Kansans for Life is apologizing for a mailing on the proposed constitutional amendment on abortion that was inadvertently sent to districts of lawmakers who supported the measure.
The mailing was headlined on one side with: “Your Representative Voted with PLANNED PARENTHOOD.”
On the flip side, the mailing listed eight legislators — four Republicans and four Democrats — who voted against the amendment reversing a state Supreme Court ruling that found the right to an abortion in the state constitution.
The mailing targeted Republican Reps. Don Hineman, Tom Phillips, Jan Kessinger and Bill Pannbacker as well as Democrats Tim Hodge, Freda Warfield, Jeff Pittman and Kathy Wolfe Moore.
The mailings listed their names, their legislative phone numbers and their statehouse email addresses.
However, the mailing went to the districts of a handful of lawmakers who voted for the amendment.
The lawmakers took exception to the line, “Your Representative Voted with PLANNED PARENTHOOD.”
“There are a lot of annoyed people right now,” said one conservative lawmaker whose district received the mailing. “This could cost people reelection.”
“I don’t know how the error happened,” the legislator said. “I’ve heard two or three different stories.”
On Friday, Kansans for Life sent out an email apologizing for the mistaken mailing.
“Over the last few days our office has received some calls regarding a mishap with one of our advocacy efforts,” said the email from KFL President Mary Wilkinson.
“It appears that some of our mail hit households outside of the eight districts that were intended,” her email said.
“On behalf of Kansans for Life, please accept our deepest apologies and know that a correction will be arriving in mailboxes very soon,” the email stated.
In an interview, Mary Kay Culp, KFL’s regional director in Kansas City, blamed the mistake on a mixup between the organization’s staff and the company that mailed the postcard.
She said the postcards were sent only to donors of Kansans for Life, not the mass electorate.
“The pro-life voters, I’m sure, are upset and wished it hadn’t happened like we’re upset and wished it hadn’t happened,” Culp said. “We’re making it right this coming week.”
It was not known Saturday night how many postcards were mailed in error and how much it cost.
The Sunflower State Journal was not able to confirm with KFL all of the districts that mistakenly received the mailing.
But the mailing is believed to have been sent to the districts of more than a half-dozen conservative legislators who voted for the amendment.
The amendment came up four votes short of the 84 needed to be placed on the ballot later this year. It had already passed the Senate before it failed in the House.
Another lawmaker familiar with the mailings said KFL didn’t do itself any favors with the mailing.
“Some legislators are extremely angry,” the lawmaker said. “I don’t think this helps KFL’s cause.”
The mailing comes at a time when tensions are already high at the Capitol with legislators at loggerheads over the abortion amendment and Medicaid expansion.
Senate President Susan Wagle is refusing to run the Medicaid expansion bill until the House passes the abortion amendment.
And last week, a Senate committee added several amendments to the expansion bill that critics said were intended to kill the legislation.
The panel voted down efforts to move the bill out to the full chamber, but the committee chairman said the legislation was still active.
