White supremacists have funded Kansas GOP gubernatorial candidate Kris Kobach for years
Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach has drawn plenty of criticism for his hardline views on immigration, fixation on voter fraud, and freelance gig as a Breitbart columnist. But financial filings also show that Kobach, Kansas' GOP gubernatorial candidate, has accepted campaign donations from white supremacist groups throughout his career. And they haven't gotten as much attention, The Guardian reported Monday.
In 2004, Kobach launched his political career with a run for Congress — and received a $10,000 donation from the U.S. Immigration Reform PAC, a group with white supremacist ties. Kobach lost that race, but got another $2,000 from the group this year, The Guardian reports. The PAC's president is married to John Tanton, a man who's been called "the 'puppeteer' of the nativist movement ... with deep racist roots" by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Beyond the USIRPAC, Kobach also worked closely for a Tanton-founded organization labeled a “nativist hate group” by the SPLC, per Politico. He's also accepted donations from another group founded by Tanton, and from a blogger who runs what the SPLC has called a "hub for white nationalists and anti-Semites," among others, writes The Guardian.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Kobach has told Politico that the USIRPAC "is not a notorious hate group," and a spokeswoman told The Guardian she had never heard Kobach make racist remarks. "I am black and I am his closest staff member," she said. "He is not a racist."
Earlier this year, Kobach defeated current Gov. Jeff Colyer to become the state's GOP nominee for governor. The race is now a toss-up between Kobach and Democrat Laura Kelly. Read more about Kobach's questionable donors at The Guardian.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
Lebanon selects president after 2-year impasse
Speed Read The country's parliament elected Gen. Joseph Aoun as its next leader
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Jimmy Carter honored in state funeral, laid to rest
Speed Read The state funeral was attended by all living presidents
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Today's political cartoons - January 10, 2025
Cartoons Friday's cartoons - killing it, kicking it, and more
By The Week US Published
-
US port strike averted with tentative labor deal
Speed Read The strike could have shut down major ports from Texas to Maine
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden expected to block Japanese bid for US Steel
Speed Read The president is blocking the $14 billion acquisition of U.S. Steel by Japan's Nippon Steel, citing national security concerns
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Judges block $25B Kroger-Albertsons merger
Speed Read The proposed merger between the supermarket giants was stalled when judges overseeing two separate cases blocked the deal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Rupert Murdoch loses 'Succession' court battle
Speed Read Murdoch wanted to give full control of his empire to son Lachlan, ensuring Fox News' right-wing editorial slant
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Bitcoin surges above $100k in post-election rally
Speed Read Investors are betting that the incoming Trump administration will embrace crypto
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Enron mystery: 'sick joke' or serious revival?
Speed Read 23 years after its bankruptcy filing, the Texas energy firm has announced its resurrection
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US charges Indian tycoon with bribery, fraud
Speed Read Indian billionaire Gautam Adani has been indicted by US prosecutors for his role in a $265 million scheme to secure solar energy deals
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Boeing machinists approve contract, end strike
Speed Read The company's largest union approved the new contract offer, ending a seven-week strike
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published