TOPEKA — A newspaper report says a former Kansas commerce secretary participated in transferring state data to a private company with ties to him while in office.
The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that it used state documents and interviews to link ex-Secretary Antonio Soave to the transfer of state files containing contact, personnel and financial data on more than 10,000 businesses.
The newspaper said data went from Soave’s special assistant at the Department of Commerce to an employee of the Capistrano Global Advisory Services business consulting firm in Overland Park. Soave was CEO before and after serving as commerce secretary.
Soave was secretary under Republican Gov. Sam Brownback from December 2015 until June 2017. Brownback fired him.
Soave didn’t answer a Facebook message seeking comment and telephone listings for him had were disconnected.
