A spokesman for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said Monday that Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach would not be advising the agency as it investigates voter fraud despite his claims that he would be involved. President Donald Trump officially disbanded his voter fraud commission last week in the face of a flood of lawsuits and resistance from states to a massive data request sent out by Kobach, the commission’s vice chair, in June. The administration said the Department of Homeland Security would study the issue instead of the commission.
Kobach, a candidate for governor, told The Star last week that he would “be working closely with DHS and theWhite House as the investigation moves forward.” He said that the agency would be looking for non-citizens on the voter rolls, an issue that Kobach has heavily promoted during his seven years as Kansas secretary of state.
However, a spokesman for DHS contradicted Kobach’s characterization of his role in that agency’s work.
“Mr. Kobach is not advising DHS in a formal or informal manner,” said Tyler Q. Houlton, a spokesman for DHS. “Of course, if an issue were to arise, we would work with him in his official capacity as the Kansas secretary of state as we do with any secretary of state and other state and local officials.”
Full Article: DHS: Kobach not advising on new voter fraud investigation | The Kansas City Star.