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By TIM CARPENTERTopeka Capital-Journal

TOPEKA Democratic state Rep. Cindy Holscher campaigned and voted for a dramatic shift in Kansas tax and budget priorities during the 2017 legislative session.

The Johnson County representative embraced repeal of an income tax exemption to owners of 330,000 businesses and endorsed an increase in the states personal income tax to close a budget deficit. Both tax reforms were opposed by outgoing Republican Gov. Sam Brownback.

Holscher was on the prevailing side in votes adding hundreds of millions of dollars in state aid to K-12 education, but was among lawmakers who failed to deliver enough votes to expand Medicaid benefits to approximately 150,000 working poor across the state.

I saw this great willingness to do what is best for the state, the people, and thats where we need to keep moving, she said.

The political climate in the Sunflower State was sufficiently intriguing for her to take a look at seeking the Democratic Partys nomination for governor. Holscher decided against a dark-horse bid in 2018, but the process of preparing for that possibility convinced her the stakes were unusually high for Republicans, Democrats and independents stepping into the contest.

I think Kansas is at a very pivotal point, said Holscher, who as a freshman House member joined a bipartisan womens caucus of moderate Republicans and Democrats. Weve worked very, very hard this legislative session to try to move the state in a direction that will bring financial stability and growth.

In Holschers absence, the Democratic primary ballot in August 2018 could include former Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer, former Kansas Agriculture Secretary Josh Svaty, Olathe physician Arden Andersen and Wichita high school student Jack Bergeson. Its possible House Minority Leader Jim Ward, Wichita, will add his name to that list.

On the GOP side, the roster could include Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer, Secretary of State Kris Kobach, Insurance Commissioner Ken Selzer, Wichita businessman Wink Hartman, former state Sen. Jim Barnett, former state Rep. Ed OMalley and Leawood businessman Patrick Kucera. Former state Rep. Mark Hutton, Wichita, is a likely addition to that field.

Johnson County businessman Greg Orman, who ran in 2014 for the U.S. Senate, is angling to convince Republicans and Democrats he could be elected governor as an independent candidate.

Holscher, who grew up on a farm near Slater, Mo., and worked at Sprint before concentrating on raising three children, said the states next governor ought to appreciate the value of investing in public schools. She said financial neglect by the state led to larger class sizes and shrinkage in academic programs. As a parent volunteer in the Olathe district, she said teacher morale suffered.

She said one of her children viewed the result through the lens of a student watching an exodus of teachers.

One day, my daughter said to me, You should go fix this, Holscher said.

The remark helped inspire her to run in 2016 for the House seat held by Republican Rep. Amanda Grosserode, who represented the GOP-leaning district.

I covered that district three times going door-to-door. People see effects of whats going on. Ultimately, I won by about 12 percent.

Holscher said a priority of the Legislature and future governor should be lowering the states regressive 6.5 percent sales tax on food.

That needs to be addressed. Kansas has the eighth most unfair tax system in the nation, she said.

She said Kansas had an obligation to again seek passage of legislation enabling expansion of eligibility for Medicaid in Kansas.

She said state lawmakers would be challenged to re-establish a dedicated revenue stream to the Kansas Department of Transportation. In the Brownback era, billions of dollars were siphoned from highway projects to the states general budget.

I always tell people, Holscher said, it didnt take long to knock the wheels off the cart, but its going to take a little longer to put them back on.

View post:
Kansas Democrat shares ideas after spurning run for governor - Hays Daily News

The reelection campaign of Virginia's attorney general has embraced the deadly weekend clash in Charlottesville, Va..

In one of the first political mailings since the violence-marred protests over Civil War monuments, Attorney General Mark Herring also joined in the criticism of President Trump for denouncing "many sides" involved in the clashes instead of just pro-white groups.

This image was included in the Herring email.

"I want to be clear: The violence, chaos and loss of life in Charlottesville is not the fault of many sides.' It is the fault of racists and white supremacists. And if we remain silent in the face of injustice and intolerance, or refuse to call it out when we see it, we do nothing but embolden its perpetrators," said Herring

Trump's White House has since singled out the groups.

Herring's comments echoed what he said about the clash over the weekend.

Herring's note to supporters is below:

This Saturday was a difficult and tragic day for Charlottesville, for our Commonwealth and for our nation.

Three lives were lost, including a woman who was courageous enough to stand face-to-face against hate, and two state troopers dedicated to keeping the peace and protecting their fellow Virginians against white nationalist violence.

Countless more lives were threatened countless people were made to feel lesser by demonstrators waving Confederate flags, chanting neo-Nazi slogans and putting their bigotry on full display in our Commonwealth.

