Local senator interviewed about meetings

Friday, June 8, 2012

TOPEKA -- The Shawnee County District Attorney's Office interviewed Sen. Bob Marshall for more than an hour Thursday afternoon in Topeka about private dinners he attended in January at Gov. Sam Brownback's official residence, Cedar Crest.

District Attorney Chad Taylor's office subpoenaed seven Republican legislators late last month as part of Taylor's ongoing investigation into whether the gatherings violated the Kansas Open Meetings Act.

About 90 GOP legislators attended at least one of the gatherings in January hosted by the governor. Members from approximately 13 committees were present, excluding Democrats.

Marshall, R-Fort Scott, attended three of the of the get-togethers as a member of the Assessment and Taxation, Kansas Public Employee Retirement System (KPERS) Select and Education committees.

After his interview, Marshall acknowledged in a phone interview that a potential problem with the dinner invitations is that the lawmakers were invited and grouped according to their committees, rather than by district numbers or alphabetically.

Two Assistant District Attorneys spent about an hour and 15 minutes questioning Marshall about details pertaining to the three dinners he attended, he said.

Toward the end of the interview, Marshall said he was asked about KOMA.

"So we talked about that and they tried to educate me on the specifics of the act," Marshall said. "It's never been that big of an issue with me, but I guess it's a big issue with a lot of people. Transparency is transparency."

The Kansas Open Meetings Act prohibits a majority of a legislative body from gathering for the purpose of discussing business.

Penalties under KOMA are civil, not criminal, matters and could result in fines of up to $500.

Marshall said he is not the type of person to privately meet with individuals of a governing body to discuss business or make decisions on behalf of the whole group.

"If I meet for the purpose of discussing business, it's going to be in full committee in front of God and everybody," Marshall said.

No indication was given to Marshall as to where the investigation will go from here.

Taylor's office did not immediately return calls seeking comment.

"I don't think anything going to end up following up on it," Marshall said.