PARTY FEUDS: Steineger to oppose Hensley: 'This is more about performance than philosophy.'

Battle develops for top Democratic leadership post in Kansas Senate

The failure of Democratic candidates to make gains in the Kansas Senate has prompted Sen. Chris Steineger to mount a challenge against Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley.

Steineger, of Kansas City, told Kansas Liberty today that he was in the beginning stages of attempting to unseat Hensley, who has been Minority Leader for 12 years.

“Whether it’s baseball or business, when you fail to perform you get replaced,” Steineger said. [ Read more...]

Behind the scenes, a closely-fought skirmish is being waged for control of the Kansas Senate

Legislative leadership contests are 'intimate and intense'

Four years ago, Nick Jordan, a veteran Senator from Shawnee, vied with Sen. Steve Morris of Hugoton for the position of Senate President, ultimately losing on a 16-14 vote.

Fast forward to now, and Jordan, fresh off an unsuccessful challenge to U.S. Rep. Dennis Moore, recalls that leadership contest as “one of the most difficult things I’ve been through in politics.”

Jordan offered insights into the Senate's complex and secretive leadership election process during a conversation with Kansas Liberty Thursday. [ Read more...]

Update: Slate supported by leader of liberal GOP group that claimed Ryun, Kline were associated with KKK gains control.

JoCo Republican showdown pits liberals against conservatives

In a classic liberal-conservative showdown, the Johnson County Republican Party met Monday night to determine who would serve as new officials for the organization.

The voting took place just hours after the announcement that 17 county precinct leaders, including some of those seeking to control the local party, have been suspended by the state Republican Party for giving donations to Democratic candidates.

The suspensions however had no effect on the night’s election. [ Read more...]

The secret to liberal success is simple, said one insider. 'It was apathy by conservatives.' GOP 'moderates' donated thousands to Democrats' campaigns.

JoCo GOP battle exposes party weaknesses

Monday night, a slate of liberal and left-center Republicans faced off against conservative Republicans for leadership positions in the Johnson County Republican Party and the moderates won in a walk.

The winning slate of candidates included Ronnie Metsker for chairman, Cathy Nugent for vice-chair, Marearl Denning for secretary and Mike Kuckelman for treasurer.

Metsker beat his opponent and former vice-chair of the JoCo Republican Party Arlene Krings in a 304-265 rout.[ Read more...]

• Extra: Who are the JoCo GOP precinct leaders who supported Democrats? The list is here. [ Read more...]

TILLER: The pre-trial hearing of a Wichita late-term abortion clinic operator opened last Monday in a Sedgwick County courtroom. Kansas Liberty had four reports:

'They are trying to kill a fly with a sledgehammer and they are missing,' said one observer.

First day of Tiller case marked by heated exchanges

The first day of a pretrial hearing in the case of late-term abortion-clinic operator George Tiller got underway today in Wichita.

Tiller was in the courtroom - wearing a button reading "Attitude is everything" - but the real focus of the case seemed to be on former Kansas Attorney Generals Phill Kline and Paul Morrison.

Tiller has been charged with 19-counts of allegedly performing illegal late-term abortions. The law outlaws late-term abortions unless a second, independent Kansas doctor agrees the procedure is necessary.[ Read more...]

Abortionist's lawyers hope to have case jettisoned because a previous case was launched by pro-life AG Phill Kline

Testimony continues in Tiller case

Lawyers for late-term abortionist Dr. George Tiller continued today to attempt to persuade a Sedgwick County judge that an investigation that led to the filing of 19 misdemeanor charges against Tiller was tainted because a previous case was launched by a former pro-life Attorney General, Phill Kline.

Kline's case was thrown out by a judge, but then reviewed by incoming Democratic Attorney General Paul Morrison. Morrison then resigned in a sex scandal. Tiller’s legal team is angling to have the case dismissed or to have evidence suppressed, claiming, among other things, that Morrison's ex-lover persuaded him to file the charges.

A Tiller attorney spent most of this morning questioning a former Attorney General’s Office investigator who had helped convince a judge to allow an inquisition into Tiller’s Wichita clinic, as well as a Planned Parenthood Clinic in Overland Park. [ Read more...]

