Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt (center) was the featured speaker Friday, March 18 at the Congressional Forum. Also attending were Kim Singleton and Murrel Bland of Business West.
Derek Schmidt came to Wyandotte County prepared to comment on two very controversial pieces of legislation.
Schmidt, the Republican Kansas Attorney General who wants to be Governor, was the keynote speaker at the monthly meeting of the Congressional Forum held Friday, March 18 at Children’s Mercy Park. The Kansas City, Kansas, Area Chamber of Commerce sponsors the Forum.
The first issue Schmidt addressed was the “Safe and Welcoming City Act.” The Unified Commission, on a 6-4 vote, recently approved the act for Kansas City, Kansas. The ordinance would authorize the issuances of photo identification cards to undocumented persons to improve the access to public services.
Schmidt favors House Bill 2717 which would prohibit local units of government from passing any legislation that would interfere with law enforcement cooperation in immigration enforcement. He said that the ordinance would encourage sanctuary cities.
Schmidt said it is up to the federal government to reform immigration policies. Employers are very dependent on immigrant labor, particularly in such areas as food service, construction and landscaping. The present immigration system is long, drawn-out and very cumbersome.
Schmidt also commented on the redistricting issue. The Kansas Legislature, controlled by conservative Republicans, approved a map that would split Wyandotte County into two Congressional Districts. Democrats allege that such a map was blatant gerrymandering, with lines drawn to dilute a Democrat candidate’s strength.
Suits were filed in Wyandotte and Douglas counties, challenging the Republican maps. The Attorney General requested that the suits be dismissed. The Kansas Supreme Court rejected Schmidt’s request, saying that Schmidt should have not short-circuited the judicial process.
It is unfortunate that the ultra-conservative element controls the Legislature; its map shows the worst in partisan politics. A more moderate approach would be to keep the district lines basically the same as it is today. This would keep Wyandotte County and most of Johnson County in the Third Congressional District. The far southern semi-rural area of Johnson County would be in the Fourth Congressional District.
Schmidt also told of improvements he has made in his 11 years as Attorney General. He was able to get legislation passed that places the 150 employees of the attorney general’s office under civil service. He also was successful in getting a new crime laboratory for the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.
Murrel Bland is the former editor of The Wyandotte West and The Piper Press. He is an advisory director of Business West.