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July 19, 2020Topeka, Kan. |  By: AP

Kansas congressman forced to leave committees after charges

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - A freshman Kansas congressman facing felony criminal charges over previously listing a UPS Inc. postal box as his residence on a state voter registration form has been forced to temporarily give up his House committee assignments. 

Republican Rep. Steve Watkins said that he is "temporarily and voluntarily" leaving the three committees on which he serves. But the House Republican conference's rules require members facing a potential felony conviction to leave their committee posts.

He is accused of voting illegally in a Topeka City Council race in November 2019 and providing false information to a sheriff's deputy who was investigating whether he broke state election laws.