Kansas RINOs Show True Colors, Become Democrats

Above, yours truly with then-Senator Greg Smith in 2016 at the Kansas
State Capitol. Smith was defeated by RINO-turned-Democrat Dinah Sykes. 

One thing I've learned over the years is that RINOs (Republican In Name Only) will eventually switch parties and become Democrats.

This has happened recently in Kansas when three so-called Republican moderate state legislators switched parties.

The Kansas City Star reported:

TOPEKA - Two more Kansas lawmakers are leaving the Republican Party to become Democrats, shrinking the ranks of GOP moderates after the Legislature grew more conservative in the November election. 

Sen. Dinah Sykes and Rep. Stephanie Clayton, both moderate Johnson County Republicans, said Wednesday they are becoming Democrats. They join Sen. Barbara Bollier, who left the Republican Party earlier in December. 

The party switching comes after a nationwide surge of Democratic voters in suburban areas. The surge helped defeat Republican U.S. Rep. Kevin Yoder, and some state lawmakers are now aligning themselves with this new political reality.

It did not come as a surprise that Sykes switched parties, except she didn't do it sooner. She ran against Republican State Senator Greg Smith, a perfectly good conservative state senator, in the Overland Park area in the 2016 Primary Election and won. Many of us who closely followed that campaign suspected she was a "she-wolf in RINO sheep's clothing" and was actually a liberal Democrat posing as a moderate Republican with liberal backing. A real Republican wouldn't run against a Republican incumbent in a legislative district.

Now we know!

To read more, go here.

Sen. Greg Smith and Other Conservatives Lose Primaries To RINOs

Above, Sen. Greg Smith of Kansas.

One has to sometimes wonder what drives the electorate to vote the way they do. Today is one of those times.

Kansas State Senator Greg Smith, along with several other conservative legislators, lost their primary bids last night.

According to the Wall Street Journal:

TOPEKA, Kan.—A top Senate leader and at least 10 other conservative Kansas legislators have lost their seats as moderate Republicans made GOP primary races a referendum on education funding and the state's persistent budget woes. 

Senate Majority Leader Terry Bruce was among the lawmakers ousted amid a backlash against Republican Gov. Sam Brownback and his allies. 

Besides Mr. Bruce, the conservative senators who were unseated were Tom Arpke, of Salina; Forrest Knox, of Altoona; Jeff Melcher, of Leawood; Larry Powell, of Garden City; and Greg Smith, of Overland Park. All are allies of Gov. Brownback.

That is one of the reasons that I don't trust moderate Republicans. They would find any excuse to stab conservatives in the back during a primary or, failing that, support a Democrat in the general election.

Word has reached me that Smith's opponent, Dinah Sykes, ran a well-funded campaign (teacher's union money?). It will be interesting to see where her campaign contributions came from.

We are also seeing this on the national scale as moderates (RINOs) are backing Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump.

Sen. Smith served his community and state well. I was proud to support him. I hope this setback is only temporary and that he'll jump back into the arena.

To read more, go here.

Kelsey Smith Safety Awareness Seminar

Above, Sen. Greg Smith.

After posting about the upcoming (February 17) Investigation Discovery documentary on the Kelsey Smith case this morning, I found videos of the Kelsey Smith Safety Awareness Seminar conducted by her father, Kansas State Senator Greg Smith (Overland Park) at YouTube.

It is one complete seminar divided into 8 videos shot by photographer Tim Galyean in 2010. These videos should be seen by everyone, especially by those who have young daughters.

It would be best to view them with your children.





Here are the videos (in order):

Greg Smith Wins Kansas House Seat!

Well, tonight wasn't a total loss for me.

The Kansas City Star reported that Greg Smith, R-Overland Park, won the 21 Senate District of the Kansas state legislature:

Smith racked up 53 percent of the vote to Roy’s 47 percent in the Overland Park-Lenexa Senate district. Smith is a conservative Republican who is backed by Republican Gov. Sam Brownback.

I made a campaign donation to Smith's campaign.  It appears it was put to good use!

