| Caterers: Cedar Crest manager was at dinners The governor's office said last week that an employee who sent an email suggesting legislators would be discussing business at a series of legislative dinners was speculating "far outside the scope of her knowledge" of the dinners. But Emler said he didn't believe the dinner violated KOMA because the policy talk was very general — there were no specific issues or bills before the committee discussed. Since the dinners were first reported in late January, the governor's office has stated that they didn't violate law. Brownback said Witte made an "inaccurate statement" in her email saying the diners would be discussing business. Sarah Quinlan, of Simply Sarah's, said Witte was at two of the three dinners she worked. "A lot of folks would say that's discussing business," he said. Virginia Soppe, of Sweet Dreams Catering, said she couldn't say for sure if Witte was at the two dinners she catered in January, but it wouldn't be unusual. At all but one of the dinners, only Republicans were invited. The office of Shawnee County District Attorney Chad Taylor is giving serious consideration to the dinners at the request of The Topeka Capital-Journal and the Kansas Press Association. Emler likened the governor's address at the one dinner he attended to his State of the State speech. The governor's office didn't respond to an email asking how Witte came to the conclusion that business was to be discussed at the dinners. An employee for Brickyard Barn, the third catering company that worked the dinners, said Witte is typically at Cedar Crest events "in the background. There is some confusion over Witte's role in the administration. Brownback said during a news conference last week that he spoke extensively about his agenda at the dinners and took "questions and comments" from lawmakers, which he said was "fully appropriate. 24 dinner for the House Appropriations Committee because the committee members "will spend some time discussing business during/immediately following dinner. Lee McGowan, a spokesman for Taylor's office, said Witte isn't part of the investigation yet, but likely will be. Joe McLeland's secretary that McLeland shouldn't bring his wife to a Jan. Representatives of the three companies that catered the events at the governor's mansion said the Cedar Crest employee in question, Rebecca Witte, was present at at least two of the seven dinners, which are under investigation for possible violations of the Kansas Open Meetings Act. Gov. "That has nothing to do with me," Soppe said. I do not go out where . Soppe also said she had no insights into the nature of the discussions. |
Sunday, 1 April 2012
Caterers: Cedar Crest manager was at dinners
