Kansas drops Kris Kobach's appeal of contempt ruling, ACLU accepts $20,000 for legal fees
The Kansas attorney general said Tuesday the state agreed to drop former Secretary of State Kris Kobachs appeal of a federal court judges contempt order in exchange for the American Civil Liberties Union accepting only $20,000 for attorney fees and expenses.
Attorney General Derek Schmidt said the negotiated deal reduced from $26,200 the states obligation to the ACLU. U.S. District Court Judge Julie Robinson had found Kobach in contempt of court while he was serving as secretary of state in Kansas. Robinson sanctioned Kobach for failure to comply with her instructions.
Mediation involving ACLU lawyers and the attorney generals office Jan. 25 also led to dismissal of Kobachs appeal of the contempt ruling. It didnt alter status of the states appeal of Robinsons underlying election law decision, which found Kansas proof-of-citizenship statute unconstitutional.
The $20,000 payment to the ACLU must be drawn from accounts at the secretary of states office led by Scott Schwab, who was elected in November to replace Kobach. In January, Kobach left the statewide office after losing the 2018 campaign for governor.
Read more: https://www.cjonline.com/news/20190129/kansas-drops-kris-kobachs-appeal-of-contempt-ruling-aclu-accepts-20000-for-legal-fees