Voters Must Foil Brownback Court Coup
Sam Brownback, the most disrespected governor in the nation (25 percent approval), wants to shackle Kansas with his brand of ultraconservatism far beyond the much-anticipated end of his second term in January 2019.
This November, Kansans will have the chance to fulfill or deny Brownback’s ambition. On the ballot will be the names of five of Kansas’ seven Supreme Court justices and six of the 14 Court of Appeals judges, the state’s second highest court. Voters can decide which ones to retain, with “yes” votes, and which ones to dismiss, with “no” votes.
If all are dismissed, Brownback will appoint the 11 replacements, a majority of Kansas’ 21 highest judicial officers. Combined with four of the 10 incumbents, judges of his choice and philosophical bent would control the state’s legal system for decades.