Updated Noon 2-11:
Jeff Morris, Vice President Communications & Marketing at Kansas State University, released this statement regarding the matter involving the Governor and Kent Glasscock, President of Kansas State University’s Institute for Commercialization:
“Kent Glasscock has advised several governors over the years during the budget process due to his expertise and policy knowledge. Discussions about the budget during the development process are not subject to the open records act per state statute. The governor’s budget proposal has been submitted and is a public document that all can review and the legislature can debate and make change as it sees fit. We do not think it is appropriate for the university to make a statement on who was chosen to consult with the budget preparation process by the state office of the budget, which seems to be what this issue is about.”
Original Report:
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Newly released emails obtained by the Topeka Capital-Journal show the governor’s administration informed two lobbyists about its budget efforts weeks earlier than previously disclosed.
The emails showed they were included on a Dec. 6 email thread about the budget. President Kent Glasscock of Kansas State University Institute for Commercialization also was included.
The newspaper (http://bit.ly/1E6ewbF ) made an open records request to the school for emails between Glasscock and the state’s budget director.
Most of the emails’ content was redacted. The university and Glasscock haven’t responded to the newspaper’s questions. Glasscock indicated he was not commenting and that further information would need to come from K-State’s Communications and Marketing Department.
A Gov. Sam Brownback spokeswoman says he consulted with several people during budget discussions.
The Wichita Eagle first reported the state’s budget director sent a Dec. 23 email previewing the governor’s budget proposals. Among the recipients were the two lobbyists.
Information from: The Topeka (Kan.) Capital-Journal, http://www.cjonline.com
