Gov. Kelly slams ‘political theater’ from Republicans opposing her Commerce nominee

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly is striking back at Republicans opposing her pick to lead the state Department of Commerce, accusing them of playing games and treating him inappropriately.

A Senate committee voted Thursday to recommend rejection of David Toland, who is currently the acting secretary of commerce, following a bitter two-day hearing.

“I’m confident, even though the committee played a bunch of games (Thursday), that once his confirmation comes up on the Senate floor that he will be confirmed,” Kelly said Saturday during a town hall at Johnson County Community College in Overland Park.

Kelly and local lawmakers spoke to a few hundred people at the event and took audience questions. The town hall took place in the district of Senate Republican leader Jim Denning. Kelly said she had invited him to participate, but he declined.

The Democratic governor offered a full-throated defense of Toland, calling him the most-qualified nominee to lead the state’s commerce agency in years. She said Toland’s confirmation hearing had been subject to “theatrics.”

“I believe that it was inappropriate and completely unnecessary and just political theater,” Kelly said.

Her comments during the town hall and to reporters after the event came at the end of arguably the most publicly turbulent week of her young administration.

The long week began Sunday with an official Twitter account for the Kansas Department of Transportation, led by Kelly’s administration, calling President Donald Trump a “delusional communist” — an episode that ended with Kelly’s office condemning the tweet and an agency employee out of a job.

It continued Monday with revelations that Kelly’s nominee to the Kansas Court of Appeals — Judge Jeffry Jack – had a history of sending partisan and profanity-laced tweets. On Tuesday, Kelly announced she had withdrawn the nomination amid bipartisan criticism of Jack.

But then, in the middle of the week, Kelly scored a major victory when the House approved Medicaid expansion — one of her top priorities.

Finally, on Thursday, Republicans on the Senate Commerce Committee recommended the full Senate reject Toland’s nomination amid accusations of inappropriate internet use and concerns about his qualifications. The Senate will likely vote on his nomination in the next few weeks.

Toland, of Iola, led the economic development agency Thrive Allen County from 2008 until Kelly picked him to lead the Department of Commerce in January.

Sen. Julia Lynn, an Olathe Republican who chairs the committee, on Saturday said Toland is “clearly unqualified and his work in Iola shows he has no experience of growing the econony or protecting businesses.”

Lynn added that Toland, who was Kelly’s campaign treasurer, was nominated “simply as a reward” for serving in that position.

“Shame on the governor for not respecting the legislative process of committees reviewing her nominees,” Lynn said.

Toland’s supporters say he is well-qualified. They note Thrive Allen County is an award-winning organization and point to his past history of public service. He has held a number of positions in the Washington, D.C., mayor’s office. He has also worked for city managers in Reno, Nev., and Bonner Springs, Kan.

Toland supporters are also quick to point out that Antonio Soave, a commerce secretary under Gov. Sam Brownback, was confirmed only to be mired by accusations of financial misconduct.

Kelly’s office also points to the widespread support Toland enjoys among chambers of commerce and other organizations across the state. They have provided about 40 letters in support of Toland, while Lynn provided a reporter with four letters opposing him.

The Republican opposition to Toland is far from unanimous. Sen. Rob Olson, R-Olathe, publicly endorsed Toland during his confirmation hearings.

And Sen. John Skubal, R-Overland Park, said Saturday he supports the nominee and praised his ability to work collaboratively.

“I think that and his tenacity to bring businesses to the community will be an asset,” Skubal said.

The governor also reiterated her opposition to Republican-backed tax legislation in some of the strongest language she’s used to date. The legislation, Senate Bill 22, would prevent Kansas from collecting about $500 million in tax revenue over three years.

The bill would allow taxpayers to itemize their state income tax returns even if they don’t itemize their federal returns. It also makes several corporate tax changes intended to prevent businesses from facing larger tax bills and includes a small, 1 cent reduction in the state food sales tax rate.

Kelly compared the legislation to Brownback’s 2012 income tax cuts, which led to years of budget turbulence.

“We did this in 2012. We’ve been through this. We need to learn,” Kelly said.

Republicans have rejected comparisons to the Brownback tax cuts.

“It’s absolutely absurd to compare this bill to the Brownback tax cuts,” Senate President Susan Wagle, R-Wichita, said earlier this month.

Kelly will have to make a decision in the next few days whether she will sign or veto Senate Bill 22.

This story was originally published March 23, 2019 at 2:36 PM.