Latest news with #Kobach
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kansas AG, protecting American fossil fuels, asks for investigation of Chinese organization
Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach speaks on election night on Nov. 9, 2022, after appearing to win the attorney general seat. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector) TOPEKA — The Kansas attorney general wants U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate a Chinese energy organization he accuses of waging 'environmental lawfare.' In a letter sent to Bondi on Monday, Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach urged the Justice Department to open an investigation into The Energy Foundation's actions in the United States, 'including its ties to climate lawfare in the courts,' he said. He linked The Energy Foundation, commonly called Energy Foundation China, to the Chinese Communist Party. He offered no evidence of such connections. 'Lawfare' refers to the use of lawsuits or legal challenges to drive political goals. The letter came after Kobach sounded the alarm on new threats in environmental litigation in June testimony to a U.S. Senate subcommittee. 'Environmental lawfare threatens not only American economic prosperity and energy security,' Kobach said in written testimony. '(In) its latest forms, it also threatens the American constitutional order.' Energy Foundation China previously operated with the United States Energy Foundation before splitting in 2019 into two separate charitable nonprofits. Energy Foundation China, headquartered in San Francisco with a Beijing office, works to further Chinese industry in climate change, emissions reductions and clean energy transitions, according to its website. The U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce found in 2024 that Energy Foundation China has given money to American organizations to further green energy and climate education, research and projects. Kobach argued in his testimony that the Chinese Communist Party 'plainly has a strategy of driving the United States away from domestic energy sources and increasing U.S. dependence on sources that rely on a Chinese supply of solar panels, electric vehicle batteries, and other technologies.' He identified two new threats in environmental litigation in the U.S. The first involves state legislatures and state regulatory bodies that, in recent years, have placed 'themselves in the shoes of the federal government adopting draconian environmental standards,' Kobach said. The way to stop them is by suing, Kobach said. The second is local governments, such as cities and counties, suing energy producers seeking massive compensation for alleged harms to people and the environment, he said. One such case is in Ford County, Kansas, where a group of citizens sued companies in 2024, including ExxonMobil, Chevron and the American Chemistry Council. They argue that the plastic and chemical companies lied for decades about the recyclability of plastic, creating a pollution crisis. Kobach says Ford County residents claim to represent every county in the United States. 'Setting aside the merits of their environmental claims, which are dubious at best, the plaintiffs in this case are attempting (to) usurp the authority of the 50 states, as states,' he said. 'Only a state attorney general can bring a case of this nature, which seeks to remedy an alleged injury to the health, safety, or welfare of the public at large.' He encouraged Congress to modify the Clean Air Act to add that 'no state may penalize, fine, or regulate the emissions of companies engaged in the production of energy or extraction or transmission of fossil fuels.' In the letter to Bondi, Kobach said the hearing before the subcommittee contained 'dramatic disclosures' about significant financial support to 'the environmental lawfare campaign' from the Chinese Communist Party. He also alleged that Energy Foundation China plays a central role in the new threats in U.S. courtrooms and state legislatures. 'It is one thing to watch left-wing law firms and non-profits use laws designed to impose extraterritorial burdens to advance their radical policy interests in the courtrooms of America to the detriment of our consumers and our economy,' he wrote, 'but when such legal actions are tied to China, it likely reveals a foreign adversarial attack on American energy independence.' Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kris Kobach's criticism prompts Johnson County to delay public safety tax vote
In light of a recently published opinion by Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, Johnson County will modify the language of its public safety sales tax ballot question, seek guidance from the state and move the vote from November to March. 'I think it's important that we remain committed to providing suitable public safety funding for our rapidly growing and aging population,' Johnson County Board of Commissioners Chair Mike Kelly told The Star. 'We want Johnson Countians to feel confident that when we're asking them to vote on something that it's not only necessary and critical, but that it's legal and legitimate.' In Kobach's opinion, the attorney general claimed that the commissioners acted beyond their authority when they approved a November ballot question to renew the county's existing public safety sales tax because it goes beyond what Kansas law intended such a tax to be used for. Specifically, Kobach said that mental health and emergency services do not qualify as public safety projects. 'The attorney general doesn't think that calling 911 or having an ambulance show up at your house to deliver life-saving care or a mental health corresponder counts as public safety,' Kelly said during today's meeting, which discussed the opinion in executive session. 'I strongly disagree with that. It's also not his decision to make.' Kobach's opinion is not legally binding. It's his interpretation of state law issued in response to questions from lawmakers — in this case, from Sen. Mike Thompson, a Shawnee Republican. But the county decided to take another look at its ballot language in the context of the law Kobach cited to try and prevent any potential legal challenges in the future. 