Complaint Filed Against Kansas Speaker Of The House

The Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission says it’s investigating a complaint that Speaker of the House Mike O’Neal violated the state’s nepotism law.

The decision came Wednesday after a closed session during which

a three-member subcommittee of the commission reviewed the

complaint. When the Hutchinson Republican became speaker, his wife,

Cindy O’Neal, was hired as a $27,000-a-year House Republican Caucus liaison.

O’Neal said he had nothing to do with his wife getting the job.

The complaint by state Rep. Marti Crow of Leavenworth states

that Speaker O’Neal committed “a clear violation of Kansas laws

regarding nepotism.”

The commission will hold a public hearing on the complaint on

May 13. If the commission finds that O’Neal violated the nepotism

law, he could face a fine of up to $5,000.