Courtesy of Eric Meyer
A local business owner’s driving records were indeed at the center of the controversial police raids of a Kansas newspaper, newly released affidavits confirmed on Sunday.
The documents were shared with media outlets—including the Daily Beast—confirming previous reports that a Marion County Record reporter’s investigation prompted the controversial raid. Whether or not it was justified is another question.
Marion Police Chief Gideon Cody claimed that reporter Phyllis Zorn engaged in identity theft when she obtained the driving records of restaurant owner Kari Newell. Under Kansas state law, these records are typically confidential, but can be accessed by providing a driver’s license number and date of birth.