Abortion clinic's attorney, said another lawyer, 'does like to yell.'

Tiller trial proceeds as courtroom tensions rise

Tensions continued today between late-term abortion clinic operator George Tiller's attorney and Assistant Attorney General Barry Disney in the Tiller abortion pre-trial proceedings which started Monday.

Tiller has been charged with 19 counts of performing late-term abortions before the patients had received a required second opinion from a non-affiliated physician.

The case originated with former Attorney General Phill Kline, was passed on to Paul Morrison when he was elected into the Attorney General’s office, and is now in the hands of current Attorney General Stephen Six. [ Read more...]

Except even if it were true, 'it doesn't change the facts of the case,' says Kline lawyer. An analysis of the hearings by Phil LaCerte

Surprise! Tiller lawyers contend Kline is a wild-eyed, right-wing anti-abortion zealot

During a pre-trial proceeding this week, lawyers for George Tiller, the infamous late-term abortionist who’s facing 19 abortion-related misdemeanor counts in Sedgwick County, attempted to revive one of the most familiar characterizations in modern Kansas jurisprudence.

Tiller's attorneys portrayed former Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline as a wild-eyed, right-wing radical who launched an investigation into Tiller’s clinic based on his overzealous opposition to abortion.

It's a familiar trope whenever a case involving Kline and abortion makes its way into court. Judging from the constant media spotlight placed on Kline no matter how tangential his involvement in a given story, he seems such a favorite target of the left, that if he didn't exist, abortion advocates might have to invent him.[ Read more...]

DEPT. OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES: Kansas Catholic Conference: 'If it ever got to the point where Catholic hospitals were ordered to do procedures they think are morally unacceptable then they will shut down.'

Obama's rush to support abortion may end up closing Catholic hospitals

President Bush is trying to get one last proposal passed before leaving office, but it’s a proposal that’s in direct contradiction to legislation President-elect Barack Obama is planning on advocating once in office.

Bush’s broad initiative would prohibit establishments which receive federal funding from discriminating against any health care worker that does not want to assist, or perform abortions or sterilizations because of religious beliefs or moral objections.

The proposed rule would also prevent a range of health-care facilities, including pharmacies, from requiring their workers to “assist in the performance of any part of a health service program or research activity” funded by the Department of Health and Human Services if the activity violated religious convictions.[ Read more...]

HOLCOMB: Sunflower Electric contends the Sebelius administration violated equal protection and interstate commerce clauses of Constitution in denying air quality permit

New front opens in battle over proposed coal plant expansion

Another front in the battle over an expansion of a coal-fired power plant in Holcomb was opened Tuesday, when Sunflower Electric Power Corporation filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging the denial of an air quality permit.

The suit will have no bearing on an ongoing state action that also has been launched by Sunflower.

“The state action relates to what authority (KDHE Secretary) Rod Bremby had or didn’t have,” said Clare Gustin, a Sunflower spokesperson. [ Read more...]

CLIMATE CHANGE: Sebelius chaired the climate change meeting. Obama sees more 'green' jobs. Economic forecasters see economic disaster.

Obama endorses cap and trade system during summit of Governors

President-elect Barack Obama reiterated his intention to implement a cap and trade system during a brief videotaped address to the Governor’s Global Climate Summit in Beverly Hills today.

The summit was organized by California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and chaired by Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius.

It was Obama’s first speech on global warming since his election, but it may have sent a chill through some of those worried about the faltering economy.[ Read more...]

NEW TREASURER: Appointment removes one of the few Democratic moderates from a leadership post in the House

Sebelius names Dennis McKinney state treasurer

Tuesday morning, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius announced the appointment of House Democratic Leader Dennis McKinney, a Greensburg Democrat, as state treasurer.

McKinney, who had been mentioned as a possible replacement in previous reports, will be taking over for current treasurer Lynn Jenkins.

Jenkins, who defeated Second Congressional District Democrat incumbent Nancy Boyda, announced that she was leaving the treasurer position early so she could prepare for her first term as a U.S. Representative. [ Read more...]

GAMING IN KANSAS: Harrah's folds in Mulvane, seeks return of its $25 million ante.

