WICHITA — Nearly a week after apologizing to a federal magistrate court for an admitted mistake, Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach has now appealed to a federal district judge a $1,000 fine levied against him for misleading the court.
His court filing late Wednesday evening came hours after U.S. Magistrate Judge James O’Hara refused to reconsider the fine and an order requiring him to submit to a deposition by the American Civil Liberties Union.
The judge had fined the Kansas Republican for misrepresenting the contents of documents he took into a November meeting with then President-elect Donald Trump and a separate draft amendment to the National Voter Registration.
Kobach argued the lack of clarity in his court filing was an honest mistake caused by last-minute editing. He also contended the magistrate did not consider whether the deposition was intended to harass, annoy or embarrass him.
Kobach announced his run for governor of Kansas on June 8.
