Caleb Stegall
Encyclopedia
Caleb Stegall is an attorney and writer residing in Perry, Kansas
. He has served as the District attorney
for Jefferson County, Kansas
and is currently Chief Counsel to Kansas Governor Sam Brownback
. He is a proponent of Traditionalist Conservatism
.
and Jefferson Counties in northeast Kansas.
. In 2008 he successfully defended the former executive director of the Kansas Republican Party in a free speech dispute over campaign finance rules in a case that resulted in significant change to Kansas law. In 2007 he was the lead counsel in the controversial Kansas Supreme Court trial of former Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline
. Stegall has also sued the State on behalf of taxpayers to prevent public financing of casino operations in Kansas City, Kansas; has defended the civil liberties of taxpayers and property owners as a legal fellow for Americans for Prosperity
; has acted on behalf of religious liberties against government encroachment; and has advocated on behalf of free speech in public schools. As District Attorney, Stegall has indicted office holders of his own party in a theft and corruption scandal and has shut down the world's largest distribution ring of exotic hallucinogenic botanicals.
and a prairie populist. In 2004 he was profiled on the front page of the New York Times as one of a young generation of conservatives questioning GOP orthodoxy. On January 12, 2009, Stegall began his first term as Jefferson County District Attorney. He has been characterized by the popular and politically left publication Firedoglake
as a "rising political star" of the right, has been suggested as a possible candidate for U.S. Senate, and has been described as representing a new path for the GOP in the post-Bush years.
's book, Crunchy Cons, as leaders in the resurgence of traditionalist conservatism. Though The New Pantagruel was discontinued at the end of 2006, Stegall's writing continues to appear in conservative papers, magazines, and journals including National Review Online, Christianity Today
, The Intercollegiate Review, The American Conservative
, Taki's Magazine, Touchstone Magazine
, and The University Bookman. Stegall authors a semi-regular column on Kansas politics for the independent publication Kansas Liberty.
Stegall has authored chapters in several books, including the chapter on "Community" in the popular volume American Conservatism: An Encyclopedia. He is currently at work on a book provisionally titled Kansas First! on the history of prairie populism and regionalism in American politics, due out from ISI Books in 2010.
Perry, Kansas
Perry is a city in Jefferson County, Kansas, United States. The population was 901 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Topeka, Kansas Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
. He has served as the District attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
for Jefferson County, Kansas
Jefferson County, Kansas
Jefferson County is a county located in Northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 19,126. Its county seat is Oskaloosa, and its most populous city is Valley Falls...
and is currently Chief Counsel to Kansas Governor Sam Brownback
Sam Brownback
Samuel Dale "Sam" Brownback is the 46th and current Governor of Kansas. A member of the Republican Party, he served as a U.S. Senator from Kansas from 1996 to 2011, and as a U.S. Representative for Kansas's 2nd congressional district from 1995 to 1996...
. He is a proponent of Traditionalist Conservatism
Traditionalist Conservatism
Traditionalist conservatism, also known as "traditional conservatism," "traditionalism," "Burkean conservatism", "classical conservatism" and , "Toryism", describes a political philosophy emphasizing the need for the principles of natural law and transcendent moral order, tradition, hierarchy and...
.
Background
Born in Topeka, Stegall is a life-long resident of DouglasDouglas County, Kansas
Douglas County is a county located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 110,826...
and Jefferson Counties in northeast Kansas.
Law Practice
Stegall has handled a number of prominent and controversial political and civil liberty trials in Kansas. At the time of his appointment by Brownback, the Kansas Democratic Party issued a release criticizing Brownback for the appointment, and Democratic leaders blasted Stegall. He currently represents the State of Kansas in litigation with environmentalists over the permitting of coal-fired power plants. In February 2010, Stegall achieved national recognition for securing the release of eight American missionaries detained in Haiti following the 2010 Haiti earthquake2010 Haiti earthquake
The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, approximately west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time on Tuesday, 12 January 2010.By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks...
