By the Associated Press and KFDI News:
A top Republican legislator’s complaint has launched an investigation into whether a commission that screens Kansas Supreme Court applicants violated the state’s open meetings law.
Senate President Susan Wagle of Wichita is objecting to how the nominating commission used paper ballots in picking three finalists in mid-October for Democratic governor Laura Kelly to consider in filling a vacancy. How each member voted wasn’t disclosed during the commission’s public meeting.
Wagle filed a complaint Tuesday with Attorney General Derek Schmidt. She urged him to declare the Open Meetings Act was violated and the commission’s actions are void.
Schmidt has turned the investigation over to the Sedgwick County district attorney, because two of the three nominees are employees of the Attorney General’s office. Schmidt said in a press release that the third nominee is the chief judge for the Shawnee County District Court, so it would be inappropriate to refer the investigation to Shawnee County.
Commission Chairman Mikel Stout said Wednesday that it is making information about how individual members voted available to anyone seeking records of the balloting.