'When we determined the timeline of the sales tax language that we approved back in May of this year, we made sure to give ourselves a cushion, knowing that the public safety sales tax doesn't expire until March of 2027,' Kelly said. 'Luckily, that does give us time to seek clarity from the court on these issues and still return to the ballot in March 2026 to let the voters decide.' With the commissioners' approval, Johnson County's legal team will begin preparing the declaratory judgement immediately, and the board will vote on a modified resolution for the ballot question next Thursday. What the language will look like is unclear, but it will include shifting the vote from the Nov. 5 general election to a March 2026 special election. An 'attack' on local government During his comments at today's board hearing, Kelly called Kobach's move 'an attack on responsive and responsible local government.' 'I think it's a direct attack on voter approved investments and a further erosion on local control from the state,' Kelly said. In a follow-up interview, Kelly said that the state has continued to take away funding opportunities – like mortgage license fees, personal property tax and commercial equipment funds – from counties and cities to fund their local governments. 'Those erosions leave, really, residential property taxes as the only major source of revenue that's available for these local governments, and that is counter to the will of the people not only in Johnson County, but the state of Kansas,' Kelly said. As rising property taxes continue to impact residents, local leaders have worked with members of the State Legislature to find a solution. But at the same time, the county needs to be able to fund state-mandated services like public safety, he said. 'We are the arm of the state that provides crucial public safety services and social support services,' Kelly said. 'We need to be able to fund those at a level that meets not only the desires, but the expectations of the people of Johnson County, and we won't sacrifice these crucial services that Johnson Countians continue to tell us they appreciate and desire.' The sales tax and Kobach's claims The Johnson County Public Safety Sales tax is a quarter-cent sales tax that paid for the construction of the courthouse and medical examiner's facility at the county level, and that various cities within the county have used to pay for police vehicles, mental health co-responders and facility improvements. According to the county's information page about the tax, 46% of what's generated goes to the county and 36% goes to cities. With a March 2027 expiration date around the corner, the commissioners proposed to extend the tax and put the money toward an expanded set of projects – including emergency medical services, mental health and crisis intervention, among others. The commissioners wanted the sales tax question on the ballot to help the county keep up with its population growth, the rising number of mental health-related calls, and emergency service calls as the population gets older, according to its information page. But Kobach claims that the Kansas statute that allows the board to seek a sales tax renewal can only fund 'physical facilities directly related to law enforcement and necessary related programs.' Chair Kelly said he believes it's more nuanced than that. 'Public safety isn't just a cop with a gun and a badge. It's MedACT, it is EMS, it's mental health corresponders. It's meeting every challenge every time with the best public service possible,' Kelly said. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
AG Kobach urges investigation of 3 metro school districts for Title IX, FERPA violations
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach released a statement Tuesday, urging the federal government to , including three in the Kansas City metro, for 'illegal social transition policies' relating to gender identity and discrimination. According to the attorney general's office, Kobach sent a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, calling for the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights to investigate Kansas City USD 500, Olathe USD 233, Shawnee Mission USD 512 and Topeka USD 501. Man facing manslaughter, DWI charges in connection with wrong-way 50 Highway crash Kobach said the school districts violated the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) by allowing and/or requiring teachers to conceal information from parents about their child and their 'social transitioning' practices. Additionally, he said three of these districts – Kansas City, Shawnee Mission and Topeka – not only permitted schools to withhold information from parents, but established policies that allowed students to share bathrooms, locker rooms and other 'intimate spaces' based on their proclaimed gender identity. 'That a Kansas school district would so cavalierly act to hide such information from parents is shockingly irresponsible,' Kobach said. The letter from Kobach's office follows a complaint sent to the Department of Education by the Defense of Freedom Institute for Policy Studies (DFI), also asking for the federal government to investigate the schools. The DFI's complaint claims that each district not only violated FERPA but also Title IX. The nonprofit further elaborated by saying each district allowed for discrimination on the basis of sex and by taking away the right of parents to 'inspect, review, and control access to the education records of their minor children.' The complaint also said employees were allowed to 'conceal information from parents and disseminate such information among their colleagues regarding requests by their minor children to alter the names and pronouns used by staff to refer to them throughout the school day to align with their 'gender identity' rather than their biological sex.' Three teachers at one of the area districts were also cited in the complaint, as well as their experiences facing various disciplinary actions by the school after misusing pronouns, calling students by their legal name and publicizing information about school policies related to the district's transgender practices. The DFI's complaint also broke down each district's