George Soros Funding 'Nonpartisan' Attackers of Kansas Gov. Brownback

Billionaire left-wing activist George Soros is bankrolling the “nonpartisan” attacks on Kansas Governor Sam Brownback’s new judicial selection plan, according to the Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity.

Two organizations in Kansas have led the charge against the Republican Governor’s proposal, and both claim to be nonpartisan. But the two groups, Justice at Stake and the Kansas chapter of the League of Women Voters, are receiving vast sums from two of Soros’ liberal organizations, according to the Franklin Center’s KansasWatchdog.org. 

Brownback has been supporting changes to the state’s process for appointing judges. Previously, Kansas judges were chosen by a commission made up of lawyers who are un-accountable to voters, but Brownback has been pushing the adoption of the federal model wherein judges are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the State Senate.

The Governor signed legislation in March to change the system for nominating appeals judges and is also interested in a constitutional amendment that would do the same for State Supreme Court justices.

Kansas Watchdog.org looked into the source of funding to those groups supporting the lock that the Kansas Bar Association has on appointing judges, and found that they have received “hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not millions” from several Soros-owned liberal organizations:

Since 2006, JAS has been awarded more than $2.4 million from the Open Society Institute, a non-profit which Soros founded in 1993. OSI also gave $555,000 to the League of Women Voters education fund, which serves as a 501 (c)(3) for the national organization.

Furthermore, the league’s education fund has received more than $180,000 from the Soros-backed Tides Foundation since 2004.

With the change to the appointment process, the State of Kansas joins such states as California and Massachusetts as well as the federal government in the way judges are advanced to the bench.