J. R. Claeys
J. R. Claeys is a member of the Kansas House of Representatives.[1]
Claeys was raised in Salina, Kansas.[2] He graduated from Kansas State University where he studied media and George Washington University where he studied public administration.
Career
J.R. Claeys is the State Representative for West Salina and Northwest Saline County, and was elected to the 69th District.[citation needed]
2010 Kansas Secretary of State Campaign
He unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for Secretary of State of Kansas in 2010.[3] Claeys finished third in the primary behind former Kansas Republican Party Chairman Kris Kobach and Shawnee County Elections Commissioner Libby Ensley.
Results[4]
- Kris Kobach: 156,462
- Libby Ensley: 83,275
- J.R. Claeys: 64,493
Kansas Legislature
Kansas House Committees 2019-2020[5]
- Chairman of General Government Budget
- Chairman of the Joint Committee on Joint State Building Construction (2019)
- Appropriations
- Transportation
- 2019 Special Committee on Natural Resources
Kansas House Committees 2017-2018[6]
- Chairman of Transportation and Public Safety Budget
- Vice Chairman of the Joint Committee on State Building Construction (2018)
- Joint Legislative Transportation Vision Task Force
- Appropriations
- Commerce, Labor and Economic Development
- 2017 Special Committee on Commerce
- Member of the Joint Committee on State Building Construction (2017)
Kansas House Committees 2015-2016[7]
- Chairman of Transportation and Public Safety Budget
- Vice Chairman of 2016 Special Committee on Larned and Osawatomie State Hospitals
- Appropriations
- Commerce, Labor and Economic Development
- Joint Committee on Information Technology
Kansas House Committees 2013-2014[8]
- Federal and State Affairs
- Commerce, Labor and Economic Development
- Taxation
2019 National Conference of State Legislatures Committees
- Natural Resources and Infrastructure[9]
- Communications, Financial Services and Interstate Commerce Committee[10]
Controversy
Claeys was involved in fraudulent activity through the selling of the "Certified Tested Green" label for products. These certifications were sold for between $189.95 to $549.95. According to a Federal Trade Commission complaint, Claeys and his company Tested Green never tested any of the products certified and would certify anyway for simply paying. Part of the purported fraud includes using the claims that the Tested Green certification was endorsed by the National Green Business Association and National Association of Government Contractors. These associations were both owned and operated by Claeys and were in no way independent endorsements. The FTC approved this complaint unanimously at a vote of 5-0. This led to 20 year sanctions on Claeys and his company. Another aspect of fraud in this case was the misrepresentation of the number of clients tested green had certified.[11] Tested Green claimed to be the "nation's leading certification program with over 45,000 certifications in the United States." In reality, the FTC found that only 129 companies had ever been certified.[12]
The place of residence for Claeys has also come into question. While seeking his second term for the Kansas House of Representatives, it was reported that Claeys had filed to run for office under his sister's address. During the controversy, he claimed to live with his sister, her husband, and their three children for personal reasons. When confronted by a reporter to see that he actually had a living space within his sister's home, he declined to let the reporter enter, stating "I'm not going to be held to a different level of scrutiny than everybody else is," and "It's nobody's business." The listed address was controversial for many reasons, most of which revolved around a property owned by Claeys in Lawrence, Kansas. The property was a condominium valued at $433,400 for tax purposes. A resident who lives in the same complex in Lawrence was quoted as saying "J.R. has a two-car garage and a stall for his boat," and "He votes on issues that come up in the Bella Sera Homeowners Association." Claeys defended having the property stating that was the residence he used while the Kansas House of Representatives was in session. He also defended the price valuation by saying that the apartment was one of several locations he bought out of foreclosure.[13]
On September 6, 2017, Claeys tweeted that he would "rather give money to North Korea than to public radio".[14]
References
- ^ "Representatives J. R. Claeys". Kansas Legislature. Retrieved 2014-03-18.
- ^ "Claeys, J. R." Our Campaigns.com. Retrieved 2014-03-18.
- ^ Corbin H. Crable (2010-07-23). "Meet J.R. Claeys". The Gardner News. Retrieved 2019-12-03.
- ^ "Kansas Secretary of State's Office Official 2010 Primary Results" (PDF). sos.ks.gov. Retrieved 2019-12-03.
- ^ "Representative J.R. Claeys". Kslegislature.org. Retrieved 2019-12-03.
- ^ "Representative J.R. Claeys". Kslegislature.org. Retrieved 2019-12-03.
- ^ "Representative J.R. Claeys". Kslegislature.org. Retrieved 2019-12-03.
- ^ "Representative J.R. Claeys". Kslegislature.org. Retrieved 2019-12-03.
- ^ "NCSL Natural Resources and Infrastructure Committee Membership". ncsl.org. Retrieved 2019-12-03.
- ^ "Communications, Financial Services and Interstate Commerce Committee Membership". ncsl.org. Retrieved 2019-12-03.
- ^ "FTC Settlement Ends "Tested Green" Certifications That Were Neither Tested Nor Green". 11 January 2011. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
- ^ Staff, A. O. L. "'Tested Green' Certification Scam Busted by FTC". AOL.com. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
- ^ "Kansas Rep. J.R. Claeys defends listing sister's Salina house as residence while owning Lawrence condo". Retrieved 8 September 2017.
- ^ "Kansas lawmaker says he would rather give money to North Korea than to public radio - Statehouse Live / LJWorld.com". www2.ljworld.com. Retrieved 8 September 2017.