Felony charges against Kansas Rep. Steve Watkins just the latest disturbing allegations

Republican voters in the Kansas 2nd Congressional District have an important decision to make, and lots of thinking to do.

The incumbent congressman, Rep. Steve Watkins, faces three felony counts in Shawnee County, all related to alleged voter fraud in connection with a 2019 Topeka city election.

Authorities allege Watkins unlawfully voted in advance, voted without being qualified and lied to investigators about the incident.

Watkins has called the charges “suspicious” and “hyper political.” Like all criminal defendants, he is entitled to a presumption of innocence and a fair trial based on facts and the law.

But the House Republican leadership should isolate Watkins from any committee responsibility until the case is decided. And Kansas Republicans should seriously ask themselves if the first-term congressman deserves their vote in the Aug. 4 primary.

If he wins the nomination, all residents of the district will undoubtedly wonder if sending a criminal suspect back to Washington is the right thing to do.

That’s especially true in this case, because Watkins’ resume has always been problematic.

Now, the congressman is accused of using a Topeka UPS store as his voter registration address, and then voting in the wrong city council district in 2019. Watkins has admitted registering to vote with the mailing address, not his residence, but his staff calls the mistake “inadvertent.”

That’s your first clue that something is amiss. What congressman can’t get his own residential address right? Watkins has a responsibility to know the law and to register correctly.

He also has a responsibility to tell the truth. Charging documents claim Watkins lied to an investigator in 2019. Conviction on that allegation alone should be enough to disqualify Watkins from office.

But Watkins’ legal and ethical woes extend beyond potential voter fraud and deceit. The Federal Election Commission is taking a look at so-called “straw man” donations made by his father in 2018.

Investigators think Watkins’ father may have provided funds to others so they could donate to his son. “I had no idea that was improper,” he told The Star in February.

There have been other questions raised about the family’s help in funding Watkins’ career. His residency is an issue. In 2018, his role in a climbing incident on Mount Everest was mischaracterized. His business background is hazy.

His loyalty to the Republican party has been questioned, too. His short political career has been marked by controversy, poor decision-making, and one disturbing allegation after another.

Now these charges.

It might be easier for Republican voters to ignore these concerns if Watkins were their only choice in the Aug. 4 primary. As it turns out, though, there are two other well-qualified candidates on the GOP ballot: Jake LaTurner and Dennis Taylor. Both deserve voters’ attention before Election Day.

The Kansas 2nd District needs quality representation in Washington. There is little evidence Rep. Watkins has met that standard, and three felony charges make it worse.

We urge Republicans to carefully consider their choices. If they do, Watkins’ short political career is in jeopardy.

This story was originally published July 15, 2020 at 4:42 PM with the headline "Felony charges against Kansas Rep. Steve Watkins just the latest disturbing allegations."