FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 29, 2014

KANSAS VALUES INSTITUTE RESPONDS TO BROWNBACK APPOINTMENT OF JUDGE STEGALL TO SUPREME COURT

TOPEKA — Kansas Values Institute Executive Director Ryan Wright reacted today to Governor ’s announcement that he would name Appeals Court Judge Caleb Stegall, who until January served as his Administration counsel, to the state Supreme Court.

“Governor Brownback’s selection of Caleb Stegall to the is the last gasp of a failed governor who knows his time in office is coming to an end, “ said Wright. “Brownback recently told reporters that there would be no ‘favoritism’ in the selection of the next Supreme Court justice, but he has clearly chosen the least qualified, least experienced nominee of the three that were offered. The merit selection process worked, but what didn’t work was a governor who was determined to double-down on his ultra-right agenda in the face of two nominees that, by any measure, were much more qualified.”

Wright went on to say, “It’s not surprising that Governor Brownback made his announcement and then refused to take questions from the media because he refuses to be held accountable for his actions. From day one, Brownback has been injecting politics into the judicial branch and experimenting with the courts by changing the way Court of Appeals judges are selected. Kansans continue to suffer at the hands of his reckless experiments. Regardless of your political philosophy, we should all strive to ensure that our courts are fair, impartial and free of politics. We just wish Governor Brownback agreed.”

For more information about the Kansas Values Institute, please visit www.KansasValuesInstitute.org.

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P.O Box 2124 ǀ Topeka, Kansas 66601 www.KansasValuesInstitute.org ǀ Promoting and preserving traditional Kansas values