Congratulations, Greg!

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/11/06/3904114/in-early-johnson-county-returns.html#storylink=cp

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Greg Smith For Kansas Senate, District 21

A panel of judges have finally decided on the legislative districts for the State of Kansas.

Kansas House Member Greg Smith (R-Overland Park) is a candidate for the newly-formed District 21 of the Kansas State Senate.  He is the common-sense conservative who will best represent the district in Topeka.

The district is a large one geographically, so Greg will need many volunteers to cover it.

The issues are:

As your state representative Greg worked to represent your values. As your state senator Greg will continue to fight for the right priorities:

THE SMITH SEVEN
1) Reduce Your Tax Burden: Kansas has the second highest tax burden in the region. Lower income tax states have more vibrant economies.
2) Improve Education: Kansas has a broken school finance formula that picks winners & losers. Johnson County Schools receive less funding than 90% of other schools in Kansas but provide 30% of school funding for the state.
3) Fiscal Responsibility: The use of your tax money should be readily apparent. Transparency and accountability to you, the tax payer, are paramount. The state budget must follow state law and not only balance but maintain the 7.5% mandated reserve.
4) Cut State Spending: Tax dollars should only be spent on core government functions that cannot be provided by any other agency.
5) Fight Illegal Immigration: The federal government has abdicated its responsibility to secure our borders. Illegal immigration puts everyone at risk and increases costs of government services.
6) Safe Streets: Public safety is the paramount responsibility of government. Public safety agencies and the state corrections department need full funding so everyone is safe.
7) Maintain the Death Penalty in Kansas: The death penalty is an instrumental tool for prosecutors in Kansas.

Join Greg Smith's campaign today!  Walk precincts.  Be a precinct captain.  Put up a yard sign.  Donate.

Greg Smith's campaign website is at http://www.gregsmith4kansas.com/.

5 Years Ago

Five years ago tonight, I went over to the local Best Buy in Woodland Hills.  I decided to buy a DVD to watch.

I ended up buying So Proudly We Hail, starring Claudette Colbert and (future Superman) George Reeves.

At the same time, a tragedy was unfolding half-way across the country in Overland Park, Kansas.  

Recent high school graduate Kelsey Smith was abducted from a Target parking lot that evening.  This led to a family's frantic search and a drama that captured the attention of a nation.

Thanks to a security camera video, cell phone pings, police detective work and the total ineptness of the killer, Kelsey was found and her killer was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Today begins a time of remembrance and reflection.

Greg Smith To Run For Kansas Senate

Kansas State Representative Greg Smith (R-Overland Park) issued the following news release:

State Representative Greg Smith (R) announced Wednesday, August 30, 2010 that he will run for the senate seat in Senate District 8 which is currently held by Sen. Tim Owens.

Rep. Greg Smith is well known as the father of murder victim, Kelsey Smith, a strong advocate of crime victims’ rights and the rule of law. He has worked tirelessly in the Kansas House to sponsor and promote legislation that protects youth and young adults from violent predators and led the effort to successfully bring the state of Kansas in compliance with the Adam Walsh Act. He also sponsored and successfully guided to passage legislation that protects crime victims’ rights by allowing District Attorneys to convene grand juries to investigate serious felonies.

Additionally, he supported efforts to lower the tax burden on Kansans, reduce the size and scope of state government, pushed for fiscal accountability and transparency, as well as worked to allow the private sector to create jobs for Kansans. Rep. Smith had both a perfect attendance record and voting record in the 2011 Session of the Legislature.

Smith, who is also a high school social studies teacher, labored to keep Johnson County money in Johnson County schools. He believes that Kansas public schools should benefit our children and not benefit special interest groups.

When asked why he was moving from the House to the Senate, Representative Smith said that he has been disappointed by the lack of will by the Senate to support pragmatic solutions to the many problems that Kansas faces. “The status quo will not bring about needed changes to make Kansas a leader in job creation and quality public education. The Kansas House exhibited strong leadership this past session. It’s time for the Senate to lead as well and I feel I can help best facilitate that by moving to the Senate,” said Smith.

