I have a different view of Democratic candidate Chad Taylor's accomplishments in the state.



“It started when Shawnee County District Attorney Chad Taylor announced that a 10 percent budget cut would force him to end his office’s prosecution of misdemeanor cases, almost half of which last year were domestic battery cases. With that, Taylor stopped prosecuting the cases and left them to the city.”

“In the meantime, police spokeswoman Kristen Veverka confirmed that 16 people have been arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor domestic battery since Sept. 8 but were released from the Shawnee County Jail after charges weren’t filed.”

“Letting abusive partners out of jail with no consequences puts victims in incredibly dangerous positions,” said Becky Dickinson of the YWCA. “The abuser will often become more violent in an attempt to regain control.” The YMCA also said that some survivors associated with their Center for Safety and Empowerment were afraid for their safety if the dispute wasn’t resolved soon.

"To have public officials pointing fingers while victims of domestic violence are trying to figure out who will protect them is just stunning," Joyce Grover, executive director of the Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence told the Times.

“Dakota Loomis, spokesman for Taylor, said the district attorney’s office “agrees that domestic violence is a crime that should be taken seriously and charged. Our situation isn’t what it was in 2009 in regard to funding,” Loomis said Tuesday. “Limited resources have forced us to determine what we’re statutorily required to do.”

“Joyce Martin, CEO of the Topeka YWCA, said in a statement Tuesday. “We believe the Shawnee County District Attorney’s Office is the most appropriate agency to prosecute this serious crime.” Martin said that in 2009 the YWCA worked with the district attorney’s office, Topeka Police Department, Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office and Third Judicial District Court Services to create “community protocols” for responding to and prosecuting domestic violence cases. Once finalized, the protocols were signed by District Attorney Chad Taylor... Martin said in signing the protocols, Taylor agreed that his office would “aggressively prosecute domestic violence,” “review domestic violence cases as first priority” and “charge the cases that meet sufficient evidence to prosecute the case.” “We’re concerned the district attorney isn’t following through on those things (protocols),” she (Laura Burton, public educator for the YWCA’s Center for Safety and Empowerment) said.

“Interim City Manager Dan Stanley said the city attorney's office isn’t equipped to handle domestic violence cases. Stanley told city council members Tuesday evening the district attorney's office has seven people dedicated to prosecuting misdemeanor domestic violence cases. The city attorney's office has five prosecutors total, only one of whom prosecuted any domestic violence cases, with the last one having taken place 10 years ago."

“The allegations include gender discrimination for lack of providing breast-feeding stations and race discrimination relating to the women’s supervisor, who allegedly used her position to coerce Hispanic employees and clients to clean her home."

“no stance on record”

“We’ve spent a lot of time over the last two decades debating whether or not women should have the right to make decisions about their own reproductive health. As a man, I’ll never have to face some of the decisions that women have to make. I know the women of Kansas are smart, and I trust them to make their own decisions about their reproductive health. I believe it’s time for our government to move past this issue and start focusing on other important issues, such as healthcare and higher education affordability, tax code simplification, and fixing our broken immigration system.”

“We are very pleased Orman threw his hat in the ring. It lets us put forth a more complete roster of candidates who could truly begin changing the direction of Kansas. We hope you agree. Lynn Stephan

Convention Co-chair”

That's right, Chad Taylor is the DA who refused to prosecute domestic abuse cases in Topeka because they cost too much. And don't let him excuse this as a budget standoff, real people saw real results while Chad Taylor was busy shutting down the local government like a tea partier.And the Democratic party wants me to vote for this guy? First I need to check in with some women's advocates to see if there is any reason to worry about these victims... Seems like a reasonable concern for the 16 families who sat at home and waited for the perpetrator to return THE SAME NIGHT! Anyone else want to weigh in? The Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence apparently doesn't agree with abuse prosecution as a budget cutting measure. Maybe Chad Taylor's spokesperson can beat some sense into them... Classy. Now keep in mind that this decision flew directly in the face of an agreement DA Chad Taylor had signed onto himself with the YWCA Battered Women Task Force. His apologists will tell you that this was a budget standoff. That he expected the city of Topeka to take over like some other towns in Kansas. But that would assume he was unaware of these facts... So go make excuses for someone else. Maybe John Edwards has an opening. And I haven't even mentioned the lawsuits that have come out of his office. Maybe I am being unfair. Maybe he is a champion of women's rights in other ways. Let's look for an abortion stance.. It is hard to find clear statements from Taylor about his stance on abortion. For example, his website includes “Women's Issues” under the category of “Social Issues”. By contrast, Orman doesn't hide, discussing abortion under “Reproductive Rights” on his site where he clearly states...I can sign on with that. So did Women For Kansas , when they endorsed Greg Orman recently. Surprised? No? Me either.No doubt the Democrats who are angry with Jim Sherow can't find the time to share that annoyance with Women for Kansas.

