There is nothing unusual about meeting “informally” with the governor. It is only when those meetings contain political discourse among a voting majority that it violates the Kansas Open Meetings Act, and this, sadly, is what Gov. Sam Brownback appears to have done when he hosted seven meetings in January for Republicans on 13 legislative committees.
KOMA states that a voting majority of a legislative body may not discuss government business without giving the public notice or access to the meetings.
But Brownback spoke on issues like tax cuts and water policy over the course of the private meetings, according to the Wichita Eagle. Yet, the public was not informed of the meetings, even though the law requires it.
Shawnee County District Attorney and Democrat Chad Taylor is investigating the legality of the meetings and whether they violated KOMA – the legality of the meetings depends on whether legislators discussed substantive legislative issues and how much interaction there was among them.
Brownback’s administration continues to claim that the meetings at Cedar Crest, his official residence, were of a purely social nature. They have even said that aides were present to keep legislators from having discussions that might violate KOMA, legislators say.
If, in fact, Brownback did violate the open meetings law, the citizens of should be outraged. If we cannot rely on transparency at the highest levels of state government, then who can we trust?
Democracy relies on the people’s ability to trust their elected officials, which is infinitely more difficult when secret meetings are held at Cedar Crest.
The politicians involved should have known better. Brownback’s office should have been forthright about the meetings before they occurred because now, how can we trust that the governor has Kansas’ best interests at heart if he is willing to violate the law?
The Bulletin demands governmental accountability at all levels. The Open Meetings Act allows citizens to observe the gears of government in motion and keeps democracy safe. It is not disposable and not up for negotiation.
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