guidelines relating to gender identity, sexual orientation and expression, and subsequently called for investigations by the federal government. Following Kobach's letter and the DFI's complaint, each school district issued the following statements: Kansas news: Headlines from Wichita, Topeka and around the Sunflower State 'Transgender students are welcome in all schools in the Shawnee Mission School District (SMSD). We categorically denounce any attempt by any outside individual or entity to make even one student feel something less than welcome in an SMSD school. Our parents are our partners in ensuring that every student feels a sense of belonging. In the June 24, 2025, letter from Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach to U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, the Attorney General references a letter that he sent to the Shawnee Mission School District in December of 2023. The school district wrote a comprehensive response to the Attorney General's 2023 letter, which is linked here. Our response has not changed. Attorney General Kris Kobach is attempting, as a publicity tactic, to start public discord between his office and public school districts in the very state that he represents and that he was elected to strengthen. The Shawnee Mission School District is declining to engage in this stunt; Mr. Kobach is raising boxing gloves over hypothetical scenarios and the SMSD will not step into the ring. In neither AG Kobach's recent press release nor the letter he sent the district 18 months ago is there any statement or information that any parent of a transgender student has sought help from the AG's office related to access to information regarding their student. There is no complaint of withholding of student information from any SMSD parent for the U.S. Department of Education to investigate. Again, transgender students are welcome in our schools. We will continue to work to ensure that ALL students feel safe at school and can focus on learning. Parents/guardians who have concerns about their child in relation to gender identity may contact Shawnee Mission School District administration at any time for support.' Two charged in 2023 drive-by shooting that killed teen in Kansas City 'Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools (KCKPS) is committed to complying fully with all state and federal laws, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). We remain committed to ensuring that all students feel safe at school and are able to focus on learning. KCKPS will continue to partner with parents and guardians to maintain open, respectful communication between families, their children, and the district. Parents and guardians with concerns related to their child's gender identity are encouraged to contact KCKPS administration at any time for support.' 'Olathe Public Schools is obligated to follow all state and federal laws to support our students, staff and families. As a district, it is always our practice to work directly and partner with families and students as situations arise to ensure we are providing the appropriate and necessary support. To be absolutely clear, it is our expectation that staff work directly with families regarding student-related matters involving their own child(ren). The Olathe Public Schools does not and has never socially transitioned our students. Olathe Public Schools received written communication from the Attorney General's office on Dec. 11, 2023, regarding concerns about student pronouns and gender identity. The district responded directly to the Attorney General's office on Dec. 19, 2023. On Feb. 8, 2024, the district was also made aware of a press release sent from the Attorney General's office related to the same concern. The district immediately responded to his concerns upon being notified and worked through multiple correspondences to schedule a meeting with the Attorney General's office in person. On Tuesday, March 26, 2024, the Olathe Public Schools superintendent and staff counsel met with two attorneys from the Attorney General's office, as Attorney General Kobach did not meet with the district. In that meeting, the district repeatedly sought clarity from the Attorney General's office regarding specific changes that they believed should be made by the district. The district also asked the Attorney General's office to identify specific situations involving Olathe Public Schools students, staff or families that they were aware of in which the district was not following state or federal laws. However, the Attorney General's office would not provide specific input or information regarding any alleged violations of state and federal laws by the district. Due to the limited information shared by the Attorney General's office, the district was left with no actionable information to make change. Despite the district's willingness to remedy any concerns, the result of the meeting and overall interaction left the district feeling as though they were part of a larger political agenda. As the second largest district in the state supporting tens of thousands of students, Olathe Public Schools does not have time to engage in political agendas. Our focus is and will always be educating our students for their future.' According to the DFI, if found in violation of Title IX and/or FERPA, any of the districts could face sanctions and lose federal funding. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kansas attorney general blocked from denying gender changes on driver's licenses
