Kansas Republican Scandals | Updated List of GOP Scandals in KS
Kansas Republican U.S. Congress Member & Candidate Scandals
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Steve WatkinsFmr. U.S. Representative95.3% Voted with Trump
7/14/20Illegally used a local UPS store as his legal address for voting purposes in violation of state election law
According to charging documents filed by local officials
10/26/18Engaged 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 wife
According to multiple verified sources in an investigative report by The Topeka Capital-Journal
10/26/18Inappropriately touched 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 married
According to accuser Chelsea Scarlett and reported on by the Topeka Capital-Journal -
Michael OgleFmr. U.S. Rep Candidate
12/12/24Called 911 over two dozen times one day and 14 times a week later and then told an officer who warned him to stop tying up emergency resources that he had “50 pounds of black powder and a cannon" and was ready to "take care of business” and threatened to fire on the officers who showed up to his home if they attempted to enter
12/25/19Drunkenly choked his ex-wife and then disobeyed repeated commands to surrender peacefully after barricading himself inside a residence resulting in police eventually being forced to shoot his dog after it became aggressive
According to charging documents filed by local officials
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 harboring
According 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 Force
According to charging documents filed by local police
8/16/23Drove 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 evaluations
According to an exclusive report by the Wichita Eagle
Kansas Republican State Legislator Scandals
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Carl MaughanState Representative
10/03/24Was involved in a crash while driving under the influence of alcohol a mere two-months after his previous DUI
According to charging documents filed by local officials
10/03/24Committed multiple traffic infractions in short order and was found to be in possession of a loaded semi-automatic handgun, empty bottle of whiskey and case of beer with multiple cans missing when police pulled him over
According to charging documents filed by local police -
Adam ThomasState Representative
7/10/19Falsely claimed a campaign donor's home was his official address in order to run for a state congressional seat in a district he didn't live in
According to charging documents filed by local officials -
Phil HermansonFmr. State Representative
7/09/10Crashed 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 arrest
According to charging documents filed by local police -
Mark SamselFmr. State Representative
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 school
According to charging documents filed by local police -
Suzi CarlsonFmr. State Representative
3/02/22Weaved through traffic lanes before being pulled over and cited for driving under the influence of alcohol
According to arresting documents filed by local police -
Michael CappsFmr. State Representative
2021 09Illegally took $355,550 in state and federal COVID relief by falsely claiming the money would go to pay nonexistent employee's salaries
According 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 over
According to arresting documents filed by local police
Other Kansas Republican Scandals
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Matthew PennellFmr. Political Aide [R-KS]
3/07/15
According to charging documents filed by local officials -
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 check
According to charging documents filed by Capitol Police -
Gene SuellentropFmr. State 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 arrest
According to charging documents filed by local police