Jim Brownback, the brother of Kansas GOP Governor Sam Brownback, is allegedly a man who is fond of terrorizing his neighbors and repeatedly flouting the law when he does so.
Neighbors say Jim Brownback is a trigger-happy bully who uses his famous last name to get his way and then avoid the consequences of his actions.
A profile of the Governor’s brother in the Topeka Capital-Journal states:
“Adversaries say he has woven a liquor-infused tapestry of fear colored by intimidation, abuse and lies. The saga features stalking, death threats, trespassing, drive-by gunfire, massive explosions, cattle theft, loan defaults, hit-and-run driving and marital strife.”
Joann Peine, a Linn County social worker, filed a lawsuit in which she sought protection orders for stalking against Brownback and his stepdaughter. This was the culmination of a conflict that Peine says stretches back years. Her family’s property is adjacent Brownback’s and she says Brownback seems to get a kick out of terrorizing her family:
“He thinks he’s invincible. He’s titillated by harassing us. He finds it funny.”
The two families had their first conflict in 2011, when one of Brownback’s dogs attacked and mauled the Peine family’s dogs. The dog had to be captured and euthanized by the Peines before it could inflict any further damage.
But when the Peines approached Brownback about the dog attacking their pet, Brownback said he had no idea who owned the pit bull, when, in actuality, the dog belonged to his stepdaughter, Kara Jo Earnest.
And then the harassment and intimidation allegedly began, according to Ms. Peine.
Case in point: Peine made the claim that men from Brownback’s property will often ride four-wheel off-road vehicles across her family’s property, tearing up the lawn and wrecking fences.
Also, sporadic gunshots have come the woods between the properties. Someone also dumped a barrel of nails in the Peine’s driveway, stole their mailbox, and viciously killed the Peine’s black Labrador retriever.
When authorities went to Brownback’s property to investigate, they found him in possession of Tannerite explosive. Brownback and his family allegedly used the explosive compound to make homemade bombs out of mason jars and cans, then fire gunshots at them, setting off fireballs between the Brownback and Peine properties.
Yet when police attempt to confront Brownback, he reportedly threatens to bring his brother, Governor Brownback, into the matter.
Linn County Sheriff Paul Filla said:
“I’ve talked to Jim. I’ve had other friends talk to Jim that’s closer with him than I am. He just doesn’t get along with them. You know some people, if you talk to them, the hair on your neck goes up right away? I think that’s what’s happening between them. The Peines don’t like Jim and Jim don’t like the Peines. It’s a shared problem, I guess.”
Other neighbors have accused Brownback and his family of trespassing, theft of livestock, animal abuse and neglect, the improper disposal of animal corpses, harassment, stalking, intimidation, grand theft, DUI and hit-and-run driving.
But as of today, Jim Brownback remains a free man, and his brother continues to systematically destroy the Kansas economy.
