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Kansas governor-elect slashes prices of seats for inaugural ball

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Gov.-elect Laura Kelly’s inaugural committee on Wednesday slashed the prices of premium seating for her inaugural ball after facing questions about 10-person packages it was offering for $10,000, which is five times the legal limit for contributions.

The Associated Press obtained an email in which the committee’s chairwoman said the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission had “reversed” its approval of the committee’s earlier plans. The commission’s executive director cited “confusion” about a long-standing rule on how the limits on contributions to inaugural festivities applied to tickets for the traditional ball and dinner.

The inaugural committee is now offering its “gold” package for $3,000, which gives the buyer a premium table with 10 seats and six tickets to a VIP reception with the new Democratic governor and Lt. Gov.-elect Lynn Rogers.

Kansas governors rely on private funding to pay for such festivities and a 1994 law limits contributions by a single individual, business or group to $2,000. The ethics commission said in a 1994 legal opinion that when tickets are sold, the value of food, entertainment and other services are subtracted from the ticket price to determine the size of the contribution.

Had the inaugural committee wanted to keep its $10,000 price, it would have had to value its food, entertainment, administrative costs and other services, such as security, at $800 per person.

“They’ve been reaching out very actively throughout the process and have worked with us pretty closely,” said Mark Skoglund, the ethics commission’s executive director. “I’m confident this is a good solution.”

Kelly is due to be sworn in Jan. 14 at a Statehouse ceremony and the ball will be held that evening, with a single ticket costing $100. The inaugural committee has said it is planning a VIP reception for the day before and a series of free community events and a day of service on Jan. 12.

The inaugural committee announced its change in ticket-package-prices the day after the AP reported on its plan to offer a $10,000 package.

Kelly’s staff on Tuesday provided to the AP a copy of a Dec. 7 email in which Skoglund said the text of a committee email to prospective donors outlining ticket packages “looks fine,” while including a link to a copy of the 1994 legal opinion online.

“We worked closely with their staff — including getting their written approval of our prices — to ensure it followed the law,” Kelly spokeswoman Ashley All said Wednesday. “Unfortunately, yesterday they reversed this approval causing us to revise the packages and ticket prices.”

Skoglund said the commission told the inaugural committee that any pricing plan was fine, so long as it was in line with the commission’s legal opinion.

“There was just some confusion about the application of that decision, which we helped them through, subsequently,” he said. “Everyone was aware of the rules. It was just a matter of making sure everyone was on the same page.”

The new pricing plan treats the first $2,000 of the $3,000 gold package’s cost as a contribution to the committee and the remaining $1,000 as covering the cost of 10 tickets. The committee’s email to donors notes that with a married couple, it still would be legal for the spouse of a person buying the package to contribute another $2,000 separately.

There are also “silver” and “bronze” packages worth $2,000 and $1,500, respectively, also for a 10-person table.

UPDATE: Missouri town reconsidering removal of Christian cross from holiday display

OZARK, Mo. (AP) — The southwest Missouri city of Ozark that had said it was removing a Christian cross from its holiday display is reconsidering.

photo courtesy KYTV

Ozark officials originally said Tuesday that the cross would come down after the city received a complaint from the Freedom From Religion Foundation, which said the display violates the principle of separation of church and state.

Later in the day, Ozark officials announced they were reconsidering after comments from citizens caused them to believe it would be in the best interest of all parties to reconsider. For now, the cross in Finley River Park will stay while officials work through the “legalities of the situation.”

The Freedom From Religion Foundation, which is based in Madison, Wisconsin, said it filed the complaint after being contacted by an Ozark citizen.

Ozark officials said in a news release Tuesday that the Freedom From Religion Foundation said the cross in the Finley River Park holiday display violates the principle of separation of church and state.

In a news release Tuesday, Ozark officials said leaving a religious symbol on public property will result in a lawsuit that the city couldn’t win. The city cited cases around the U.S. where public entities have lost similar cases.

The Springfield News-Leader reports the Freedom From Religion Foundation, which is based in Madison, Wisconsin, said if filed the complaint after being contacted by an Ozark citizen.

Appeal rejected for Missouri woman who stole $1.5M from 2 firms

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri woman who embezzled a combined $1.5 million from Black & Veatch and Garmin International has lost her appeal of an eight-year prison sentence.

The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed the appeal filed by Patricia Webb. The 46-year-old claimed the sentence handed down in U.S. District Court in Kansas City was unreasonable. It was a departure from federal sentencing guidelines, which called for a maximum sentence of six years and nine months.

