When it comes to addressing the problems facing the state of Kansas, Republicans seem to have found the answer: allow one side to speak and prevent the other side from talking at all. Kansas Republicans formed a new committee, the Government Overreach Committee, designed to look at issues where they believe the state or federal government has overreached their authority and decide what guidance from President Biden or Governor Laura Kelly they are prepared to fight in court rather than follow.
The committee has begun by taking on mask mandates and pro-vaccination programs, but there isn’t a guarantee that is where it stops. In a story posted to Kansas Reflector, it is made clear that one of the expected good-faith norms—the ability for a resident to provide testimony—is certainly on the table for removal.
A hundred individuals spoke at the Special Committee on Government Overreach and the Impact of COVID-19 Mandates, including a man named Justin Spiehs. When Spiehs appeared at the microphone in the statehouse, the anti-mask advocate used his 28 seconds of fame to say that he was made to feel like a second-class citizen because he refused to wear a mask.
Spiehs had appeared in a daily protest for the last four months in front of Douglas County’s public schools, demanding that mask mandates be lifted. In a profanity-laced tirade, Spiehs made specious claims against online coverage of the COVID-19 crisis.
YouTube Video
While his tirade, linked above at the 5:30 marker, could be heard in the statehouse, when viewers hunted for it later, the testimony was unavailable, as it was either edited or muted from the public feed.
The muting of fairly vile, f-bomb commentary from an anti-vaxxer seems a clear violation of the statehouse process, noted Representative John Carmichael (D-Wichita), who added that the comments should be part of the public record, as they were issued inside the statehouse.
Speaking to Daily Kos, Rep. Carmichael offered his thoughts: “The name of the committee, ‘Overreach,’ says it all. The Republicans decided there had been federal overreach before they even named the committee. They paraded in their candidates, Schmidt for Governor, and Warren for Attorney General, via WebEx, and refused to allow Democrats to ask questions, and then Zoomed them out of town,” Carmichael explained. “They allow one—and only one—supporter of vaccinations and public health to testify. And then spend hours listening to anti-vaxxers and anti-maskers spew disinformation and antisemitism. Nothing will come of this Special Committee but embarrassment for Kansas.”
In a standard hearing in the Kansas statehouse, advocates for both sides of an issue would provide testimony on the record. After 100 individuals testified in person against masks, the Republican-controlled committee did not allow pro-Biden, pro-mask, or pro-vaccine advocates to speak, and while testimony against the President and Governor has been made available, written testimony submitted in favor of the mandates has not been published or made available as of this writing online.
The committee has begun by taking on mask mandates and pro-vaccination programs, but there isn’t a guarantee that is where it stops. In a story posted to Kansas Reflector, it is made clear that one of the expected good-faith norms—the ability for a resident to provide testimony—is certainly on the table for removal.
A hundred individuals spoke at the Special Committee on Government Overreach and the Impact of COVID-19 Mandates, including a man named Justin Spiehs. When Spiehs appeared at the microphone in the statehouse, the anti-mask advocate used his 28 seconds of fame to say that he was made to feel like a second-class citizen because he refused to wear a mask.
Spiehs had appeared in a daily protest for the last four months in front of Douglas County’s public schools, demanding that mask mandates be lifted. In a profanity-laced tirade, Spiehs made specious claims against online coverage of the COVID-19 crisis.
YouTube Video
While his tirade, linked above at the 5:30 marker, could be heard in the statehouse, when viewers hunted for it later, the testimony was unavailable, as it was either edited or muted from the public feed.
The muting of fairly vile, f-bomb commentary from an anti-vaxxer seems a clear violation of the statehouse process, noted Representative John Carmichael (D-Wichita), who added that the comments should be part of the public record, as they were issued inside the statehouse.
Speaking to Daily Kos, Rep. Carmichael offered his thoughts: “The name of the committee, ‘Overreach,’ says it all. The Republicans decided there had been federal overreach before they even named the committee. They paraded in their candidates, Schmidt for Governor, and Warren for Attorney General, via WebEx, and refused to allow Democrats to ask questions, and then Zoomed them out of town,” Carmichael explained. “They allow one—and only one—supporter of vaccinations and public health to testify. And then spend hours listening to anti-vaxxers and anti-maskers spew disinformation and antisemitism. Nothing will come of this Special Committee but embarrassment for Kansas.”
In a standard hearing in the Kansas statehouse, advocates for both sides of an issue would provide testimony on the record. After 100 individuals testified in person against masks, the Republican-controlled committee did not allow pro-Biden, pro-mask, or pro-vaccine advocates to speak, and while testimony against the President and Governor has been made available, written testimony submitted in favor of the mandates has not been published or made available as of this writing online.