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==Kansas Secretary of State==
==Kansas Secretary of State==

By his winning the election to succeed his predecessor, [[Kris Kobach]], the case of ''[[Fish v. Kobach]],'' regarding Kansas voter identification standards, became ''Fish v. Schwab''. After finally settling the two-year litigation, Schwab criticized the [[American Civil Liberties Union]] (ACLU) for its representation of the plaintiffs in the case. The lead plaintiff in the case termed Schwab's comments as, "tone deaf," "completely inappropriate," and "a cheap shot." The settlement mandated the Secretary's office to acknowledge having made errors in the handling of confidential voter registration data that had been exposed by the nature of the "Crosscheck" program. Kansas would not be able to utilize Crosscheck in the future without first implementing expensive upgrades. Schwab questioned the motivation of the ACLU in taking up the action. Kansas was mandated to pay $8,000 in attorney fees to the ACLU. The Crosscheck screening of interstate records produced erroneous conclusions 99% of the time and produced the accidental release of sensitive data regarding 945 voters that had been provided to the State of Florida by Kansas. Schwab stated, "Our office expects future disagreements to be resolved responsibly, through communication and collaboration, not courtroom confrontations motivated by financial gain at taxpayer expense." Schwab's assessment of the Crosscheck lawsuit ignores the actions of his predecessor, Kris Kobach, who enlisted states across the country to swap millions of voting records through unsecured emails. The Crosscheck program produced false positives 99% of the time, and Florida officials inadvertently released the sensitive data of 945 Kansas voters in response to an [[Public_records#Access_to_public_records|Florida Open Records Act]] request.<ref>[https://www.leavenworthtimes.com/news/20191214/secretary-of-state-scott-schwabs-criticism-of-aclu-bothers-kansas-voter-entangled-in-data-breach Secretary of State Scott Schwab’s criticism of ACLU bothers Kansas voter entangled in data breach], ''[[Leavenworth Times]]'', Sherman Smith, December 14, 2019. Retrieved November 3, 2020.</ref>

Kiah Duggins, a third-year Harvard law student a notable student activist, who had been a triple-major at [[Wichita State University]] and intern for [[Michelle Obama]], was among seven Kansans living out of state who contacted the [[American Civil Liberties Union]] of Kansas to report they had difficulties receiving their requested mail-in ballots after repeatedly submitting applications in August and September of 2020. The complaints came in an election year marked by high voter turnout and anxieties around ballot access during a pandemic. The ACLU said its hotline is available for voters requesting assistance with their ballots. "This is concerning because we're seeing folks who are being disenfranchised through no fault of their own," said Lauren Bonds, the Kansas ACLU's legal director.
<ref>[https://www.kansascity.com/news/state/kansas/article246811092.html Out-of-state Kansas voters say they’ve been kept waiting for mail-in ballots: ACLU], ''[[Kansas City Star]]'', Anna Spoerre, October 30, 2020. Retrieved October 31, 2020.</ref>.

In the 2020 general election, incumbent Republican [[Rick Billinger]] 40th State Senate District was listed as a U.S. Senate candidate, as was his opponent, Democrat Larry Dreiling of Hays instead of the state Senate District. According to Schwab's office, in-person absentee voting in the 2020 election was scheduled to resume after being shut down for three days, until October 21, because of the ballot error.<ref>[https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-senate-elections-hays-kansas-voting-2020-a60330b5b304a3e9fc4f23ec46764a0a Voting in western Kansas county delayed by ballot misprint], ''[[Associated Press]]'', Margaret Stafford, October 21, 2020. Retrieved October 31, 2020.</ref>
In the 2020 general election, incumbent Republican [[Rick Billinger]] 40th State Senate District was listed as a U.S. Senate candidate, as was his opponent, Democrat Larry Dreiling of Hays instead of the state Senate District. According to Schwab's office, in-person absentee voting in the 2020 election was scheduled to resume after being shut down for three days, until October 21, because of the ballot error.<ref>[https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-senate-elections-hays-kansas-voting-2020-a60330b5b304a3e9fc4f23ec46764a0a Voting in western Kansas county delayed by ballot misprint], ''[[Associated Press]]'', Margaret Stafford, October 21, 2020. Retrieved October 31, 2020.</ref>