I want to be clear: The violence, chaos and loss of life in Charlottesville is not the fault of "many sides." It is the fault of racists and white supremacists. And if we remain silent in the face of injustice and intolerance, or refuse to call it out when we see it, we do nothing but embolden its perpetrators.

So here's what I promise you right now: I will fight in every corner of Virginia to stamp out hatred. To show that racists, neo-Nazis, neo-Confederates, white supremacists, white nationalists and any other domestic terror groups have no home in our Commonwealth. Period.

Thank you to the first responders, law enforcement, emergency personnel and medical teams who worked to keep Charlottesville safe this weekend. Thank you to those who showed up to stand on the side of inclusion. Let our thoughts be today for love and caring for one another. And let our energy in the coming days be put toward stamping out hatred across our country.

Mark

Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner's "Washington Secrets" columnist, can be contacted at pbedard@washingtonexaminer.com

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Va. Democrat campaigns on Charlottesville clash, only one 'side' to blame - Washington Examiner

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ROBERT DIGITALE

THE PRESS DEMOCRAT | August 14, 2017, 12:11PM

| Updated 17 minutes ago.

An animal rights protester was arrested early Monday for blocking a driver with a truckload of live chickens making a delivery to Petaluma Poultry Processors.

Jon Frohnmayer, 32, of Berkeley, was booked into the Sonoma County Jail by Petaluma Police after a plant security guard arrested him for trespassing, said Police Lt. Tim Lyons. Frohnmayer had blocked the truck for 15 minutes around midnight at the plant at Cader Lane and Lakeville Highway.

Frohnmayer took part in a demonstration by the animal rights network Direct Action Everywhere. The group, which has held frequent Sunday protests at the plant for about two months, issued a press release alleging the truck drove into a throng of activists, who felt intimidated and threatened.

Lyons, however, said, The truck didnt drive into the protesters.

Petaluma Poultry spokesman Brian Sobel insisted security guards have been very, very patient with the protesters.

While acknowledging the demonstrators right to peaceful protests, Sobel said the company intends to conduct business, and were trying to do it as safely as possible.

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Protester arrested at Petaluma chicken plant - Santa Rosa Press Democrat

A Roanoke millennial will oppose Rep. Bob Goodlattes 2018 re-election bid.

Democrat Peter Volosin plans to run against Goodlatte, R-Roanoke County, who is serving his 13th term in the House of Representatives.

Volosin, 31, has never sought office before. He moved home to Roanoke in May after living in Washington, D.C., for about seven years.

Dozens of Democratic candidates have entered Virginias 2017 House of Delegates races and next years congressional races as a reaction to President Donald Trump and his policies, but Volosin says hes not running because of the Trump factor.

Tired of partisan politics in Washington, Volosin said he is seeking the 6th District Democratic nomination because hes fed up with political gridlock at the federal level.

With the way government is these days, with nothing getting done, I felt like that its time that we get somebody in there who wants to build collaboration, build partnerships and nobody else has come up so why not do it myself, he said.

Goodlatte, 64, plans to seek re-election, spokeswoman Beth Breeding said Friday.

She declined to comment further.

The 6th District has been in Republican hands since Goodlattes election to Congress in 1992. In 2016, Goodlatte, chairman of the powerful House Judiciary Committee, beat his Democratic opponent with 66 percent of the vote. At the end of June, Goodlatte had close to $1 million in cash on hand for his 2018 re-election bid, according to the latest campaign finance reports.

Volosin is an independent contractor whose work revolves around urban planning. He earned his bachelors degree from Brown University and obtained his masters degree in urban and regional planning from Georgetown University.

He has worked a number of jobs over the years, serving as a desk clerk at a San Diego hotel, a paramedic and nurse in Washington, D.C., and eventually, consulting on regional planning efforts for various cities in Indonesia.

Volosin is an avid swimmer who qualified for the 2008 U.S. Olympic trials.

Hes also the son of Jimmy Volosin, who owns Jimmy Vs restaurant in Roanoke.

While Volosin is still forming his campaign platform, he believes health care is a right for all citizens, and he aims to reform the countrys immigration system so it is more welcoming to immigrants and refugees. Volosins husband, Malcolm Quigley, is from Ireland and a U.S. green card holder working toward full citizenship.

With the 2018 election still a distant glimmer on the horizon, Volosin will go on a listening tour this fall to hear from 6th District residents.

Im willing to listen to anybody because we need to have everybody at the table and come up with these creative solutions, he said.

Democrat Kai Degner, who opposed Goodlatte in 2016, conducted numerous listening tours while on the campaign trail. After losing the election, Degner has been raising money to form a super PAC devoted to unseating Goodlatte.