Greg would be a great asset in the Kansas Senate. He is one man who can shake things up and accomplished.

For more information on Greg Smith, go here.

Jamie Sheets, 16, Missing Since May 18

This was passed on by Greg Smith, Kansas House Representative and father of Kelsey Smith:



To see a .pdf of the above flyer, go here.

Batting .500!

During this recent election cycle, I endorsed two candidates: Mark Reed for congress in California's 27th C.D. and Greg Smith for the Kansas House of Representatives in Overland Park, Kansas.




Unfortunately, Mark Reed didn't win election. The district is heavily Democrat as it is gerrymandered into a u-shape that makes no sense to the common voter. Reed didn't have much in the way of funding, but he did put what he was able to raise to good use. I think he has a future and if he tries again with better funding (plus a re-drawn district that evens things out), he might just make it.




Fortunately, Greg Smith won his election against a Democrat incumbent. Greg is the father of Kelsey Smith, whose murder made national news. Greg has been a tireless advocate for women's safety through the Kelsey Smith Foundation and accomplished the passage of the Kelsey Smith Act in Kansas and other states requiring cell phone providers to cooperate with law enforcement in cases of missing persons. He will do Kansas proud!

So, for this election cycle, I am batting .500!

GOP Takes House of Representatives

Right, Mark Reed supporters catching the night's election returns.

The election results have been interesting, to say the least. The Republican Party (as of this writing) gained 53 seats in the House of Representatives and are neck-and-neck for control of the U.S. Senate.

There were some disappointments, particularly in California and Nevada. The only good thing about Harry Reid's win is that even if the Democrats retain control of the senate, his powers are greatly diminished.

At present, the only results for the 27th Congressional District (San Fernando Valley) is that Mark Reed is behind Brad Sherman at 41% with 5% of the precincts reporting. That is still respectable, considering the make-up of the district and that it is badly gerrymandered.

I am pleased to report that Greg Smith won his race for the Kansas House of Representatives by 2%. His late daughter Kelsey is, no doubt, smiling down on him. His district is in the Overland Park area. He'll be a great asset to the Kansas legislature!

From the Kansas City Star:

In House District 22, Republican Greg Smith, a social studies teacher, beat Democratic incumbent Rep. Lisa Benlon. Smith is the father of Kelsey Smith, who was kidnapped at an Overland Park Target store and murdered in 2007. Smith received 51 percent of the vote to 49 percent for Benlon, who was seeking a second consecutive term.

Congratulations Greg!

Above, yours truly with Mark Reed.

I spent this evening at Mark Reed's Election Night party at the American Legion Post 308 in Reseda. Here's some photos of tonight's gathering:



Left, Mark Reed greeting supporters.













Right, entertainers making the night a festive one.






Above, candidate Mark Reed addresses his supporters.

Greg Smith for Kansas House of Representatives Super Literature Drop/Walk Saturday

Those of you in the Overland Park, Kansas area are urged to join in the Greg Smith for Kansas House of Representatives Super Literature Drop/Walk this Saturday, October 30.

I can't think of anyone else who would be a terrific asset to his state's legislature than Greg Smith.

The following information on the literature drop/walk is posted at Smith's campaign website:

Join us at 8605 Robinson, Overland Park, KS as we head out for a SUPER literature drop of the entire 22nd District. We will be going door-to-door leaving literature and urging people to vote.

We will have refreshments and a drawing for a $25 gift card. Help us push on to victory and finish strong!

When: Saturday, 10 AM to 1 PM
Where: Meet at 8605 Robinson, Overland Park, KS then go out to precincts in District 22

Please vist the Facebook page and RSVP so that we can make sure we have enough refreshments for everyone!

Thank you for your support.

Greg has been endorsed by:

•U.S. Congressman Todd Tiahrt
•Stan Adell, Adell & Associates
•Kansas Chamber of Commerce
•Kansans For Life
•Kansas Republican Assembly
•National Rifle Association
•John Rysavy, Republican Candidate for Kansas 3rd Congressional District
•National Federation of Independent Business
•Armand Vaquer, Former member of the California Ronald Reagan Delegation in 1976, 1980 and 1984 and area chairman

Greg Smith vs. Lisa Benlon Campaign Analysis

Above, Greg Smith.

