Kerry Gooch, recent Kansas State University graduate and former Kansas Democratic Party intern, has been promoted to the position of Kansas Democratic Party Political Director, KDP Executive Director Jason Perkey announced Wednesday.

“Kerry Gooch has been an integral member of the KDP team for the past year and we are pleased that he will be joining us full-time,” Perkey said. “Kansans are turning to the Kansas Democratic Party in growing numbers and Kerry will help ensure the continued growth of our party by sharing our message of education, opportunity, and responsibility across Kansas.”

A native of Wichita, Gooch is a recent graduate of Kansas State University, having received his bachelor’s degree in political science this May. As the KDP Political Director, Gooch will provide infrastructural support to Democratic county parties, KDP caucus groups, and affiliated third-party organizations while leading a statewide outreach plan focused on increasing Democratic voter registration and participation.

“I look forward to continuing my work alongside the dedicated staff and volunteers that make up the Kansas Democratic Party,” incoming Political Director Kerry Gooch said. “Kansas Democrats embody the values that have made Kansas a great place to live and raise a family. Our belief in good schools, good jobs, and a shared responsibility is what Kansas was founded upon and what we are working to restore by working with all Kansans who care more about solving problems than partisan politics.”

Wednesday night, Rep. Amash’s amendment to the 2014 Defense Appropriations Bill narrowly failed in the House on a vote of 205-217. Congressman Tim Huelskamp (R-Kansas) made the following statement after voting for the amendment:

“When I was sworn in as a member of Congress, I took a solemn oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution – all of it. And I firmly believe that the current NSA practice of spying on all Americans – without a warrant – is a violation of the 4th Amendment. When this fact came to light, I immediately sent a list of questions of this program to the NSA and the FBI – today, four weeks later, we have received no answers.

I am very disappointed in the narrow failure of the bipartisan amendment by Rep. Justin Amash that would have ended this indiscriminate, warrantless Government collection of private data on all Americans. Rest assured though, I will continue to press for full accountability of the Administration officials, nameless bureaucrats, members of Congress, and secret judges who allow this dubious practice to continue. We do not have to sacrifice our liberties in order to provide security for this nation.

Lastly, I was also supportive of the successful efforts to limit the ability of this Administration to involve us in another civil war – in either Syria or Egypt. Let’s hope the Senate will agree with our actions here to prohibit military intervention in these countries.”

(AP) — Topeka police are investigating a drive-by shooting that injured four people.

Police say in a news release that officers found blood and shell casings but no victims when they went to the scene in southeast Topeka Wednesday night. Several apartments had been hit by gunfire. A short time later, four men arrived at a hospital with gunshot wounds that were not life-threatening.

It’s the second time in a week that a drive-by was reported in the same block in Topeka. No one was injured last Wednesday when someone fired two shots at a building in the neighborhood. No one has been arrested. Police have not said whether the two shootings are connected.

AP) — Federal prosecutors have charged three people in a wide-ranging sex trafficking conspiracy operating at nine Asian massage parlors in Wichita.

A criminal complaint filed Wednesday in federal court charges owner Gary H. Kidgell, 44, of Waltham, Mass.; Yan Zhang, 49, of Wichita; and employee XiuQing Tian, 42, of Framingham, Mass., with conspiracy to recruit women and coerce them to engage in commercial sex acts.

Court records do not indicate any defense attorneys. The U.S. attorney’s office did not know if any have been retained.

The six-count complaint lists four women, identified only by their initials, who were allegedly forced to engage in prostitution.

Prosecutors allege the massage parlors recruited women by placing ads in a Chinese-language newspaper in New York and Los Angeles for women to work at a spa.