As KS Democrats seek ouster of Republicans who challenged election, Kelly remains silent
The Kansas Democratic Party wants four of the state’s Congressional Republicans expelled for their role in spreading misinformation about the 2020 election before a mob stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.
Former Democratic Gov. Kathleen Sebelius says they should resign. Rep. Sharice Davids wants them to admit they “did not act in good faith.”
But the state’s leading elected Democrat, Gov. Laura Kelly, has been silent.
On Tuesday, her office declined to comment on whether Kelly believes Sen. Roger Marshall and Reps. Tracey Mann, Jake LaTurner and Ron Estes should resign or be otherwise held accountable for their votes against certifying President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory.
Kelly has condemned the violence in Washington.
In her State of the State speech last week she criticized the “destruction, violence and sedition” at the Capitol while calling for bipartisanship and for Kansans to be better than those in Washington. Following the aftermath of the Jan. 6 attack, she also condemned violence against journalists and police while calling for unity. But that’s as far as she’s gone.
Sebelius, her former neighbor and mentor who encouraged her to run for governor, has placed partial blame for the violence at the feet of Kansas congressional Republicans and state Attorney General Derek Schmidt, who signed Kansas onto a baseless lawsuit alleging voter fraud in the swing state of Pennsylvania.
On Saturday, The Star published a guest column by Sebelius, slamming them for “claiming shock at the violence, pretending that they were not the instigators.”
“These elected officials should resign, as they have violated the oath of office they took, which promises that they will ‘support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America.’” Sebelius wrote. “Nothing could be less supportive of our Constitution than denying the right of all voters to cast ballots, and for those votes to be counted.
The Kansas Democratic Party called for the expulsion of Marshall, Mann, LaTurner and Estes.
“Marshall, Mann, LaTurner, and Estes acted in bad faith by leveraging fringe theories and blatant disinformation to challenge the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election results,” said chairwoman Vicki Hiatt.
Democrats are not criticizing Kelly for her reticence. They said they recognize that she has her hands full trying to advance a legislative agenda through a Republican-controlled Legislature while preparing for a re-election bid in 2022.
“I think Laura Kelly has her own fish to fry in trying to get her legislation passed. I’m fine with her where she is right now,” said Chris Reeves, the Kansas Democratic national committeeman. “It’s really her job to get things done and it’s our job, it’s the party’s job...we are the ones that go out and advance the narrative of here’s what they’ve really done and here’s the harm they’ve done to our country.”
Kelly’s statements thus far are consistent with her political style, said Sen. Cindy Holscher, an Overland Park Democrat.
“She takes an approach of not just caution but just making sure she thoroughly understands a situation,” Holscher said. “I don’t think there’s been an issue with the timing.”
Holscher said she felt resignation is appropriate for those who incited insurrection and said the state senate is preparing a resolution that would condemn the riots at the capitol but would not call out specific officials.
Democrats in Kansas, she said, have done all they can.
“Prominent Democrats have put information out there,” Holscher said. “We need to see something happening from within the Republican Party to see if they’re going to tolerate insurrectionists.”
The Star’s Jonathan Shorman contributed to this story.
This story was originally published January 19, 2021 at 4:02 PM.
