Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach spoke last week at a conference for a publishing house described as white nationalist by the Center for New Community and the Southern Poverty Law Center.
The Center for New Community first noted that Kobach was photographed at the Social Contract Press’ Writer’s Workshop on Oct. 25:
Kris Kobach: Kansas Secretary of State #USInc 39th Writers’ Workshop pic.twitter.com/lfZonQsWPF
— Hunter7Taylor (@Hunter7Taylor) October 25, 2015
The Social Contract Press is a “a Michigan-based publishing house that routinely puts out race-baiting articles penned by well known white nationalists,” according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks extremist groups. Its publisher is John Tanton, a prominent white nationalist and anti-immigration activist.
Kobach’s office did not immediately respond to a request by TPM for comment on Tuesday. About an hour after reaching out to Kobach’s office, TPM received a call from a man who identified himself as KC McAlpin, the executive director of the Social Contract Press’ parent organization, US Inc. McAlpin immediately said calling TPM was a mistake and hung up after declining to say how he obtained a TPM reporter’s phone number.
The secretary of state has a history with another Tanton-founded outfit, the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR). Kobach has served as counsel for the Immigration Reform Law Institute, FAIR’s legal arm.
This post has been updated.
