WASHINGTON —While the Koch brothers have long been closely aligned with the Republican Party’s far-right flank, they oppose the Trump administration’s policies on spending, trade and immigration. President Trump attacked them on social media Tuesday morning.

The globalist Koch Brothers, who have become a total joke in real Republican circles, are against Strong Borders and Powerful Trade. I never sought their support because I don’t need their money or bad ideas. They love my Tax & Regulation Cuts, Judicial picks & more. I made…..

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 31, 2018

….them richer. Their network is highly overrated, I have beaten them at every turn. They want to protect their companies outside the U.S. from being taxed, I’m for America First & the American Worker – a puppet for no one. Two nice guys with bad ideas. Make America Great Again!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 31, 2018

According to a report by the Associated Press, Koch officials have vowed to spend between $300 million and $400 million to shape the 2018 midterm elections. But there’s no way to verify how or where the money is spent because most of its organizations are registered as nonprofit groups, which aren’t required to detail their donors like traditional political action committees.

The conservative Koch brothers’ network declared Monday that it will not help elect the Republican Senate candidate in North Dakota, turning its back on the GOP in a marquee election — at least for now.

Charles and David Koch are majority owners of Koch Industries, a multinational corporation with headquarters in Wichita. The company employs over 120,000 in 60 countries, according to the Koch Industries web site.

BOONE COUNTY — One person died in an accident just after 4p.m. Monday in Boone County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Chevy Camaro driven by Kayla A. Sage, 15, Ashland, was southbound on U.S. 63 at Bonne Femme Creek.

The vehicle traveled off the right side of the road, struck an embankment, became airborne and came to rest on its top at the bottom of the creek.

The driver’s mother Jessica A. Sage, 50, Ashland, a passenger in the vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to the Boone County Medical Examiner’s Office.  Kayla Sage was transported to Boone County Hospital.

They were both wearing seat belts at the time of the accident, according to the MSHP.

 

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – Attorney General Josh Hawley is suing the owners of an eastern Missouri quarry after two men died there this year.

Hawley on Monday announced the lawsuit against The Offsets in the Mine La Motte area north of Fredericktown. He’s asking a judge to close the site until the owners address safety concerns.

A message left seeking comment from The Offsets was not immediately returned Monday.

Hawley’s office says at least nine people have died at the swimming hole. Most recently, 21-year-old Safion Livingston of St. Louis drowned in the quarry July 13. Nineteen-year-old Cole Duffell of Chesterfield drowned July 4 after jumping into the quarry.

The lawsuit alleges the owners have not hired a lifeguard, put lifesaving equipment near the bluffs surrounding the quarry or posted appropriate warnings.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Raytown, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court Monday for robbing a credit union with a plastic gun.

Stephen McCrary, 57, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to 11 years in federal prison without parole, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.

On Feb. 14, 2018, McCrary pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery. McCrary admitted that he stole $3,815 from the Community America Credit Union located in the Research Medical Center, 2316 E. Meyer Blvd., Kansas City.

Surveillance footage showed McCrary approach the teller at about 3 p.m. on Sept. 7, 2016. According to court documents, McCrary approached the teller counter, put a plastic bag on the counter, pulled out what appeared to be a firearm, pointed it at the teller, and demanded “all of the money in the drawer.” The victim teller initially froze out of fear and then complied with his demands and turned over $3,815. After taking the money, McCrary fled.

A hospital security officer saw McCrary leave the hospital property and proceed towards a nearby street. Officers eventually stopped and arrested him in the neighborhood adjacent to the hospital. At the time of his arrest, he was carrying two plastic bags that contained the clothing he wore during the robbery, a black plastic replica firearm and the stolen money.

McCrary has 13 prior felony convictions in state court, four of which are convictions for first-degree robberies. All of the robberies were of businesses while McCrary was armed with a firearm, or what appeared to be an operable firearm. He has been incarcerated, on parole, or on probation for 34 of the past 39 years (since his first robbery in 1977). He was on parole for first-degree robbery when he committed the credit union robbery, having been released from state prison three months earlier.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Former presidential candidate and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole has endorsed Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer in the state’s Republican primary.

