Kobach Counters After Being Sued To Take Dem Off Kansas Senate Ballot

Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach answers questions from reporters during a news conference about a federal judge's ruling ordering the federal government to help Kansas and Arizona enforce their proof-of-citizen... Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach answers questions from reporters during a news conference about a federal judge's ruling ordering the federal government to help Kansas and Arizona enforce their proof-of-citizenship requirements for new voters, Wednesday, March 19, 2014, in Topeka, Kan. Kobach and Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett filed a lawsuit over the issue. (AP Photo/John Hanna) MORE LESS
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Attorneys for Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach (R) have filed their response to Democratic Senate nominee Chad Taylor’s lawsuit demanding that Kobach take his name off the ballot in November.

In the filing, Kobach’s lawyers argue that the Kansas Supreme Court is not the proper venue for the lawsuit, which Taylor filed after Kobach ruled that he must stay on the ballot despite Taylor’s announcement that he would withdraw from the race.

They argued that the factual dispute between Taylor and Kobach’s office over whether a Kobach deputy approved Taylor’s withdrawal letter — which Kobach later said was insufficient — meant that a lower district court should hear the case, rather than the state’s top appellate court.

If the state supreme court does hear the case, Kobach’s attorneys wrote, the case should be concluded swiftly — by Sept. 20 — so that absentee and military ballots can be mailed out on time.

They also argued that Kansas Democrats would be required under state law to fill Taylor’s spot on the ballot, even if Taylor himself were removed.

The full filing is below.

Kobach Response Taylor Lawsuit

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  1. The dying gasps of a desperate party…

  2. They should put a plastic bag over their head to preserve those last gasps for posterity.

  3. I get it already… Put it through a lower court, and when he loses, he can then go to the supreme court, and by that time it will be too late to change anything.

  4. I’m impressed they came up with something more creative than “we never received the letter.” Although, “that’s not what our employee told you” isn’t really any better.

  5. Avatar for mames5 mames5 says:

    If the Democrats need someone on the ballot (assuming Taylor can remove his name), could they somehow get Orman on their line?

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