He recently started manufacturing Beat Bob bumper stickers and promises to refund the $3.99 shipping and handling fee for anyone who receives a sticker within 30 days of Goodlatte losing an election or retiring.

Democrats are lining up in record numbers to challenge Virginias Republican congressional representatives.

Seven Democrats oppose Rep. Barbara Comstock of Fairfax, six oppose Rep. Dave Brat of Henrico County and five oppose Rep. Tom Garrett of Buckingham.

Several Democrats are mulling a challenge to Reps. Scott Taylor of Virginia Beach, and Rob Wittman, of Westmoreland County.

No Democrats have emerged to challenge Rep. Morgan Griffith of Salem.

Read more here:
Roanoke Democrat to challenge Bob Goodlatte - Roanoke Times

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CHP search for driver in Laytonville fatality on 101

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PETER HERMANN, JOE HEIM AND ELLIE SILVERMAN

WASHINGTON POST | August 13, 2017, 4:07PM

| Updated 6 hours ago.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. Police in Charlottesville, Virginia, came under criticism for failing to keep apart warring white nationalists and counter-protesters who battled it out in the city streets on Saturday amid what at first seemed an anemic response from authorities.

Anger over the how police responded came from all directions and intensified after the deaths of a woman struck by a car that plowed into a group of counter protesters. Experts said police appeared outnumbered, ill-prepared and inexperienced.

The worst part is that people got hurt and the police stood by and didnt do a godd---- thing, said David Copper, 70, of Staunton, Virginia, after an initial morning melee at a park that when unchecked by police for several minutes.

Fourteen people were injured in clashes; nine others were hurt in the car crash. Later, two Virginia State Police troopers were killed when their helicopter smashed into trees at the edge of town and burst into flames. The loss of police officers only compounded the calamity on a day that pushed police, city officials and residents to their limits.

Cable news replayed a seemingly endless loop of the early violence at Emancipation Park, where police in riot gear had surrounded the expanse on three sides, though seemed to watch as groups beat each other with sticks and bludgeoned one another with shields. Many on both sides came dressed for battle, with helmets and chemical irritants.

Police appeared at one point to retreat and then watch the beatings before eventually moving in to end the free-for-all, make arrests and tend the injured. The governor declared a state of emergency around 11 a.m. and activated the National Guard.

The whole point is to have overwhelming force so that people dont get the idea they can do these kinds of things and get away with it, said Charles Ramsey, who headed both the District of Columbia and Philadelphia police departments. Demonstrators and counter demonstrators need to be in sight and sound of each other but somebody has to be in between, he said. Thats usually the police.

Complicating the dynamics was the fact that several dozen groups of armed militia men in full camouflage toting assault-style weapons were in the middle of the crowds. Some claimed that they were there to keep the peace, although none was seen trying to stop the skirmishes.

Cornel West, the Princeton professor and writer who attended a morning church service at First Baptist Church in Charlottesville with a large group of clergy members, said the police didnt do anything in terms of protecting the people of the community, the clergy. West said that if it hadnt been for the anti fascists protecting us from the neo-fascists, we would have been crushed like cockroaches.

Richard Spencer, the white nationalist and one of the leaders of the rally, said police failed to protect groups with which he is affiliated. We came here as a demonstration of our movement, Spencer said. And we were effectively thrown to the wolves. The police, he said, did not protect us.

Local and state authorities declined to address specific questions about how the demonstration was handled or their strategy for the day.

Thomas, the police chief, said only that the city will be reviewing events of the day over coming weeks and months.

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Gov. Terry McAuliffe thanked law enforcement and noted that this could have been a much worse day today. He put the blame squarely on the white nationalists who came here to hurt people. He added, without mentioning a specific incident, And you did hurt people.

Lt. Joseph Hatter, a commander with the Charlottesville Police, said officers tried to create separate areas for protesters and counter protesters to reduce the violence. But, he conceded, It didnt work, did it? I think there was a plan to have them separated. They didnt want to be separated.

About the apparent delay in reacting to the violence, Hatter said, I dont know that we did wait. I think we did the best we could under the circumstances. He declined to elaborate.

State Del. David Toscano, D-Charlottesville, minority leader of Virginias House, praised the response by Charlottesville and state police.

Things were getting out of hand in the skirmishes between the alt-right and what I would describe as the outside agitators who wanted to encourage violence, he said.

- - -

Heim and Silverman reported from Charlottesville. Hermann reported from Washington.

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See the article here:
Police criticized for slow response to violent demonstrations - Santa Rosa Press Democrat