This morning, I was perusing SwingStateProject.com's analysis of the 2010 Kansas state legislature races and noted their analysis of the race between Greg Smith, the father of Kelsey Smith, and Rep. Lisa Benlon in Overland Park.

They wrote:

KS-HR-22: 34.6R/32D/32.5U : District Map : (D) Lisa Benlon - Another former Republican state representative, Benlon returned to politics in 2008 as a Democrat, winning 53% to succeed Democrat Sue Storm, who rose to a seat on the state Board of Education. Benlon did draw a fairly strong opponent in Greg Smith, the father of the late Kelsey Smith. Still, the district's blue tint, and Smith's very conservative profile, should be enough to save Benlon, assuming Democrats actually turn out. Rating: Lean Democrat

Note that the district is 34.6% Republican and 32% Democrat with 32.5% Unaffiliated. Swing State Project's rating would make some sense had Barack Obama and the Democrats hadn't made a worse mess out of the economy than it already was in and, also, not forced Obamacare down people's throats. The voters are hopping mad!

Additionally, this is marginally a Republican district. Independents (the unaffiliated voters) tend to be more conservative and vote GOP than they do Democrat. Also, independent support of Obama and the Democrats nationally has plummeted.

It doesn't help matters that Lisa Benlon became a Democrat after being a former Republican state representative. There are three kinds of unpopular politicians this year: Liberal-Socialist Democrats, R.I.N.O.* Republicans and turncoats. Just ask Sen. Arlen Specter! By being a turncoat in switching parties, Benlon makes her chances at re-election much more difficult than what meets the eye, especially this year.

Keep in mind that Swing State Project is a left-wing website, so their "analysis" may be more wishful-thinking than objective.

Greg Smith is running on a conservative platform.

If Greg Smith mounts an aggressive campaign on the issues and ties the Obama/socialism noose around her neck, Benlon can be defeated.

To read swingstateproject.com's ratings, go here.


*Republican In Name Only

Greg Smith For Kansas House of Representatives

Right, Greg and Missey Smith with daughter Kelsey.

There is one candidate for a state legislator's seat whom I have endorsed this year. Generally, I don't get myself involved in other states' issues or with their candidates, but one man has earned my admiration and respect.

His name is Greg Smith, who is a candidate for the Kansas House of Representatives from Overland Park, Kansas.

Greg and his family caught my attention three years ago when his daughter Kelsey was kidnapped and murdered. This also caught the attention of the national media.

In the aftermath of Kelsey's murder, Greg and his family rolled up their sleeves and started the Kelsey Smith Foundation so that young women in Kansas and other states can be educated in self-protection to prevent more abductions and murders.

Greg is a former law enforcement officer and teacher. I was not surprised to learn that he his a conservative Republican, given the way he has worked around the country to get The Kelsey Smith Act enacted in other states. The Act mandates that cell phone providers fully cooperate with law enforcement in cases of kidnappings where a cell phone's "ping" can lead to a rescue or recovery of a kidnapping victim.

Greg recently wrote of his philosophy on taxes and fiscal responsibility as well as the differences of R.I.N.O. Republicans (Republicans In Name Only) and those who share his philosophy:

Granted, if you look to see if there is an "R" or a "D" behind the name of those who voted in favor of raising taxes and increasing spending, several of the legislators do have an "R" behind their name but they do not have the political philosophy of a conservative Republican. Take for example, Senator Tim Owens of Overland Park. He has an "R" behind his name. He's even my senator but he does not share my philosophy on spending and limited government. Senator Owen consistently votes to raise taxes and expand government. In the Kansas House, my representative, Lisa Benlon (and my opponent in the upcoming election), has a "D" behind her name. She also votes consistently for higher taxes and the expansion of government. I expect that from a Democrat. I can respect her for voting that way even though I disagree with it.