Another casino operator tells Kansas that gambling's bad business

The fledgling state-owned gambling industry suffered yet another blow today when the company picked to manage a casino in Mulvane announced it was backing out.

Harrah’s, who, along with partner Sumner Gaming and Resorts, was chosen by the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission to operate the Mulvane facility, also asked for a return of a $25 million “privilege fee” it paid for the right to manage the casino.

Harrah’s attributed its decision to current economic conditions, which have had an impact on casino financing. [ Read more...]

HIGHER EDUCATION: New web-based tool allows taxpayers to see how the community college spends its $145 million budget.

JCCC offers 'transparency 101'

Johnson County Community College is creating a new tool that will allow Kansans to look at how their tax dollars are being spent.

The portal will be a website, set to be available to the public by early next year. The site will allow taxpayers access to a searchable, extensive funding database that looks into JCCC finances.

The tool will be a vast improvement of the funding information that is currently available for JCCC, said JCCC trustee and former state representative Ben Hodge. [ Read more...]

Comment: If we  approached the financial mess the same way we approached a stuck tractor, we'd all be better off, says Main Street Money columnist Bill Wyckoff.

Taking a wrench to the economy

It’s too bad life can’t be like an old John Deere tractor.  They're simple to operate,  built never to be obsolete, and are able to adjust to conditions years after they left the factory.

These honest, two-cylinder machines have operated on everything from coal oil to white lightning. 

My granddad had one of these tractors and he would drain out all the oil during the cold winter months, bring it into the house and set the oil next to the pot belly stove to warm it so the old tractor would start later that day. The tractor had steel wheels so he didn’t have flat tires and he started it by turning the flywheel so a battery wasn’t needed either. [Read more...]

The Week on the Web

Foreign news 1. David Orkin, a reporter and Laura Ingalls Wilder fan from Britian's Independent newspaper comes to Kansas in search of the original "little house" and discovers lots and lots of prairie:

Independence, 13 miles away, is the closest town of any significant size, and in its Mount Hope Cemetery you can visit the grave of George A Tann (known as "Dr Tan" in the book), who treated the Ingalls family for "fever'n'ague" (as malaria was known back then); he died in 1909, of natural causes. Covering over 82,000 square miles, Kansas is still a huge wheat-producing state. Not far to the west of the Little House are the Flint Hills, which cover acres of undulating, virtually treeless prairie. 

Don't worry. There's also a Wizard of Oz reference, too. But all in all, less patronizing than the usual New York-or-Los Angeles Times coverage.

Foreign news 2. In fact, according to the Los Angeles Times, Pratt, Kansas, is about out of gas:

Already battered by other market forces, the ethanol industry has been hit hard by the banking world’s credit crunch, and the seemingly bright future of corn-based biofuel has been cast in doubt. In Pratt, Kansas, the grinding mill machinery stands silent inside the Gateway Ethanol plant. It was open for less than six months before running out of money, and there were no bank loans available to keep it going. The firm recently filed for bankruptcy...Less than two years ago, the idea of distilling corn into a gasoline substitute won over Wall Street and rural residents alike, with visions of reviving the weakened farm economy and investing in greater U.S. energy independence and renewable energy. Other agricultural businesses – from local cooperatives to small-town merchants – saw a boost, as farmers suddenly had money for new clothes, spa visits and farming equipment.

Imagine. Farmers with enough money to buy new clothes! Those were the days.

Old acquaintances we forgot. The Nancy Boyda fan site - The Boyda Bloc - is calling it quits, at least under the Boyda banner. That is so :( 

But on the :) side,  the Bloc is relaunching under the Jackass banner! The high standards Boyda apparently hoped to represent in the US Congress are being maintained by her adoring crew at Kansas Jackass (motto: "Witty and Irreverent, with a Left-Hoofed Kick'). Among the Jackass' first posts: a character assassination of "The Biggest Jackass in Kansas: Lynn Jenkins." Here's the witty part:

Poor Lynn- it really isn't any good when the first news story about you after the upset election you just won is all about your crumbling family life.

Talk about a side-splitter. Nobody's wittier and more irreverent than those Boyda Dems! (Unless it's one of those witty, irreverent KTRM Reps!)

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