TOPEKA (AP) – The Kansas Legislature’s most powerful member is advising individual lawmakers not to respond immediately to a prosecutor investigating meetings with Gov. Sam Brownback at his official residence.

During an interview with The Associated Press, House Speaker Mike O’Neal, a Hutchinson Republican, expressed frustration with Shawnee County District Attorney Chad Taylor, a Democrat.

Taylor directed Brownback and all legislators in writing to preserve records and electronic files that could be evidence as Taylor investigates whether meetings Brownback had with lawmakers
violated the state’s open meetings law.

O’Neal called the letters unreasonably overbroad and said Taylor should have worked through legislative leaders. He noted the state constitution protects lawmakers from facing subpoenas while in session.

But the speaker said he and other lawmakers are willing to cooperate with reasonable requests for information.