Now-withdrawn affidavit in Marion County Record raid shows police ignored Kansas open records...

The paper’s attorney rejected law enforcement's claim that the paper committed identity theft, saying a reporter conducted a legal search on the Department of Revenue’s website to verify a tip. The Marion County Attorney withdrew the search warrants last week, citing insufficient grounds for the search.
The now-withdrawn documents used to justify a search of the Marion County Record show that the Marion police chief knew a reporter was verifying the authenticity of a local business owner’s driving record by searching on the Kansas Department of Revenue’s public website — which the paper’s attorney said is legal under Kansas law.

The newspaper received a confidential tip that Kari Newell, who owns a local restaurant and catering company, was driving without a license and had a previous conviction for driving under the influence.

The paper’s publisher and owner, Eric Meyer, reported earlier this month that Newell had kicked newspaper staff out of a public forum with Kansas treasurer Jake LaTurner.