Ouster petition aimed at Kansas Democratic Party official exposes raw internal conflicts

TOPEKA — Months of feuding in the Kansas Democratic Party burst into view with a rare effort to oust a top party official accused of a conflict of interest and evolved into a caustic war of words among the party’s most influential politicians and special-interest groups.

Mayhem at upper levels of Kansas’ minority political party is expected to come to a head in Wichita on Sept. 30 at Demofest, the party’s annual meeting. It typically features an out-of-state guest speaker, Kansas candidates putting their best foot forward and socializing among party leadership before diving into the nitty-gritty of upcoming elections.

This year will be different.

A faction within the state party mounted a petition drive to compel a state committee vote on whether to dismiss Casey Yingling as treasurer of the organization. She was elected to the role in February and has been accused of engaging in a conflict of interest in March for advocating the donation of $20,000 in party funds to one of her consulting clients — Wichita congressional candidate James Thompson.

Sage TeBeest, chairwoman of the First District wing of the party, lit the fuse Aug. 15 with a petition needing signatures from 35 percent of party’s state committee to call a vote on Yingling at Demofest.

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