Thread: Woe to the one who raises the issue of racism in the Kansas Legislature

House pursues formal complaint against Kansas City, Kan., Democrat Valdenia Winn


Nine GOP members file objection to comments by Winn


Posted: March 31, 2015 - 5:36pm
A House committee scheduled a hearing Wednesday to investigate the formal complaint by nine representatives against Democratic Rep. Valdenia Winn for allegedly making "offensive and reprehensible" statements during debate on college tuition legislation.


A House committee scheduled a hearing Wednesday to investigate the formal complaint by nine representatives against Democratic Rep. Valdenia Winn for allegedly making "offensive and reprehensible" statements during debate on college tuition legislation.


By Tim Carpenter
timothy.carpenter@cjonline.com
A House committee scheduled a hearing Wednesday to investigate the formal complaint by nine representatives against Democratic Rep. Valdenia Winn for allegedly making "offensive and reprehensible" statements during debate on college tuition legislation.


Six House members -- three Republicans, three Democrats -- will convene the Select Investigating Committee to sort through Winns' comments March 19 during the House Education Committee's discussion on a bill repealing a Kansas law allowing children of illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition rates at public colleges and universities.


The complaint authored by Rep. Ron Highland, the Wamego Republican and chairman of the education committee, asserted Winn improperly used "inflammatory language and inferences toward the committee or anyone who would support the bill."


After an immediate objection was raised during the committee hearing by Rep. John Barker, an Abilene Republican, to Winn's commentary on House Bill 2139, the complaint said, "she continued with additional language that was offensive and reprehensible."


Several advocates of the repeal bill, which was tabled by the House panel, are among members calling for a formal House inquiry.


Here is the Statehouse exchange between Winn and Barker that sparking the investigation:


Winn: "I have dreaded this day because this is a racist, sexist, fear-mongering bill. I would like first to apologize to the progressively minded people of Kansas who are appalled that we are turning back the hands of to, and I'm going to use strong language, Jim Crow tactics. And, once again, making Kansas a laughingstock. I want to apologize to the students and parents whose lives are being hijacked by the racist bigots who support this bill, because this bill ---"


Barker: “Mr. Chairman, I object. She just referred to this committee as racist.”


Winn: “I said supporters. You know what, you can do anything you want, but I am going to say what I have to say."


Barker: “I object."


Winn: "If the shoe fits ... it fits. This is an example of institutional racism."


At that time, Highland didn't invoke his authority as chairman to silence Winn.


Legislation written to repeal the in-state tuition policy has been debated by the House and Senate for the past decade, but insufficient votes have existed to drop the benefit for children of undocumented immigrants who lived in Kansas at least three years, graduated from an accredited Kansas high school and took steps to begin the process of becoming a U.S. citizen.


About 650 of these students are enrolled at technical schools, community colleges and state universities under direction of the Kansas Board of Regents. They pay approximately $2.5 million in tuition to attend these public institutions.


Winn wasn't available to comment on the complaint by her Republican peers, but House Majority Leader Jene Vickrey, R-Louisburg, said the House had previously assigned the special committee to examine conduct of representatives.


"It's healthy to keep us working together and keep our decorum polite," Vickrey said. "The members of the committee are very reasonable. They are colleagues of mine who have a lot of experience."


The six-person committee consists of Chairwoman Erin Davis, R-Olathe; Rep. Mark Kahrs, R-Wichita; Rep. Sharon Schwartz, R-Washington; Rep. Tom Sawyer, D-Wichita; Rep. Barbara Ballard, D-Lawrence; and Rep. Brandon Whipple, D-Wichita.


Legislators signing the complaint against Winn, who is African-American, were all drawn from the House Education Committee. Two of those GOP members, Reps. Tony Barton, of Leavenworth, and Willie Dove, of Bonner Springs, also are African-Americans.


Other Republicans signing the document, in addition to Highland and Barker, were Rep. John Bradford, of Lansing; Rep. Jerry Lunn, of Overland Park; Rep. Charles Macheers, of Shawnee; Rep. Mark Rhoades, of Newton; and Rep. Dennis Hedke, of Wichita.


Tim Carpenter can be reached at (785) 295-1158 or timothy.carpenter@cjonline.com.
Follow Tim on Twitter @TimVCarpenter. Read Tim's blog.


http://cjonline.com/news/state/2015-...t-kck-democrat

The demands of illegal aliens are tearing our country apart. I guess this was part of the Master Plan.

I think Mary Sanchez is probably most racist person in this discussion.

W