Webb was convicted of stealing more than $1.2 million from Garmin International while working in the Olathe-based company’s payroll department. After leaving Garmin, she was hired to a similar payroll position with Overland Park-based Black & Veatch, where she embezzled more than $300,000 from the company.

White House Delays Trade Aid Payments

photo- courtesy White House curator

The Market Facilitation Program trade payments expected early this month to farmers are on hold for now. The White House is delaying the second round of payments amid the expectation China will soon resume buying U.S. soybeans.

The payments, as part of the $12 billion trade mitigation package, are being held up by the White House Office of Management and Budget, where the package has been stalled for more than a week. Sources close to the matter told Reuters that the payment will likely eventually be approved after some “back and forth.”

A Department of Agriculture spokesperson says USDA is “in discussions” with the White House and anticipate the payment rates will be “published before the end of the year.” The delay comes as China recently pledged to resume purchases of U.S. soybeans. Export inspections for U.S. soybeans are down 42 percent from last year due to the trade war, and the halt of purchases by China.

China to Begin U.S. Soy Purchases Soon

China will soon announce the first purchases of U.S. soybeans under an agreement between the U.S. and China at the G20 Summit. Following the conversation, President Trump announced the purchases as the two nations enter trade talks.

Bloomberg News reports China plans to announce the purchases this month, which will be destined for state reserves. The final decision will be made by the State Council or cabinet, and details to be decided include whether the volume should be five million tons or eight million tons and if commercial companies should buy a further two million tons and be reimbursed for the 25 percent tariffs.

Resuming purchases of U.S. soybeans should help offset some trade-related economic downfalls for U.S. farmers, as China is the world’s biggest consumer of soybeans, but stopped U.S. purchases after implanting tariffs against the United States.

Kansas lawmaker disciplined by GOP leader becomes Democrat

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas lawmaker who was stripped of a committee leadership post after endorsing Democratic Gov.-elect Laura Kelly’s campaign has switched to the Democratic Party.

Sen. Barbara Bollier
CREDIT MADELINE FOX / KANSAS NEWS SERVIC

State Sen. Barbara Bollier of Mission Hills said Wednesday that the Republican Party no longer represents her values. Bollier said she had been a registered Republican for nearly 43 years.

Her move makes the Senate’s partisan split 29-10, with one independent.

In July, Senate President Susan Wagle removed Bollier as vice chairwoman of the Senate health committee after Bollier endorsed Kelly and a Democratic congressional candidate.

But Bollier said a key moment for her came in June when the Kansas GOP adopted a platform with what she sees as an anti-transgender provision. It declares, “We believe God created two genders, male and female.”

Kansas AG announces fight against robocalls

TOPEKA – Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt Tuesday announced that he is part of a bipartisan group of 40 state attorneys general working to stop or reduce annoying and harmful robocalls.

This coalition is reviewing the technology major telecom companies are pursuing to combat illegal robocalls.

“Any meaningful solution to the explosion in unwanted robocalls to homes and businesses must be based on technology, not merely law enforcement,” Schmidt said. “With an estimated 30 billion robocalls made to Americans last year, and more than one-third of those being scams, it is clear that after-the-fact enforcement alone cannot solve the problem. Technology has enabled this harassment, and we need technology to help stop it.”

Since it was formed earlier this year, the multistate group has had in-depth meetings with several major telecom companies. These productive meetings have led to greater information sharing about the technological capabilities currently in existence or in development to fight these unwanted calls.

In October, the attorneys general filed formal comments with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) urging several regulatory changes that would enable telecom companies to develop and deploy better robocall-prevention technologies. One type of new technology that they recommended, known by the acronym SHAKEN/STIR, is expected to be deployed next year and is designed to authenticate the incoming phone numbers presented on caller IDs to counter “spoofing” and make call-blocking more effective.

Schmidt and his colleagues are working to:

·         Develop a detailed understanding of what is technologically feasible to minimize unwanted robocalls and illegal telemarking,
·         Engage the major telecom companies to encourage them to expedite the best possible solutions for consumers, and
·         Determine whether states should make further recommendations to the FCC.

Kansas City traffic stop turned into confession

KANSAS CITY (AP) – A Kansas City man who told officers he was planning to kill someone and was “kinda glad you guys got me” because “I was about to go away for a long time” has been convicted of a federal firearm crime.

Harrison -photo MDOC

36-year-old Seneca Harrison was found guilty Monday. Blue Springs police stopped him in April for traffic violations and suspicion of driving under the influence.

Police found a shotgun in the vehicle, and because of Harrison’s prior criminal record, he was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Court documents say Harrison told officers that he “was going to kill someone tomorrow” and expressed gratitude that he was stopped.

