A report from Kansas Public Radio says that Kansas Governor Sam Brownback has been tapped to fill a United Nations position in Rome, Italy which would require he step-down as the state’s top official.
The report comes at a time when Kansas is facing a serious budget deficit and a court order saying school funding is inadequate. A former high-ranking government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Kansas Public Radio this week that Brownback will be named the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations agencies for food and agriculture in Rome.
The governor’s office did not confirm or deny the appointment, but a source told Kansas Public Radio that the appointment is “a done deal.” If Brownback leaves his post, Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer would become governor. The time-frame for his possible departure from his post as governor is unknown publicly at this time.
If appointed and confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Brownback would become the leader of the U.S. Mission to the U.N. Agencies in Rome. That organization is the link between the U.S. government and several international organizations based in Rome, including the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Food Programme and the International Fund for Agricultural Development.