The Times of Pott County late last week reported that Rachel Hockenbarger, daughter of Westboro Baptist Church’s late founder Fred Phelps, is still a member of the crusading anti-LGBTQ congregation and now an assistant Pottawatomie County attorney. Newly elected county attorney John Paul Washburn hired Hockenbarger — who will make $86,054 per year in the position, according to county records — in January to replace Brian Yearout, who resigned to take a judgeship.
County commissioners in a statement Thursday didn’t explicitly identify Hockenbarger but referred to reactions to an unnamed worker in the county attorney’s office.
“Questions have recently arisen regarding the hiring of an employee by the Pottawatomie County Attorney,” the commissioners’ statement said. “The County does not publicly comment regarding the employment of non-elected personnel. Employment decisions within the office of the Pottawatomie County Attorney are made by the County Attorney in his role as an elected official of the County. Any questions regarding staffing in the County Attorney’s Office should be directed to the County Attorney.”