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Kansas state appeals court has reversed a district court decision barring the Kansas government from making changes to gender markers on driver's licenses, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) announced Friday. In July 2023, Attorney General Kris Kobach filed a lawsuit in state court against the Kansas government agency that issues driver's licenses, asking the court to hold that a state law, Senate Bill 180, prohibits transgender people from changing their gender markers on their driver's licenses. A trial judge granted a temporary injunction, which has blocked the Kelly administration from allowing gender marking changes while the case goes forward. The ACLU of Kansas, the ACLU and Stinson LLP intervened in the case on behalf of five transgender Kansans who claim to have been harmed by Kobach's effort to ban and reverse changes to the gender markers on their driver's licenses. Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe activates National Guard, declares State of Emergency On Friday, in a unanimous ruling by a three-judge panel, the Kansas Court of Appeals lifted the trial court's injunction, which has prevented transgender people from changing the gender markers on their driver's licenses to reflect their gender identity. The court observed that there was no evidence 'beyond mere speculation' to support the trial court's finding that allowing transgender people to change their gender markers would somehow impair the identification of criminal suspects. The Kansas Court of Appeals also determined that Kobach had not shown a substantial likelihood of his view that S.B. 180 requires all new and renewed driver's licenses to list the driver's sex assigned at birth. As of Friday, the temporary ban is reversed, and the Kansas Department of Revenue may resume allowing Kansans to change their gender markers on their driver's licenses. The attorney general has thirty days to appeal the court's decision. 'Being required to use a license with the wrong gender marker has already meant that transgender Kansans have been outed against their consent in their daily lives,' said D.C. Hiegert, Civil Liberties Legal Fellow for the ACLU of Kansas. 'We commend the incredible courage and sense of community our clients have had in standing up to this attack on all of our fundamental rights.' 'Today's decision is a welcome victory for our clients and the rights of all people to safe, usable identity documents,' added Julie Murray, co-director of the ACLU's State Supreme Court Initiative. 'The Attorney General's move to target transgender people in this way has always been baseless and discriminatory. As this case returns to the lower courts, we will continue to defend the ability of all Kansans to access driver's licenses that reflect who they know themselves to be.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kansas appeals court ruling restores ability to change gender markers on driver's licenses
Kansas Court of Appeals Judge Karen Arnold-Burger questions an attorney during a Jan. 27, 2025, hearing in a dispute over whether Kansans can change their gender markers on driver's licenses. (Thad Allton for Kansas Reflector) TOPEKA — A three-judge appeals court panel on Friday cleared the way for Kansans to resume changing their gender markers on driver's licenses, rejecting arguments made by Attorney General Kris Kobach and overturning a lower court ruling. The Kansas Court of Appeals panel ordered the case return to the district court level to be heard by someone other than Shawnee County District Judge Teresa Watson, who abused her discretion and committed legal and factual errors, according to the Friday ruling. Judges Karen Arnold-Burger, Stephen Hill and Sarah Warner determined the state would suffer no harm by allowing transgender residents to be identified by their 'gender,' which is a personal identity or expression, rather than their 'sex,' which relates to reproductive systems. Kobach's office had argued that the two terms are interchangeable. The Legislature passed a law in 2023 that requires vital statistics to recognize a person's biological sex at birth. Kobach sued the Kansas Department of Revenue for continuing to allow transgender residents to change the gender markers on their driver's license, as the office had done since at least 2007. From 2011 to 2022, KDOR issued 9,316,937 driver's licenses. During that period, 380 drivers changed their gender marker. Watson in 2023 issued a temporary injunction to block changes in gender markers on driver's licenses. The appeals court, which heard arguments in January, removed that injunction and replaced it with an order to allow changes. Watson, the higher court said, had committed a legal error by concluding, without any support, that Kobach's mere allegation that KDOR was violating state law had established irreparable harm. Additionally, the higher court faulted Watson's conclusion that changing a gender marker could hinder law enforcement officers. 'The problem with the district court's finding is that the AG presented no evidence to support this claimed injury beyond unsubstantiated speculation,' Arnold-Burger wrote on behalf of the appeals court panel. In fact, she wrote, 'the evidence was overwhelming that there was no harm.' At the district court level, Shawnee County Sheriff Brian Hill testified that one time, he didn't say when, he arrested a transgender woman who told him that she was a man. One of the problems with that example, Arnold-Burger wrote, is that he relied on the individual's 'outward appearance,' not their driver's license. And, she wrote, the same mistake could be made for any cisgender woman who appears less feminine and more masculine than the average woman. Additionally, the sheriff's gender confusion didn't prevent the arrest or immediate discovery of the person's identity. And, Hill acknowledged that law enforcement officers can't always rely on a driver's license anyway because people change their names. 'The district court committed an error of fact by concluding that there was evidence — any evidence beyond mere speculation — to support a finding that law enforcement would be immediately hindered in the identification of suspects, victims, wanted persons, missing persons, detainees, and others if the driver's license did not display the driver's sex assigned at birth,' Arnold-Burger wrote. The appeals court ruling also noted that the Kansas Supreme Court has recognized a distinction between 'sex' and 'gender' since at least 2002. And it determined that Kobach was unlikely to prevail in the case. The appeals court panel ordered the case return to the district court level for a hearing before a new judge. 'Because of the district court's abuse of discretion, the KDOR has been unable to issue reclassifications of gender designations on Kansas driver's licenses for two years while this litigation languished,' Arnold-Burger wrote.
