Nine Republican lawmakers in the Kansas House have filed a complaint against a Democratic representative over comments she made in a committee meeting. The complaint says Representative Valdenia Winn used “inflammatory” language. As KPR's Stephen Koranda reports, an investigation will start Wednesday.
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Winn’s comments came during a meeting in March. The committee was debating a bill that would affect some college students in Kansas who are in the country illegally. The bill would have ended a program that allows those students to pay in-state tuition.
Here’s Winn commenting on the bill, and you’ll also hear Republican Representative John Barker.
“I want to apologize to the students and their parents whose lives are being hijacked by the racist bigots who support this bill,” said Winn.
“Mr. chairman, I object. She's just referred to this committee as racist and bigoted,” said Barker.
After the complaint was filed, the House speaker convened a Select Investigative Committee.
Under the House rules, the committee will look into the complaint. They could dismiss it, or recommend to the full House that Winn be reprimanded, censured or even expelled. It would then take a two-thirds vote of the chamber to carry out the recommended punishment.