Revision as of 21:07, 3 November 2020

Scott Schwab
File:Scott Schwab headshot.jpg
32nd Secretary of State of Kansas
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 14, 2019
GovernorLaura Kelly
Preceded byKris Kobach
Speaker pro tempore of the Kansas House of Representatives
In office
January 9, 2017 – January 14, 2019
Preceded byPeggy Mast
Succeeded byBlaine Finch
Member of the Kansas House of Representatives
from the 49th district
In office
January 12, 2009 – January 14, 2019
Preceded byBenjamin Hodge
Succeeded byMegan Lynn
In office
January 13, 2003 – January 8, 2007
Preceded byDavid Wilson
Succeeded byBenjamin Hodge
Personal details
Born
Scott Joseph Schwab

Great Bend, Kansas, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseMichele
Children4 (1 deceased)
ResidenceOlathe, Kansas
EducationFort Hays State University (BA)

Scott Joseph Schwab became the current Secretary of State of Kansas in 2019, He formerly served as a Republican member of the Kansas House of Representatives, representing the 49th district. He received national attention when his son, Caleb, was killed in an accident on the Verrückt water slide. In August 2018, he became the Republican nominee in the 2018 Kansas Secretary of State election.[1][2]

Career

Schwab has worked as a marketing consultant, and has a Bachelor of Arts from Fort Hays State University.[3]

Campaigns

Schwab began serving as a member of the Kansas House of Representatives in June 2003. In 2004, he won the primary in the Republican district with 69.1% of the vote, against Shannon Giles.[4]

In 2006, he chose to run in the Republican primary for the 3rd Congressional District, a seat held at that time by four-term Democratic incumbent, Dennis Moore. Schwab faced banker Chuck Ahner of Overland Park, Thomas Scherer of Merriam and Paul Showen of Shawnee.[5] Ahner won the 3rd District primary with 51.9% to Schwab's 32.5% of the vote. Benjamin B. Hodge won the Republican primary for the District 49 seat with 52.7% of the vote, and succeeded Schwab in the state House.[6]

In 2008, Schwab ran again for his old 49th District seat, was unopposed in the primary, and defeated Democrat Kristi Boone in the general election.[7][8]

In 2017, Schwab announced that he would be a candidate for Kansas Secretary of State in the 2018 primary. He said he was not interested in rolling back standards crafted by Secretary Kris Kobach, but that his experience as House Speaker pro tem and chairing the Elections and Insurance committees helped qualify him for the position.[9]

Kansas Secretary of State

In the 2020 general election, incumbent Republican Rick Billinger 40th State Senate District was listed as a U.S. Senate candidate, as was his opponent, Democrat Larry Dreiling of Hays instead of the state Senate District. According to Schwab's office, in-person absentee voting in the 2020 election was scheduled to resume after being shut down for three days, until October 21, because of the ballot error.[10]

Committee membership

  • Elections (Vice Chair)
  • Commerce and Labor
  • Health and Human Services
  • Aging and Long Term Care

Major donors

The top 5 donors to Schwab's 2008 campaign:[11]

  1. Kansas Bankers Association $1,000
  2. Koch Industries $1,000
  3. Kansas Medical Society $750
  4. Kansas Contractors Association $650
  5. John Lewis $500

Political positions

Regarding gay issues, Schwab believes being gay is a "lifestyle choice".[12] He is against same-sex marriage and describes himself as pro-life.[13] Schwab opposes legalization of medical marijuana, saying "this would be an attempt to legalize marijuana. It has no benefit for pain management. All it does is make you crave another bag of chips."[14]

In 2014, Schwab lost the Kansas Chamber of Commerce endorsement and contributions when he refused to support repeal of renewable energy standards, saying no business had publicly advocated repeal. Koch Industries lobbyist Jonathan Small told him they opposed the standards. He told Small that legislators "needed some Kansas businesses to advocate it, because right now it looked as an anti-business vote. He told me at the time only Koch wanted the measure. I recommended that Koch testify then. Jon said if they did that, people would not like them. My response was that people don't like them anyway, so just be honest."[15]

After the death of his son at a water park, Schwab supported additional government regulations on the inspection of water parks.[16][17]

Personal life

Schwab's 10-year-old son, Caleb, was decapitated on August 7, 2016, in an accident on the Verrückt water slide at the Schlitterbahn Kansas City waterpark.[18][19] The family received a reported $20 million settlement.[20] Schwab was criticized for taking advantage of Texas legal provisions that permitted him to sue for a higher amount than that allowed by a Kansas law that he, as a state lawmaker, voted for in 2014.[21][22] In March 2018, Schlitterbahn and three current or former employees were indicted by the Kansas Attorney General on charges related to Caleb's death.[23][24] The charges against the defendants were dismissed, due to prosecutorial misconduct with the grand jury.[25] Schwab and his wife, Michele, have three surviving children.