The other major party choice is Senator Pat Roberts, the symbol of all that is wrong with Kansas politics. Beholden to the Koch brothers before it was cool, Sen Roberts has proven to be one of the worst Senators in the US, voting against the Violence Against Women Act and for a Constitutional ban on marriage equality, all while screaming “FREEDOM!” The need to defeat him is critical to Kansas and the US.

And that brings us back to Democrat Jim Sherow's endorsement of Independent Greg Orman. This may have been easy for him. He could see the writing on the wall. Taylor lost in all the populous counties in Jim Sherow's district; Ford, Finney, Reno, Salina, Russell. In fact, if it wasn't for Taylor's vote margin in Shawnee, his home town, he would have lost the primary election to someone who did not campaign at all. Taylor has no real base, only the people who vote straight ticket, a loser strategy for a Kansas Dem. Meanwhile, Orman's Facebook page is littered with recognizable Democrats.

Why should Jim Sherow endorse a terrible Democratic candidate that can't win anyway? A guy who had less then $2,000 cash on hand before the primary? Take a look, Greg Orman is kicking Taylor's butt at fund-raising and is hanging tight with Pat Roberts. Does anyone believe that Taylor can raise the least money and still win a three way race against an incumbent? Please.

So where is Orman on the issues? Check his website and you will see him call for comprehensive immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship. On gun rights he clearly calls for background checks for gun purchases.

He gets the dangers of the Hobby Lobby decision stating “This is a dangerous precedent to set and opens the door to many more court challenges from private employers.” He also sums up Citizens United well by saying “I believe the Supreme Court made a mistake in giving corporations the same rights as people.”

Orman brings a lot to the table and is clearly the best choice of the three. He has raised more money than Taylor and doesn't receive the generic disdain many have for the Democratic Party around here. He is seen by little 'r' republicans as a viable alternative to the carpet bagger Pat Roberts. In head to head polls Orman is the obvious leader. From the WSJ on Friday...



“The GOP's saving grace is that the senator's opponents—businessman Greg Orman, an independent, and Shawnee County District Attorney Chad Taylor, a Democrat—are "pretty much splitting the anti-Roberts vote evenly," according to PPP. But if one of them were to drop out, "Roberts would really be in trouble." In head-to-head match ups, the Republican leads Mr. Taylor by four points and trails Mr. Orman by 10. The independent would "take 30% of the Republican vote while losing only 11% of Democrats to Roberts."

The Kansas GOP is in full civil war mode, moderate Republicans are lining up behind the Democratic Governor candidate Paul Davis and abandoning Gov Sam Brownback. That leaves the Christian Right battling the Tea Party for the ample scraps of the Kansas GOP. The Tea Party has already made it clear that Roberts ain't their guy, so he can't count on them getting off the couch on election day. They may decide Independent Orman tastes better even if he is less filling.

Don't waste the Republican civil war. Moderate and left of center voters have a chance to line up with the candidate that can compete and put the national Republicans on the defense in a previously safe area.

As a Kansan I have seen the damage up close that Conservative policies create. We have watched as this once great state crumbles at the hands of the Kansas Republican Party. I have dutifully voted Democratic and fought hard to get others to do the same. I have even scolded others who suggested we vote for a third party.

Not this time. Count me in Jim.

Updates

Chad Taylor's comments about the President on local TV, from his own site.

Wheat: Something that a lot of Republicans, especially incumbents, are coming out with as well is that if you elect a Democrat you’re basically putting President Obama into the House or the Senate. You’ve distanced yourself from the Obama Administration, haven’t you? Taylor: You know I’ve never been a huge fan of the President’s. There are several issues that he and I greatly disagree on. His leadership style is very different from mine. It’s funny, I’ve already heard the same comments that you have, Shawn: “A vote for Chad Taylor is a vote for Harry Reid and a vote for Barack Obama.” I just think that is absolutely absurd.

And from this morning Greg Orman on MSNBC's Up with Steve Kornacki