(Updated to reflect interview with Kobach)
Shawnee officials on Saturday apologized for a controversy stemming from Secretary of State Kris Kobach entering a red-white-and-blue jeep with a replica of a machine gun into the annual old Shawnee Days Parade.
“In no way, does this or any parade entry or float directly reflect the views and values of the city, the Old Shawnee Days Board or the Old Shawnee Days Society,” city spokeswoman Julie Breithaupt said in statement tweeted out just before 6 p.m.
“We apologize and understand the concern this has caused,” Breithaupt said.”We have reached out to Mr. Kobach’s media contact in an effort to get answers.”
The statement added, “Please know that the safety of our residents is always our highest priority and we apologize if this made anyone feel unsafe or unsettled.”
The city said it was taking steps to make sure something similar doesn’t happen again in the future.
In an interview with the Sunflower State Journal early Saturday night, the Republican gubernatorial candidate said the parade entry represented the military (the jeep and replica machine gun) and the 2nd Amendment (language is emblazoned on the vehicle).
“I stand for both,” he said. “I will support both in all that I do as governor.”
Asked about the appropriateness of the entry at a local parade, Kobach said it was no different from other parades where there are military vehicles or a color guard with guns.
“It is rather hypocritical,” Kobach said of the criticisms. “There are military firearms routinely in parades and military vehicles in parades.”
Kobach suggested he was being singled out because he was a conservative candidate riding with a gun.
The secretary of state said it was “troubling” when the political left is “disturbed by the sight of a gun.”
“There is something wrong with our culture if the mere sight of a gun is offensive to some people on the left,” he said. “The chattering leftists on Twitter do not represent the overwhelming majority of people at the parade.”
The overwhelming response at the parade, Kobach said, was positive. He said people wanted to take a picture with the jeep and gave the parade entry a lot of thumbs up.
Kobach said the city’s apology was typical of “politically correct people in government.”
“The moment any one on the left starts huffing and puffing, they immediately apologize. I think that’s ridiculous.”
The jeep is owned by a friend, Kobach said. The replica gun was already mounted and the jeep had been wrapped with the patriotic emblem.
The Kansas City Star first reported the controversy, where some parade-watchers were stunned by the machine-gun equipped jeep in the parade.
The Star reported that Kobach’s entry was one of 115 in the parade, which started at 10 a.m. and ended about 90 minutes later.
The Old Shawnee Days parade attracted a number of political candidates on Saturday, including Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Josh Svaty and a number of state legislative candidates plus a couple running for secretary of state.