References

  1. ^ McCoy, Donald R. (February 2000). Landon, Alfred Mossman (1887-1987), governor of Kansas and Republican presidential nominee. American National Biography Online. Vol. 1. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/anb/9780198606697.article.0600763.
  2. ^ "Scott Schwab of Olathe wins Republican vote to replace Kobach as secretary of state". kansascity. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
  3. ^ "Scott Schwab's Biography". Vote Smart. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
  4. ^ 2004 Primary Official Results, Kansas Secretary of State. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  5. ^ August ballot lineups are decided, Lawrence Journal World, June 13, 2006. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  6. ^ 2006 Primary Official Results, Kansas Secretary of State. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  7. ^ 2008 Election Official Vote Totals, Kansas Secretary of State. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  8. ^ "Scott Schwab, R-49th". KanFocus. Contact Information. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
  9. ^ Kansas Rep Scott Schwab enters Secretary of State race, KAKE-TV, October 4, 2017. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  10. ^ Voting in western Kansas county delayed by ballot misprint, Associated Press, Margaret Stafford, October 21, 2020. Retrieved October 31, 2020.
  11. ^ "Schwab, Scott". Follow the Money. 2008 Campaign Contributions. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
  12. ^ Carpenter, Tim (March 29, 2014). "Kansas shying from spotlight in gay-marriage drama". The Topeka Capital-Journal. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  13. ^ Scott Schwab’s political stances on social issues, I Side With. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  14. ^ "Medical Marijuana: Kansas". MedicalMarijuanaBlog.com. June 14, 2010. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
  15. ^ Rep: Koch using Kansas Chamber to retaliate on renewable energy, The Topeka Capital-Journal, Andy Marso, June 16, 2014. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
  16. ^ Hanna, John (March 30, 2018). "Kansas indictments highlight lax state rules on water parks". Associated Press. Retrieved October 22, 2019.
  17. ^ Kite, Allison (April 26, 2017). "Kansas Tightens Amusement Park Regulations after Boy's Waterslide Death". insurancejournal.com. Retrieved October 22, 2019.
  18. ^ Calvo, Amanda; Chan, Melissa (August 9, 2016). "What We Know About the Young Boy Decapitated on the World's Tallest Water Slide". TIME.com. Archived from the original on January 3, 2017. Retrieved January 3, 2017.
  19. ^ Raine, Naja (August 9, 2016). "Caleb Schwab, 10, Decapitated in Water Slide Accident, Police Confirm". People. Retrieved August 9, 2016.
  20. ^ Vockrodt, Steve (May 4, 2017). "Family of Caleb Schwab receives nearly $20 million in Verrückt settlements". Kansas City Star.
  21. ^ Shuart, Blake (May 8, 2017). "Schlitterbahn settlement exposes unjust damages laws". Wichita Eagle.
  22. ^ "How is Representative Scott Schwabb Not a Hypocrite?". March 27, 2018. Archived from the original on March 27, 2018.
  23. ^ Phillips, Kristine (March 25, 2018). "A boy was decapitated on a waterslide. The park knew the ride could kill people, officials say". Washington Post.
  24. ^ Brocchetto, Marilia; Gray, Melissa (March 27, 2018). "Kansas water park executives charged with murder in boy's death". CNN.
  25. ^ Judge Dismisses Murder Charges Over Boy's Death On Kansas Waterslide, National Public Radio, Bill Chappell, February 25, 2019. Retrieved August 14, 2019.
Kansas House of Representatives
Preceded by Speaker pro tempore of the Kansas House of Representatives
2017–2019 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Secretary of State of Kansas
2019–present 		Incumbent
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