For the second time in about a year, Kansas Republicans are condemning state Rep. Michael Capps, this time over ties to an effort to trash Democrat Brandon Whipple with false allegations in the Wichita mayor’s race.
The Sedgwick County Republican Party called on Capps to resign his seat in the Legislature after the Wichita Eagle revealed connections between him and a campaign spreading false rumors about Whipple.
“Rep. Michael Capps, through various companies he owns, has been linked by investigative reports to be behind this attack,” the party said in a statement released early Friday afternoon.
“As a Republican Party, we will not tolerate these kind of acts,” the party said in its statement. “We are calling for a resignation of Michael Capps from public office. Our leaders need to lead by example.”
The Eagle reported that Capps’ business owned a website domain that was used as part of an effort to tarnish the state lawmaker’s image with allegations of sexual harassment that had actually been made against Republican members of the Kansas Senate.
The Sedgwick County Republican Party said it would donate all money received from Capps to ICT SOS, an organization that combats human trafficking.
The party urged all Republican-affiliated groups to donate any donations from Capps to charity.
“This sends a strong signal that the Republican Party stands united against dirty politics,” the party said.
Capps could not be reached for comment. However, he could not explain to the Eagle how he became connected to the campaign against Whipple.
This is not the first controversy Capps has been enmeshed in since he’s been involved in public life.
After he filed to run in 2018, questions were raised about whether he misrepresented where he lived.
Soon after, it was revealed that he had been accused of emotionally abusing two children while working as a volunteer for Court Appointed Special Advocates of Sedgwick County.
The Kansas Republican Party cut ties with Capps after news of the emotional abuse allegations broke.
At that time, state Republican officials pulled their support of Capps in the race for the 85th District seat against Democrat Monica Marks.
Capps eventually won the race but now has a primary challenge from retired Army Capt. Patrick Penn, who already has support from the two former Republican legislators who held the seat, Chuck Weber and Steve Brunk.
