Thank you, Attorney General Derek Schmidt!
Confession - Last week, the call from Topeka I spoke of, came from Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt to tell me (by way of his cell phone), just hours after the release of new CMS (Medicare) directives, I should be on the lookout for the transformation of visitation policies across the country. Although he is a humble man, he didn’t claim responsibility for the change. But I knew in my heart, there was no way he could have known so quickly. It was he I met with in Topeka, along with his staff, nearly three weeks before.
Not long after my blog post “Out of Sight,” which had been circulated far and wide, I made calls, followed instincts and all roads lead to the Attorney General. What started out as prudence in the lockdown of nursing homes had morphed into the violation of constitutional rights. Sadly, the one who sits in our head seat of the state, was of no help. Luckily, one of the calls garnered a meeting with the much-admired Attorney General Derek Schmidt!
What I thought would be a glorified ‘in person phone call type of meeting,’ was anything but. His staff and AG Schmidt welcomed me with compassion, respect, full of questions while listening to every word I had to say. I have met many that serve in elected positions, but my impression of this man and his commitment was definitely at the top of the list. As I spoke, his eyes projected the feeling he had accepted the responsibility of every individual suffering under these restrictions. When I left, I knew I had just met someone very special. He has the heart of a Kansan to protect his fellow man and the strength of a general to win the battle.
Many do not know the distinction of Derek Schmidt’s tenure. Last year, voted the ‘2019 Attorney General of the Year,’ our own elected official from Kansas, spearheaded one of the most comprehensive state sponsored legal actions regarding human trafficking in the country. And that is not all the accolades I could list. Quietly, without regard to notoriety, the country moves with his faith filled passion against injustice.
Yes, lawsuits were beginning to surface across the country. But Derek Schmidt’s regard as a powerful voice makes things happen. He may not have said it, but I will always believe that he played a major role in the rejoining of families with their loved ones. He defended our rights afforded by the only document in the world that guarantees our freedom as written – the United States Constitution. Please join me in my gratitude. Thank you Attorney General Derek Schmidt!