I am proud to receive the endorsement of @SenatorDole in the race for governor. Bob Dole gets things done. He knows how important it is to elect a Republican as Governor, and I’m grateful for his support. #ksleg #ksgov pic.twitter.com/XSXvMIJTuB

— Dr. Jeff Colyer (@DrJeffColyer) July 30, 2018

Colyer’s campaign announced the endorsement from the 95-year-old Kansas political icon Monday. Colyer faces a strong challenge on his right in the Aug. 7 election from Secretary of State Kris Kobach.

Dole said in a statement that he believes Colyer is the best candidate for winning in the November general election.

Colyer is seeking a full, four-year term after becoming governor in January when former GOP Gov. Sam Brownback resigned to take an ambassador’s post. Kobach’s solid base among conservatives has made him the most serious of Colyer’s six primary challengers.

Dole was the Republican presidential nominee in 1996 and served more than 35 years in Congress.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Police were investigating a crash that killed the driver of a white Ford Bronco entering the former Grandview Triangle in southeast Kansas City late Sunday.

The crash occurred about 10:30 p.m. Police say the driver was the only person in the SUV.

A witness told police that the driver was in the far right lane headed to westbound I-435 when the Bronco drifted to the left toward the lanes that go to northbound I-435.

The Bronco then swerved back to the right and struck the guardrail’s crash cushion that separates the highways.

The driver was pronounced dead at the scene. The accident marks the 45th traffic fatality in Kansas City this year.

By JIM MCLEAN

A Republican state senator who endorsed a Democrat for Congress and criticized Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer’s health policies is paying a hefty political price for speaking her mind.

Senate President Susan Wagle announced last week that she had stripped Sen. Barbara Bollier, a moderate from Mission Hills, of her leadership position on the Senate health committee.

That action, according to a letter that Bollier received Thursday, also makes her ineligible to serve on a joint committee charged with overseeing KanCare, the state’s privatized Medicaid program, and task forces created to address the opioid crisis and problems in the child welfare system.

Wagle said Bollier’s endorsement of Tom Niermann, one of several Democrats competing for the right to challenge 3rd District Republican Congressman Kevin Yoder, left her with “no choice.”

“Senator Bollier has lost credibility within our caucus, which makes it impossible for her to function in a leadership role.” Wagle said in a media release.

The Senate President’s office said Sen. Ty Masterson, head of the conservative Truth Caucus, would replace Bollier on the child welfare task force and the KanCare oversight committee.

Bollier has long been at odds with her party’s conservative leadership but has become particularly outspoken recently on hot-button issues such as gun control and Medicaid expansion.

“The more of this they do to me the more I know I’m doing the right thing,” Bollier said in an interview Friday.

Though she’s no longer a member, Bollier said she would continue to attend task force and oversight committee meetings.

The senator went to Thursday’s meeting of the governor’s Substance Use Disorder Task Force in Topeka not realizing that she was no longer a member. At the meeting, Bollier continued her criticism of the Colyer administration for refusing to include an expansion of Medicaid eligibility in the task force’s policy recommendations.

Rep. Elizabeth Bishop, a Wichita Democrat and member of the task force, said Bollier’s removal will “hinder” the work of the group, which is scheduled to deliver recommendations to the governor by Sept. 1.

“It’s shortsighted,” Bishop said. “She will be missed.”

Bishop herself caused a stir at Thursday’s meeting by pressing Greg Lakin, the state’s chief medical officer and chair of the task force, on why discussions about Medicaid expansion at previous meetings weren’t reflected in the minutes.

She said several members of the working group, which includes representatives of the state’s hospitals and physicians, are planning to issue a written dissent if the official recommendations don’t include expansion.

“That will definitely be done,” Bishop said.

In guiding the task force, Lakin said it’s his job to keep members focused on developing affordable and politically viable recommendations.

“I’m just trying to keep us on task,” Lakin said.

Colyer, the force behind the state’s privatization of Medicaid in 2013 when he was Gov. Sam Brownback’s lieutenant governor, is opposed to expanding Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act even though it would substantially increase federal funding. He has said extending coverage to approximately 150,000 low-income but “able-bodied” Kansans would make them more dependent on government and less likely to work.

Jim McLean is managing director of the Kansas News Service. You can reach him on Twitter @jmcleanks.