Sebelius' third veto of the Holcomb power plant puts added pressure on the Speaker.

Is one term enough?

Rep. Michael O’Neal, R-Hutchinson, who was narrowly defeated two years ago in a contest for the position of House Speaker, confirmed Friday that he is considering a challenge to Speaker Melvin Neufeld, the Ingalls Republican.

The move to unseat Neufeld came in the wake of a much-criticized legislative session. O'Neal described the session "disappointing."

“It’s not like I woke up one morning and decided it would be a great idea (to challenge Neufeld),” O’Neal told Kansas Liberty. “There were a lot of people in our caucus who came to me and were disturbed by what they saw this session, and that includes some people who did not support me two years ago.”

Specifically, O’Neal said legislators were “disgruntled” by the failure of the House twice to override a veto by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius and allow an expansion of the coal-fired Sunflower Plant in Humboldt. The vetoes came in the face of widespread support in the Legislature for the plant.

Over the weekend, Sebelius vetoed the expansion plan a third time. [ Read more...]

Gaming industry helped frame state gambling laws.

Supreme Court hears arguments on state-owned casinos

The Kansas Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday on the constitutionality of the Kansas Expanded Lottery Act that purports to allow state-owned casinos in Kansas. The state is gambling hundreds of millions of dollars in revenues that the court will rule it constitutional for the state of Kansas to own and operate gambling casinos.

A ruling is expected June 27.

The case was brought forward by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius who asked the attorney general's office to test the legality of state-owned casinos in order to calm jitters from outside gaming industry investors.[ Read more...]

Archbishop says excommunication is an option

Sebelius again warned away from Communion

The archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kan., reiterated this week his request that Gov. Kathleen Sebelius refrain from taking Communion because of her support for abortion. He said several options, including excommunication, were available to him if Sebelius continued to receive the sacrament.

Archbishop Joseph Naumann issued the rare public admonition after learning that Sebelius has received Communion after vetoing an abortion reform bill and despite have been requested to refrain from presenting herself for Communion.

Sebelius vetoed the Comprehensive Abortion Reform Act that would have allowed family members to seek a court order to prevent a woman from having an illegal late-term abortion, provided more information to women contemplating an abortion and protected women from being coerced into unwanted abortions.

The governor’s office has indicated that Sebelius intends to address the issue in a letter to the archbishop. As of Friday, no letter had been received, said Carroll Macke of the Archdiocese Communication and Planning Office. [ Read more...]

“How could you tell the good guys from the bad guys?”

Board of Regents bans handguns on state campuses

The controversy surrounding the right of adult students at Kansas universities to carry concealed weapons took a turn on Wednesday when the Kansas Board of Regents directed all six state universities to create a uniform policy that would forbid the carrying of guns on state campuses.

Gary Sherrer, one of nine regents, told Kansas Liberty he supported the board’s decision, despite the rapid growth of a student organization, Students for Concealed Carry, in the wake of the shooting spree by a gunman at Virginia Tech.  [ Read more...]

Fewer Kansans willing to support Obama if Sebelius is on the ticket.

McCain leads Obama in state poll

His mother may be from El Dorado and Gov. Kathleen Sebelius may be one of his biggest boosters, but according to a Rasmussen poll released Thursday, John McCain is enjoying a twenty-one percentage point advantage over Barack Obama among Kansas voters. 

The poll found 55 percent of respondents supported John McCain, while 34 percent supported Barack Obama.  In 2004, George W. Bush carried Kansas by 25 points. [ Read more...]

The Week on the Web

Spiked! Jim Cates, one of the most popular radio talk show hosts in Kansas, was unceremoniously dumped from Topeka's KMAJ by an eager exec named Spike Santee, a Democrat sent by Cumulus Broadcasting to run the very Republican station. Listeners are agitated, advertisers are pulling out and Santee has run for cover, refusing all interview requests. The Kansas Meadowlark has the story.

Kansas Supreme Court blocks execution. The court's upending of the 1996 death sentence given to Gavin Scott for murdering a Goddard couple is discussed by the lawyer/bloggers at Kansas Defenders:

In reversing Scott’s death sentence, the court held that the jury instructions used for mitigating factors could have caused reasonable jurors to believe that unanimity was required to find mitigating circumstances.

Scott will be given a new sentencing hearing in Sedgwick County. 

Toting up the bill. Wichita Liberty picks up a Karl Peterjohn op-ed asking a question made even more timely by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' third veto of the Holcomb power plant Saturday: "How much more will Kansas electricity cost in your future?"

You don't say. It won't come as a surprise to anyone familiar with recent history, but Michael Zak - aka the Grand Old Partisan - recounts the crucial Republican role in writing the Brown v Board of Education decision.  

A Preview of the Coming Week

Monday Monday. The week kicks off with our weekly column by Denis Boyles

Ruff Around the Edges - on Wednesdays, usually, from L. Candy Ruff.

And a thoughtful new weekend column, The Country Party, by Caleb Stegall.