I've already endorsed Greg Smith for the Kansas House of Represatives. We need more candidates like him to hold the line on excessive taxation and spending.

For more on Greg and his campaign, go here.

No Clues Found In New Kopetsky Search

A search today of a wooded area near Kansas City failed to turn up any clues to the disappearance of Kara Kopetsky.

The Kansas City Star reported:

More than 220 officers with law enforcement agencies started an exhaustive examination of a 400-acre area just east of the former Richards-Gebaur airport, near East 155th Street and U.S. 71., about 9 a.m. today. It was over about 1 p.m.

The area has been searched before, “but never a shoulder-to-shoulder grid search,” said FBI spokeswoman Bridget Patton.

Kopetsky was last seen at Belton High School on May 4, 2007 by the school's security cameras as she was heading for an exit. A month later, Kelsey Smith of Overland Park, Kansas was abducted from a Target store and found murdered days later near Grandview, Missouri. Her killer is now serving a life sentence.

It is unclear what sparked authorities' interest in the area that led to the search today.

To read the full Star article, go here.

Greg Smith For Kansas House of Representatives

Above, Greg, Kelsey and Missey Smith.

Ever since I began to follow the Kelsey Smith case of Overland Park, Kansas from the beginning in June 2007, there has not been too many happy surprises.

However, I saw a Twitter post by Kelsey's dad, Greg Smith, just a few minutes ago and what he wrote came as a big, but very pleasant surprise to me: he's filed his papers to become a Republican candidate for the Kansas House of Representatives in District 22!

I have to confess, I am a big admirer of Greg Smith and his family. From the beginning of the nightmare of Kelsey's kidnapping and murder, Greg worked tirelessly within the community to first find his daughter and then to bring her killer to justice. He didn't stop there. He and his wife Missey started the Kelsey Smith Foundation to educate young women on how to protect themselves against predators, so they won't meet the horrible fate Kelsey did. They have traveled around their state and around the country to speak to groups, large and small, on self-protection.

They also saw to it that the Kelsey Smith Act was enacted in Kansas and are working so that other states pass similar laws that require cell phone companies to fully cooperate with law enforcement agencies in kidnapping cases.

The energy and determination Greg displayed tells me that he would be a great asset to the Kansas House of Representatives. If I lived in Kansas, I would unhesitantly vote for Greg Smith. He's a doer, not a talker.

From Greg's campaign website:

Greg Smith is running for the Kansas Legislature because he realizes that both political parties have abandoned core conservative principles: fiscal responsibility; limited government; and accountability. These principles need to be restored. Greg is the candidate who best represents the values and people of the 22nd District.

Is this an endorsement of Greg Smith for the Kansas House of Representatives in District 22? You bet it is!

If you would like to donate to Greg's campaign or become a volunteer, please go to his campaign website: http://www.gregsmithforkansas.com

Preventing Abduction Safety Tips Discussed

The Early Show on CBS-TV in Los Angeles discussed some safety tips that could help in preventing abductions like Lily Burk's.

Above, Lily Burk.

Child safety expert Robin Sax, a former Los Angeles County deputy district attorney and author of "Predators and Child Molesters," said on "The Early Show" Wednesday that parents and kids need to have a code word that can fit into conversations naturally, but be an indicator that something is wrong, signalling an emergency.

Sax recommended the word "ATM."

"(An) ATM is a place where no one should make a phone call anyway, as you need undivided attention. And if you say, 'I'm calling from the ATM,' that means there's danger."

Co-anchor Harry Smith remarked Burk was probably thinking that she had to stay cool throughout the abduction. Could she have done something to alert people on the street that she was in trouble?

Sax said one tip is to scream "FIRE!" because people respond to the word, rather than "HELP!"

She also recommended that, in an abduction situation, you do anything you can to buy yourself time. Sax recommended gouging the perpetrator with keys or hitting someone with your elbow.

"The goal isn't to win a fight or succeed," Sax told Smith. "The goal is to get a minute, buy a minute of time, so you can run and get some help."