He faces up to 10 years in prison. His sentencing hasn’t been scheduled.

Missouri city clerk faces prosecution for alleged corruption

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – Attorney General Josh Hawley says his office is prosecuting a former southeastern Missouri clerk for allegedly stealing cash from the city of Winona.

Hawley announced Tuesday that his office filed a felony complaint against former Winona clerk Terri Denton. She’s charged with felony receiving stolen property.

Missouri Auditor Nicole Galloway in September announced her office found that more than $42,000 from Winona was missing and unaccounted for.

Online court files don’t yet list an attorney for Denton. She worked for Winona from 2015 until she was fired in 2017.

Hawley says a public corruption team in his office is working with the Missouri State Highway Patrol and Galloway’s office to prosecute.

Hawley’s office took the case at the request of Shannon County’s prosecuting attorney because of a conflict of interest.

Farm bill approved by Senate; pressure now on House Republicans

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate voted overwhelmingly Tuesday for a sweeping agriculture bill that will fund key farm safety net programs for the next five years without making significant changes to the food stamp program.

The vote was 87-13. The House is expected to pass the measure soon and send it to President Donald Trump for his signature.

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell brought the bill up for a quick vote Tuesday, less than one day after the House and Senate reached an agreement on the final text.

The measure is the result of months of negotiations, and does not make any significant changes — despite pressure from President Donald Trump — to the food stamp program that serves nearly 40 million low-income Americans.

“This is what happens when the Congress works in a bipartisan, bicameral fashion,” said Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., ahead of the vote. “It’s a good bill that accomplishes what we set out to do: provide certainty and predictability for farmers and families in rural communities.”

The legislation sets federal agricultural and food policy for five years and provides more than $400 billion in farm subsidies, conservation programs and food aid for the poor. It reauthorizes crop insurance and conservation programs and funds trade programs, bioenergy production and organic farming research. It also reduces the cost for struggling dairy producers to sign up for support programs and legalizes the cultivation of industrial hemp, an initiative championed by McConnell.

One thing the bill doesn’t have: tighter work requirements for food stamp recipients, a provision of the House bill that became a major sticking point during negotiations.

“We maintain a strong safety net for farmers and importantly, we maintain a strong safety net for our families,” said Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., the most senior Democrat on the agriculture committee. “We said no to harmful changes that would take food away from families, and instead increased program integrity and job training to be able to make sure things should be working as they should and every dollar is used as it should be.”

The House bill would have raised the age of recipients subject to work requirements from 49 to 59 and required parents with children older than 6 years to work or participate in job training. The House measure also sought to limit circumstances under which families who qualify for other poverty programs can automatically be eligible for SNAP, and earmarked $1 billion to expand work-training programs.

By contrast, the bipartisan Senate bill, which passed 86-11, offered modest adjustments to existing farm programs and made no changes to SNAP.

Throughout the negotiation process Trump made his support for work requirements clear, tweeting about the issue multiple times. But negotiators ultimately rejected the most controversial House measures related to SNAP, making no significant changes to the program. The outcome is a victory for Democrats, who refused to support them.

The final bill also preserves states’ ability to provide waivers, and does not change eligibility criteria. It does increase funding for employment and job training programs from $90 million to roughly $103.9 million per year.

The two chambers also clashed over portions of the bill’s forestry and conservation sections. But the most contentious pieces of the House version, such as relaxing restrictions on pesticide use, didn’t make it into the final text.

Negotiations were complicated in recent weeks when the White House asked Congress to make changes to the forestry section in response to deadly wildfires in California, giving more authority to the Agriculture and Interior departments to clear forests and other public lands. The final text doesn’t significantly increase the agencies’ authority.

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said Monday the bill “maintains a strong safety net for the farm economy, invests in critical agricultural research and will promote agriculture exports through robust trade programs,” but voiced disappointment over the failed changes to the work requirement.

“While we would have liked to see more progress on work requirements for SNAP recipients and forest management reforms, the conference agreement does include several helpful provisions, and we will continue to build upon these through our authorities,” he said.

The bill also maintains current limits on farm subsidies, but includes a House provision to expand the definition of family to include first cousins, nieces and nephews, making them eligible for payments under the program.

House Agriculture Committee Chairman Michael Conaway, R-Texas, a strong proponent of stricter work requirements, thanked Perdue and the administration for their support.

“America’s farmers and ranchers are weathering the fifth year of severe recession, so passing a farm bill this week that strengthens the farm safety net is vitally important,” Conaway said.

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