Kansas Insurance

Last week, Kansas, Abilene peasants in Topeka and notes with concern, such as dust towers tourbillonné in the State siltation of the new definition of grass and darkening the sun. Throughout the USA, politicians was observed eyes a totally different type of Kansas thunderstorm, a political storm, all of whose gusts have reached the path of Washington. In its center Charles Wesley (WES) Roberts, 49, chairman of the Republican National Committee.

Some eyebrows and questions. The first cloud had appeared on February 10 So far, Kansas City Star, a half-column of its history, matching Kansas, Alvin S. McCoy, the State of Kansas a building of the hospital. It was a TB house built in 1928 as part of a curious agreement between the government and the Ancient Order of United workers, a fraternal insurance company. The A.O.U.W. pays for the construction of the building on the property of State in Norton, in north-west of Kansas State and the agreement for the hospital, which provided AOUW a priority in their beds. In March 1951, when insurance for a list of patients had one geschwunden the AOUW sold the building to the state for $ 110000. Reporters McCoy discovers that A.O.U.W. had reported its net sales of $ 11000 less than the state payroll. The point of its history: Where did-11,000 $?

Two days later, the National Commissioner of Insurance Frank Sullivan, insofar as the answer. Wes Roberts, had represented the A.O.U.W. in the transaction, received $ 11,000 of its fees. Journalists and legislators immediately seen a few eyebrows and some questions. If Roberts had promoted the sale of the building, which had to be paid by the legislator, he was not lobbying? He had not registered as lobbyists should be subject to Kansas law. While still a fundamental question arises. It was a 1927 letter signed by the State Business Manager said that the State expects the building to nothing if the AOUW, there was never. If the State purchased a building that has already in possession?

Among all these issues was more a principle of precaution. Roberts had sold his political influence? Legislators in Kansas and a special committee began to investigate. One of the first witnesses was Wes Roberts.

He was proud to say his party on the sale of the building, Roberts testified. At the time, he was a private citizen in the economy of public relations, took no State or any part, even if it has recently resigned as chairman of the Republican State, and had a long political power in Kansas. The award was approved by the state are architects, and Roberts felt it was a good purchase for the state. He held talks with members of the State Social Welfare Board (monitoring the state hospitals), and had only a legislator of information. He said: “I was not near the reception work on legislators.”

Roberts turned to the question of influence peddling. He said: “I ask this indictment provides a single person with whom I am in touch with me and say that I have exercised political influence … A series of circumstances was aware twisted and distorted in a calculated plot to blacken my name and destroy utility in my current position.