To read the full article, go here.

Above, Kelsey Smith.

As written in an earlier post, the Kelsey Smith Foundation has tips on what to do if you find yourself in a situation where an abduction is imminent. They are:

1. Trust your instincts - If something feels wrong then something probably is wrong.

2. Know your surroundings - know who and what is around you.

3. Always have a plan for where you would go and what you would do if a situation arises.

4. Be willing to make a scene in order to be noticed.

5. Let someone know where you are going and when you will be back.

Remember the acronym TIPS:

Take Charge

Inform others of your whereabouts

Prepare for any situation

Survival Mentality (role play situations so you will respond should they happen).

I recall Greg Smith (Kelsey's dad) saying that one of the most important things in an abduction is to not leave the initial crime scene. Kelsey was taken by surprise as she was getting into her car at a Target department store in Overland Park, Kansas. She might have been able to survive had she been able to keep from being taken from the Target parking lot. The kidnapper gains more control by taking his victim to another location where he feels safe and free to do his deeds.

Kelsey Smith, A Year Later

Photos by
Tim Galyean

Today, Overland Park, Kansas is calm, with its people going about their normal tasks. The air is springtime warm with laughter of children in parks and sporting events of all kinds taking place.

But one year ago next month, the mood was tense with worry and a frantic search was beginning.

On June 2, 2007, a girl, who was “scrubbed in sunshine,” was taken by a dark cloud of evil. Over 200 hundred volunteers, law enforcement personnel, friends, and family members began a search for Kelsey Smith. Total strangers heard the call and rushed to assist. Their mission was to find Kelsey and return her home safely to the warm embrace of her family and friends. They called themselves "Kelsey's Army."

Searchers went door-to-door, to the fields and anywhere to find Kelsey. When a family member wavered in hope, another stepped in to buck them up.

Each day, in those four nightmarish days, new clues were found that would pinpoint what happened to Kelsey, who did it and where she could be found.

Then, on June 6, Kelsey was found. A suspect was apprehended.

For days after, people from all walks of life came together to share in the sorrow of her loss. Many people from across the country, and some from other countries, shared in grief with the Smith Family. This case resonated especially with people who are parents of daughters, as I am.

It would have been easy (and understandable) for the Smith Family to withdraw in solitude with their sorrows. What happened to Kelsey is a parent's worst nightmare. But the Smith Family, although a normal American family, didn't do that. Instead they pulled themselves together and decided that this evil must be fought. They formed the Kelsey Smith Foundation [Kelsey's Army] to see to it that young women would be trained and have the tools to prevent similar occurrences.

They are an inspiration to the rest of us. They've showed the nation and the world just what kind of mettle they're made of.

In the year since Kelsey's murder, the Kelsey Smith Foundation has provided grief counseling, Safety Awareness Seminars, spoke before different groups, provided brochures and safety whistles, all free of charge. The Foundation has consulted with three families on three different missing person cases in the Kansas City area. All three persons were found, unharmed, and returned safely home. In one instance, Missey Smith was instrumental in bringing the person home.

The Smiths, though the Kelsey Smith Foundation, have shown each of us that an evil act can be the spark that could turn evil into good. We owe them our deepest gratitude. That is why I nominated them March 27 for a “Making A Difference” profile on NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams. (If you agree, please contact NBC to second the nomination at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10397946/.)

Kelsey Smith planned to be a veterinarian. In her short life, she contributed to her community. A dedicated person, she once made a two-hour drive to be in a charity run when the one at her school was canceled. Her potential for doing more was evident to all who knew her, and to those who never met her but read about what kind of person she was. She was a girl who would make any parent proud.

Although she is gone physically, Kelsey’s spirit lives on and she continues to be a force for positive change. I am certain that she is looking down and is proud at what she sees. Her legacy continues.

Saturday, May 3rd would have been Kelsey’s 19th birthday. It is more appropriate to remember her on her birthday rather than on the day of her death so thanks can be given for the day of her birth and for what she contributed in the days that she had.