There is a lot of negative information coming out about the firm hired to find “efficiencies” in Kansas government, including its schools, both in terms of the process by which it was hired and the work it has done in other states.

“Alvarez & Marsal, which has an office in Kansas City, Mo., donated to both of Gov. Sam Brownback’s gubernatorial campaigns, putting $2,000 toward his 2010 campaign and $1,000 toward his 2014 re-election campaign. None of the other firms made donations to Brownback…

“’There was no time for due diligence. We didn’t do any sort of outside investigation, doing some research to find out the reputation of these firms,” [Sen. Laura Kelly] said. ‘It was just all sort of hurried up and let’s ‘get-’er-done’ approach. … The only background we got was what the companies gave us.’

Read more here: http://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article37902045.html