Kansas Republican Scandals | Updated List of GOP Scandals in KS
Scandal Categories
Kansas Republican U.S. Congress Member & Candidate Scandals
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Steve WatkinsFmr. U.S. Representative95.3% Voted with Trump7/14/20Illegally used a local UPS store as his legal address for voting purposes in violation of state election lawAccording to charging documents filed by local officials10/26/18Engaged in multiple extramarital affairs which an acquaintance described as being "out of control" while professing in public to be a "family man" who was devoted to his wifeAccording to multiple verified sources in an investigative report by The Topeka Capital-Journal10/26/18Touched a female Army contractor without her consent and unsuccessfully tried to get her to have sex with him in a room he had just locked while also being marriedAccording to accuser Chelsea Scarlett and reported on by the Topeka Capital-Journal
Kansas Republican Executive Branch Scandals
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Arlyn BriggsFmr. Gov. Candidate [R-KS]6/27/22Called the local police department to warn that he "may shoot" police officers if they attempted to enter his home and arrest a wanted man he was harboringAccording to charging documents filed by local officials
Kansas Republican Judge Scandals
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Laura ViarState Judge [R-KS]8/17/23Ran off the road and crashed into a school building while driving under the influence of alcohol and on a suspended license and refused to take a breathalyzer when police arrived while also being a member of her local county's Anti-Drug Task ForceAccording to charging documents filed by local police8/16/23Drove under the influence of alcohol and was arrested by police after getting pulled over and later had her diversion agreement extended by six months because she failed to undergo mandatory drug and alcohol evaluationsAccording to an exclusive report by the Wichita Eagle
Kansas Republican State Legislator Scandals
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Gene SuellentropState Senator [R-KS]3/16/21Led police on a high-speed chase going upwards of 90 miles per hour while driving the wrong direction on an interstate highway around 1am and only stopped after he drove over tire-deflating spikes, threatened to physically "take" on arresting officers, slurred his speech so badly that police had a hard time understanding him and forced officials to get a warrant to conduct a BAC test which was still over twice the legal limit three hours after his arrestAccording to charging documents filed by local police
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Phil HermansonFmr. State Representative7/09/10Crashed into a car stopped at a red light so forcefully that it totaled the car and required both occupants to go to the hospital while under the influence of alcohol and prescription drugs and refused a breathalyzer test which resulted in his arrestAccording to charging documents filed by local police
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Adam ThomasState Representative [R-KS]9/06/18Lied on an official document by attesting that a campaign donor's home he and his family were temporarily residing in was his official address which allowed him to run for a state congressional district that he otherwise wouldn't have been able to since his permanent address was outside district linesAccording to charging documents filed by local officials
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Mark SamselState Representative [R-KS]5/02/21Forcefully pushed and kneed a teenage high school student in the testicles after telling the boy he's about to "get the wrath of God" and then instructed another student to "check his nuts" as he laid on the ground in pain while he was working as a substitute teacher at a local public high schoolAccording to charging documents filed by local police
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Suzi CarlsonState Representative [R-KS]3/02/22Weaved through traffic lanes before being pulled over and cited for driving under the influence of alcoholAccording to arresting documents filed by local police
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Michael CappsFmr. State Representative2021 09Illegally took $355,550 in state and federal COVID relief by falsely claiming the money would go to pay nonexistent employee's salariesAccording to charging documents by federal prosecutors
Kansas Republican Mayor Scandals
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Hunter LarkinMayor [R-KS]9/27/22Weaved in and out of his lane around 1:30am and then failed a field sobriety test after police pulled him overAccording to arresting documents filed by local police
Other Kansas Republican Scandals
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Matthew PennellFmr. Political Aide [R-KS]3/07/15According to charging documents filed by local officials
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Joshua WheelerFmr. Political Aide [R-KS]6/01/05Attempted to enter the US Capitol with an unregistered handgun that Capitol Police found during a security checkAccording to charging documents filed by Capitol Police