ELLY GRIMM
• Leader & Times
Gov. Laura Kelly has filed a lawsuit against Attorney General Kris Kobach in the Kansas Supreme Court to protect the State of Kansas and the constitutional powers of the Office of the Governor, according to a release from the State of Kansas.
“The lawsuit is necessary due to Attorney General Kobach’s failure to defend Kansans against the Trump Administration’s unlawful federal overreach, despite repeated requests to do so,” Gov. Kelly noted in a release from the State of Kansas. “Time and again, Attorney General Kobach’s blatant partisanship is on display, harming and embarrassing Kansas. While he was quick to sue the previous presidential administration, alleging he would protect Kansans from federal overreach, he has not once followed through on that claim now that the Trump Administration has repeatedly done just that. Not only has the attorney general’s willful ignorance undermined my administration’s efforts to protect Kansans, but it has also cost our state millions of dollars for essential programs and services. If the Attorney General refuses to stand up for Kansas, at least Kansans can rest assured knowing I will.”
Other recent actions prompted Gov. Kelly to join last week’s lawsuit against the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) seeking release of congressionally approved emergency funds for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which provides food assistance to nearly 188,000 Kansans, the state of Kansas release noted.
“November benefits for this program are not expected to be available due to the ongoing federal government shutdown. This unprecedented choice made by the Trump Administration and Congress will have dire consequences for the health and well-being of millions across the country, who rely on the program to feed themselves and their families,” the State of Kansas release noted. “In August, Gov. Kelly also joined a lawsuit seeking to prevent the Trump Administration from unlawfully terminating congressionally approved funds for several public health and safety programs including testing for lead in schools and child care facilities, environmental cleanup, ensuring the safety of dams, and financing to improve drinking water safety.”
In September, Kobach filed suit against Gov. Kelly and the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) asking the court to force the Governor and DCF to turn over the personal information of thousands of Kansans in response to a federal request, which was dismissed.
“Attorney General Kobach has previously incorrectly asserted that he alone controls litigation on behalf of the State of Kansas. The Kansas Constitution makes clear that the governor is the ‘supreme executive’ of the state, meaning Gov. Kelly has the constitutional authority to control the decisions of the executive branch,” the State of Kansas release noted. “The lawsuit filed Friday asks the Kansas Supreme Court for an order in quo warranto against the attorney general to prevent him from intruding on the governor’s ‘supreme executive’ power as the head of the executive branch so she can continue to defend Kansans without interference from Attorney General Kobach.”
