Sen. Gene Suellentrop was removed from his leadership position Friday night, just hours after the top officer in the Kansas Senate called on him to permanently relinquish his duties.
These details, and others, have caused his support within the caucus to erode in recent days, with Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, calling on Suellentrop to step down from his post Friday morning.
Legislators voted 22-4 to eject him from his leadership post during a closed-door meeting with Senate Republicans minutes after the chamber adjourned until the beginning of May.
The fact that Suellentrop did not resign was disappointing, Masterson said, and he acknowledged it would be awkward working with him going forward in the caucus.
By JOHN HANNA
AP Political Writer
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) â Republicans on Friday ousted a powerful Kansas lawmaker charged with drunken driving from his leadership job following the release of a document saying he taunted the Highway Patrol trooper who arrested him and called the officer âdonut boy.â
Senate Majority Leader Gene Suellentropâs removal was the first time in at least several decades that a Kansas legislative leaderâs colleagues pushed someone out before the end of his or her term. Suellentrop, a Wichita Republican, had been set to be majority leader through 2024.
Republican senators voted 22-4 to remove Suellentrop during a 50-minute meeting that was closed to reporters and the public. Senate President Ty Masterson disclosed the vote afterward, saying Republican senators would have an acting majority leader until late May, when they will elect a new majority leader.
Kansas Senate Republicans oust leader from post amid wrong-way drunk driving charges Jonathan Shorman and Katie Bernard, The Kansas City Star
Apr. 10 TOPEKA Kansas Senate Republicans ousted Sen. Gene Suellentrop as majority leader Friday the first major political penalty paid by the Wichita Republican after he was charged with leading police on a drunken wrong-way chase down Interstate 70.
The extraordinary vote by the GOP caucus marked an all-out attempt by senators to separate themselves from Suellentrop, who has become politically toxic amid revelations he allegedly taunted a police officer after his arrest and had a blood alcohol level more than twice the legal limit.
GOP ousts Kansas Senator charged with DUI from leadership position kake.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from kake.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Posted By: chrismaslen April 10, 2021 @ 5:02 am Local News, News
The Kansas Republican caucus voted 22 to 4 via secret ballot on Friday evening to remove Senator Gene Suellentrop as Senate Majority Leader.
This decision comes after court documents provided an officer’s account of Suellentrop’s actions the night we was arrested on charges of drunk driving, attempting to flee from law enforcement, and driving 90+ miles per hour the wrong way on a Topeka highway.
In a Republican caucus Friday morning, Senator Rick Kloos of Topeka made the motion to vote Suellentrop out of his role.
Senate President Ty Masterson said that Suellentrop was offered the chance to resign, but he had refused. Several legislators said that a formal resignation from Suellentrop would have been preferable.