The House Judiciary Committee has voted to pass the constitutional amendment 12-10. By our count, voting in favor (are they representing you?) were Alford, Berquist, Davis (sitting in for Wheeler), Garber, Huebert, Humphries, Jennings, Mastroni, Osterman, Patton, Ralph, Whitmer. As Chair, Finch didn’t vote but clearly supported the amendment. Voting against the amendment (please thank them) were Becker, Bishop, Carmichael, Cox, Curtis, Elliott, Highberger, Hodge, Kuether, Miller.
We were particularly disappointed with commentary from Jennings, Ralph and Finch who ignored the message Kansans sent with the 2016 elections in which they ousted ultraconservatives and retained all the Supreme Court justices and talked about “letting the people vote” without acknowledging the role that dark money would play in a popular vote. We are too familiar with deceptive post cards and are fully aware of which side has the greater financial resources for mailers and paid media ads.
Those opposing the amendment cited emails from Kansans asking them to vote against it. Now send those emails to your representative in the House as that’s where the amendment goes now.
We still believe this measure will not get 2/3 majority in the House, but we would have preferred to see this bad idea blocked in committee.
Originally published to Facebook on April 4, 2018.