. In 2008 he successfully defended the former executive director of the Kansas Republican Party in a free speech dispute over campaign finance rules in a case that resulted in significant change to Kansas law. In 2007 he was the lead counsel in the controversial Kansas Supreme Court trial of former Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline
Phill Kline
Phillip D. "Phill" Kline is the former district attorney of Johnson County, Kansas, USA. From January 2003 to January 2007, he was the Attorney General of Kansas. Kline, a member of the Republican Party, lost re-election as attorney general to Democratic challenger Paul Morrison on November 7,...
. Stegall has also sued the State on behalf of taxpayers to prevent public financing of casino operations in Kansas City, Kansas; has defended the civil liberties of taxpayers and property owners as a legal fellow for Americans for Prosperity
Americans for Prosperity
Americans for Prosperity is a Washington, D.C.–based political advocacy group. According to their literature, they promote economic policy that supports business, and restrains regulation by government...
; has acted on behalf of religious liberties against government encroachment; and has advocated on behalf of free speech in public schools. As District Attorney, Stegall has indicted office holders of his own party in a theft and corruption scandal and has shut down the world's largest distribution ring of exotic hallucinogenic botanicals.
Politics
Stegall has been identified as an advocate for traditionalist conservatismTraditionalist Conservatism
Traditionalist conservatism, also known as "traditional conservatism," "traditionalism," "Burkean conservatism", "classical conservatism" and , "Toryism", describes a political philosophy emphasizing the need for the principles of natural law and transcendent moral order, tradition, hierarchy and...
and a prairie populist. In 2004 he was profiled on the front page of the New York Times as one of a young generation of conservatives questioning GOP orthodoxy. On January 12, 2009, Stegall began his first term as Jefferson County District Attorney. He has been characterized by the popular and politically left publication Firedoglake
Firedoglake
Firedoglake is a US collaborative blog which primarily specialises in covering news from a left-progressive/left-liberal stance...
as a "rising political star" of the right, has been suggested as a possible candidate for U.S. Senate, and has been described as representing a new path for the GOP in the post-Bush years.
Writings
In 2003, Stegall created and founded, with others, an online journal of religion, politics, and culture called The New Pantagruel. The New Pantagruel quickly achieved national prominence and received widespread critical acclaim. In 2006, Stegall and The New Pantagruel were featured in Rod DreherRod Dreher
Rod Dreher is an American writer and editor. He was a conservative editorial writer and a columnist for The Dallas Morning News, but departed that newspaper in late 2009 to affiliate with the John Templeton Foundation. He has also contributed in the past to The American Conservative and National...
's book, Crunchy Cons, as leaders in the resurgence of traditionalist conservatism. Though The New Pantagruel was discontinued at the end of 2006, Stegall's writing continues to appear in conservative papers, magazines, and journals including National Review Online, Christianity Today
Christianity Today
Christianity Today is an Evangelical Christian periodical based in Carol Stream, Illinois. It is the flagship publication of its parent company Christianity Today International, claiming circulation figures of 140,000 and readership of 290,000...
, The Intercollegiate Review, The American Conservative
The American Conservative
The American Conservative is a monthly U.S. opinion magazine published by Ron Unz. Its first editor was Scott McConnell, his successors being Kara Hopkins and the present incumbent, Daniel McCarthy....
, Taki's Magazine, Touchstone Magazine
Touchstone Magazine
Touchstone Magazine is a bimonthly publication of the Fellowship of St. James. It is subtitled A Journal of Mere Christianity, which replaced A Journal of Ecumenical Orthodoxy.-Biography:...
, and The University Bookman. Stegall authors a semi-regular column on Kansas politics for the independent publication Kansas Liberty.
Stegall has authored chapters in several books, including the chapter on "Community" in the popular volume American Conservatism: An Encyclopedia. He is currently at work on a book provisionally titled Kansas First! on the history of prairie populism and regionalism in American politics, due out from ISI Books in 2010.