Brownback should not consult with Kensinger

It wasn’t a big surprise to learn from e-mails obtained by The Eagle that Gov. Sam Brownback and his staff are still consulting with his former chief of staff, David Kensinger, even though Kensinger is now a lobbyist. Democratic lawmakers have long complained about the amount of influence Kensinger still wields with the administration and the insider access he receives – including receiving a copy of Brownback’s proposed state budget before lawmakers saw it. Eileen Hawley, the governor’s spokeswoman, tried to downplay the contact, saying that Brownback “consults with a wide range of people.” But one of those people shouldn’t be a paid lobbyist who reportedly has been the subject of a federal investigation into possible influence peddling. – Phillip Brownlee

This story was originally published May 22, 2015 at 7:06 PM.