Kansas High Court Rejects Kobach’s Request To Transfer Senate Case

In this Dec. 20, 2012 photo, Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in his office in Topeka, Kan. Kobach is a key figure in contentious political debates over immig... In this Dec. 20, 2012 photo, Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in his office in Topeka, Kan. Kobach is a key figure in contentious political debates over immigration policy and revising the state’s election laws in an effort to stop fraud. (AP Photo/John Milburn) MORE LESS
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The Kansas Supreme Court has decided to hear the lawsuit Democratic Senate nominee Chad Taylor has brought against Secretary of State Kris Kobach, after Kobach argued that the case should be transferred to a lower court.

Taylor is suing Kobach over his ruling that Taylor must remain on the Senate ballot in November, despite Taylor’s announcement that he would withdraw from the race. Kobach argued in a court filing that the case should be moved to a lower district court.

The Supreme Court disagreed and said Thursday that it will hear the case. Oral arguments will start on Sept. 16. Kobach has said that the case should be resolved by Sept. 19 so that absentee and military ballots can be printed on time.

Election law expert Rick Hasen of the University of California-Irvine noted that the Court seemed to be dismissing a part of Taylor’s case: That he had spoken with a top Kobach deputy before filing his paperwork to withdraw. The Court said that all the evidence needed to make a decision was contained in Taylor’s letter to withdraw and Kobach’s ruling that he must stay on that ballot.

What to take away from the Court’s position, though, is difficult to say. “It is hard to know what to make of this,” Hasen wrote. “Whatever the court decides, this is a very interesting development.

Kansas Supreme Court Order, Taylor v Kobach

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  1. Trying to run out the clock, eh Kobach?

  2. When I say his name it sounds exactly like my cat when she is hacking up a hairball. They kind of look alike too.

  3. Avatar for msny msny says:

    What a POS!

  4. Avatar for rssrai rssrai says:

    Taylor asked what he should submit for getting off the ballot and did what was requested and was approved. Kobach was not there the day request was submitted so Taylor could make sure everything was right. Now, Kobach is refusing to accept Taylor’s request when Taylor submitted everything requested in writing. Kobach is playing partisan politics and not doing his official job representing Kansas.

  5. He couldn’t make it look any more obvious if he tried.

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