Mark Samsel
Member of the Kansas House of Representatives
from the 5th district
In office
January 14, 2019 – January 9, 2022
Preceded byKevin Jones
Succeeded byCarrie Barth
Personal details
BornWellsville, Kansas, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Residence(s)Wellsville, Kansas, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of Kansas
Missouri Valley College
ProfessionAttorney
Websitemarksamsel.org

Mark Samsel is an attorney, a Kansas politician and Republican former member of the Kansas House of Representatives, as well as a former substitute teacher.[1][2][3]

Biography

Samsel was born in Wellsville, Kansas and attended Wellsville High School in Wellsville, Kansas. He attended Missouri Valley College from 2003 to 2007 and earned a degree in political science, public administration, and business administration. He also attended the University of Kansas School of Law from 2007 to 2010, earning a Juris Doctor.[4][5][6]

Career

Samsel was elected to the Kansas House of Representatives in 2018 and reelected in 2020. In February 2021, though 110 members voted for terminating the exemption that prohibited spouses from being charged with sexual battery, Samsel was one of 10 men, joined by three women, who voted to retain the exemption.[7] Speaking on the floor about the bill, Samsel said, "When you sign up for marriage, what does that involve? Not just for the next day, but for hopefully 30 and 40 and 50 years to come. There was a couple of college students before covid that came through last year. And instead of just no meaning no, and trying to get that for consent, it was actually yes means yes. So those are discussions that I hope this body continues to have."[8]

Wellsville High School

On April 28, 2021, Samsel was arrested for battery on a Wellsville high school student, jailed, then released on $1,000 bond, allowing him to return to the legislative session on May 3.[9] He had discussed suicide, sex, masturbation, God and the Bible in class, referring to one student as, "...a sophomore who's tried killing himself three times," ostensibly caused by him having, "...two parents and they're both females." "He's a foster kid. His alternatives in life were having no parents or foster care parents who are gay," Samsel told his students. "How do you think I'm going to feel if he commits suicide? Awful."[7]

His students captured their substitute teacher Samsel on video as he gave permission to other students to kick a classmate "in the balls." In his rant to students, he had asked, "Who likes making babies? That feels good, doesn't it? Procreate. You haven't masturbated? Don't answer that question. God already knows." In other videos Samsel is shown focusing most of his attention on a male student, telling him, "You're about ready to anger me and get the wrath of God. Do you believe me when I tell you that God has been speaking to me?" He pushed him, and the student ran to the opposite side of the classroom, yelling. He also called Republican Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson "the devil disguised in a suit and a smile."[10][11] Masterson had called Samsel's classroom behavior "The troubled rantings of a deranged man."[11] Samsel is alleged to have stated that God told him to kick the student in the balls. The student allegedly showed a deputy sheriff a golf ball-sized, 'road rash' and a long scratch in his back after the alleged assault. According to an affidavit by the deputy sheriff the student maintained that "his back and testicles were in pain" for roughly 15 minutes.[12]

Aftermath

After his arrest, Samsel resigned from the board of trustees of his alma mater, Missouri Valley College.[13] He was arraigned on three counts of misdemeanor battery to which he pleaded not guilty; the presiding judge ordered Samsel to undergo a mental health exam.[14] He appeared in court on July 12, 2021, but his court-ordered mental health examination had yet to be completed.[15] In September 2021, Samsel pleaded guilty three charges of disorderly conduct under a deal with a local prosecutor. In addition to being placed on a year of probation, Samsel agreed to apologize in writing to his victims, seek mental health treatment, and avoid personal social media use.[16] Samsel lost his Republican primary to Carrie Barth on August 2, 2021, and left office on January 9, 2022.[3]

Electoral history

Kansas 5th State House District Republican Primary, 2018[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mark Samsel 1,454 53.4
Republican Renee Slinkard 1,266 46.6
Total votes 2,721 100.0
Kansas 5th State House District General Election, 2018[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mark Samsel 5,683 72.8
Democratic Lassey Murphy 2,120 27.2
Total votes 7,803 100.0
Kansas 5th State House District Republican Primary, 2020[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mark Samsel (incumbent) 2,181 60.2
Republican Mark Powls 1,442 39.8
Total votes 2,721 100.0
Kansas 5th State House District General Election, 2020[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mark Samsel (incumbent) 8,061 77.3
Democratic Roger Sims 2,362 22.7
Total votes 10,423 100.0
Kansas 5th State House District Republican Primary, 2022[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Carrie Barth 2,677 62.9
Republican Mark Samsel (incumbent) 1,576 37.1
Total votes 4,253 100.0

References

  1. ↑ "Representative Mark Samsel | Legislators | Kansas State Legislature". Kansas State Legislature. Archived from the original on December 1, 2020. Retrieved December 5, 2020. 2019-2020 Legislative Sessions
  2. ↑ "Representative Mark Samsel | Legislators | Kansas State Legislature". Kansas State Legislature. Retrieved May 29, 2021. 2021-2022 Legislative Sessions
  3. 1 2 3 "Carrie Barth". Ballotpedia. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  4. ↑ "Mark Allen Samsel Profile | Overland Park, KS Lawyer". Martindale.com. Archived from the original on May 21, 2021. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "Mark Samsel (Kansas)". Ballotpedia. Archived from the original on May 21, 2021. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  6. ↑ "Mark Samsel's Biography". Vote Smart. Archived from the original on May 21, 2021. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
  7. 1 2 Shorman, Jonathan; Ritter, Sarah; Bernard, Katie (May 3, 2021). "Kansas Rep. Mark Samsel arrested for battery after physical altercation with student". The Kansas City Star. Archived from the original on May 1, 2021. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
  8. ↑ Smith, Sherman (February 12, 2021). "Kansas Republican wonders if marriage involves 'implied consent' for sexual battery". The Pitch. Kansas City, Missouri. Archived from the original on May 10, 2021. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
  9. ↑ "Hear what Kansas Rep. Mark Samsel said to Wellsville students while substitute teaching". The Kansas City Star. May 2, 2021. Archived from the original on May 3, 2021. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
  10. ↑ Neumann, Sean (May 3, 2021). "Lawmaker Allegedly Knees Student While Substitute Teaching as Other Kids Film 'Shocking Videos'". People. Archived from the original on May 10, 2021. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  11. 1 2 Shorman, Jonathan; Ritter, Sarah; Bernard, Katie (May 3, 2021). "Kansas Rep. Mark Samsel, back in Topeka after alleged classroom battery, avoids questions". The Kansas City Star. Archived from the original on May 3, 2021. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
  12. ↑ Hanna, John (May 25, 2021). "Deputy: Student says Kansas lawmaker kicked him in testicles". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Associated Press.
  13. ↑ Shorman, Jonathan (May 4, 2021). "After arrest, Kansas Rep. Mark Samsel loses seat on alma mater's board of trustees". The Kansas City Star. Archived from the original on May 13, 2021. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
  14. ↑ Ritter, Sarah; Shorman, Jonathan (May 19, 2021). "Kansas Rep. Mark Samsel pleads not guilty as judge orders mental health evaluation". The Wichita Eagle. Archived from the original on May 19, 2021. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
  15. ↑ Dakota, Mark (July 12, 2021). "Kansas Rep. Mark Samsel makes second appearance in court after battery charges filed, trial continued to August". KSNT. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  16. ↑ McDougall, A. J. (September 13, 2021). "Kansas Lawmaker, Accused of Kicking Teenage Student in Balls, Pleads Guilty". The Daily Beast. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
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