Sam Brownback, Kansas Governor, Didn't Break Rules With GOP-Heavy Private Dinners, DA Says
By JOHN HANNA
08/21/12
TOPEKA, Kan. — Private dinners that Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback hosted for lawmakers at his official residence didn't substantially violate the state's opening meetings law even though they touched upon his legislative agenda, a prosecutor said Tuesday.
Shawnee County District Attorney Chad Taylor said technical violations of the Kansas Open Meetings Act may have occurred but that legislators had not acted in bad faith because they didn't fully understand the law.
Brownback hosted seven private dinner meetings in January for members of 13 legislative committees, inviting more than 90 lawmakers. Almost all of the legislators were Republicans like Brownback. Taylor is a Democrat – something GOP lawmakers have repeatedly noted in questioning his investigation.
The Kansas Open Meetings Act generally prohibits a majority of legislative bodies from discussing government business without public notice or access to the meetings. An investigation found that in some instances the lawmakers attending the dinners only had a "limited understanding" of the law, according to a 10-page report produced by Taylor's top two deputies...
For the full article, go to:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/21/sam-brownback-kansas-gove_n_1818364.html
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