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Kobach Tapped As Vice Chair Of New 'Election Integrity' Commission

Walt Whitaker
/
Office of the Secretary of State

A new executive order on Thursday will establish a commission to "review alleged voter fraud and voter suppression," according to news reports. 

President Donald Trump is expected to name Vice President Mike Pence as Chair and Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach as Vice Chair, ABC News reports. 

"The commission's review is expected to be broad in scope," ABC reports, "and will not just address Trump's allegations about the 2016 election but also 'systemic issues that have been raised over many years in terms of the integrity of the elections.'"

Samantha Poetter, a spokeswoman for Kobach, declined to confirm the appointment, saying it would have to await an announcement from the White House.  

This week, a federal judge ordered Kobach to hand over documents shared with then President-elect Trump. The American Civil Liberties Union, or ACLU, requested the information in a lawsuit challenging the proof-of-citizenship voter registration law in Kansas. Kobach's deadline is Friday.

Laura Spencer is an arts reporter at KCUR 89.3. You can reach her on Twitter @lauraspencer.

Kansas City is known for its style of jazz, influenced by the blues, as the home of Walt Disney’s first animation studio and the headquarters of Hallmark Cards. As one of KCUR’s arts reporters, I want people here to know a wide range of arts and culture stories from across the metropolitan area. I take listeners behind the scenes and introduce them to emerging artists and organizations, as well as keep up with established institutions. Send me an email at lauras@kcur.org or follow me on Twitter @lauraspencer.
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