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission. [Read more...]

Commission’s actions represented government abuse based on political favoritism, lawyer says

Commission caves on Van Meteren charge

Challenged with legal action, the Kansas Ethics Commission Wednesday rescinded a fine it levied against an Ozawkie man who filed complaints alleging campaign finance abuses by a Kansas senator and then discussed the complaints with media outlets, including Kansas Liberty. The commission's action came after the attorney general's office released a decision that said the commission's $7,500 fine was a violation of free speech rights. [Read more...]

LAW ENFORCEMENT: Wednesday hearing also to decide whether gag order on judge can be removed.

State Supreme Court to decide on Planned Parenthood subpoenas

Kansas' abortion providers will once again be in the spotlight tomorrow as the Kansas Supreme Court weighs in on attempts to subpoena records to ensure that Kansas’ abortion laws are being monitored. [Read more...]

Prosecution asks court to explain why it put a gag order on a judge after he suggested Planned Parenthood had 'manufactured' records.

Kansas Supreme Court hears Planned Parenthood case

A much-anticipated hearing before the state Supreme Court took place Wednesday, when the justices heard Kansas vs. Comprehensive Health of Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri — a case that involves allegedly doctored evidence, a controversial former district attorney personally despised by at least one of the justices and a district court judge who had been silenced to prevent him from testifying about the evidence he had seen. [Read more...]

Latest poll also shows fewer think abortion should be legal 'under any circumstances'

Gallup: More Americans 'pro-life' than 'pro-choice' for first time

According to a new Gallup Poll conducted May 7-10, 51 percent of Americans now call themselves "pro-life" while only 42 percent describe themselves as "pro-choice." [Read more...]

STATEHOUSE: A new version of the same-old 'moderate' Republican-Democratic coalition keeps conservatives at bay one more time.

Legislative sessions ends — and for conservatives, that's the good news

The Kansas Legislature adjourned in the early hours of Saturday morning, the final day of the session. The session, which spanned 88 days, ended much as it started — with "moderate" Republicans and Democrats joining forces to draft and pass budget legislation, leaving the "moderate" Senate leadership stronger than ever, and the conservative House leadership on life-support. [Read more...]

POLITICS: Johanns endorses Moran; Hastert for Tiahrt. Moran on CSPAN Wednesday morning to talk about Gitmo.

Endorsements coming fast and furious in Moran-Tiahrt race

The endorsements keep flowing in the tightly contested campaign between Kansas Congressmen Todd Tiahrt and Jerry Moran, two Republicans who are vying to replace Sen. Sam Brownback in the Senate. [Read more...]

Former lawmaker joins the list of appointed top state officials.

Parkinson appoints Findley lieutenant governor

After two weeks in office, Gov. Mark Parkinson has announced the appointment of Troy Findley, 44, as state lieutenant governor. Findley is not a household name in Kansas — neither is Parkinson, for that matter — but he is well-known in the capital as a former Democratic legislator who has worked as the chief of staff in the governor’s office since 2005. [Read more...]

ENERGY: Tiahrt: Cap and trade will ‘cap our economic growth and trade our jobs’

White House memo says president’s expensive cap-and-trade plan isn’t grounded in sound science

A White House memo described as a "smoking gun" by the senator who unveiled it at a committee hearing this week casts doubt on the wisdom of regulating carbon dioxide and other so-called greenhouse gas emissions, arguing that the scheme would “have serious economic consequences” on the entities it would regulate. [Read more...]

BIG GOVERNMENT: Private sector continues to shrink. KU Prof: 'The larger the government is relative to the economy, the slower the economy grows.'

Federal figures show increase in government jobs in Kansas

The most recent state employment data from the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that government continues to expand in Kansas while the private sector is shedding jobs. [Read more...]

PROPERTY RIGHTS: Sponsor says the measure is just a first step in limiting the power of municipalities.

Bill limiting cities' annexation power arrives on Parkinson’s desk

A bill that would limit the authority of cities to annex unincorporated land was a partial victory for property rights, but the bill sponsor said the measure was just a start and that he would seek additional limitations next year. [Read more...]

COMMENT: Washington, D.C., is showing us that when it comes to stress tests, the one to pass is the one that helps you learn from others. Bill Wyckoff explains.

Valuable mistakes

Washington is big on stress tests these days. Sometimes the best stress test is to see whether or not you learned your lessons from the mistakes of others. [Read more...]

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