MCPHERSON, Kan. (AP) - Two Republican U.S. Senate candidates are tweeting their support for a Kansas barber who ran afoul of the law for operating his shop during the pandemic.
Kansas Senate President Susan Wagle and U.S. Rep. Roger Marshall weighed in Saturday after Luke Aichele, a barber at Luke’s Barber Shop in McPherson, wrote about his troubles Friday on Facebook.
Wagle wrote that an arrest warrant was issued for Aichele; Marshall wrote the barber was threatened with one. Police referred questions to the county prosecutor, whose office was closed.
“The chairs in his shop are six feet apart and barbers and hair stylists comply with strict safety regulations. It’s immoral to prevent those who want to work safely, with social distancing, from doing so. Open up KS now! #KansasCantWait,” Wagle tweeted.
Marshall added that Aichele has been unable to collect unemployment “due to the delay & failures of the administration in Topeka.”
“Telling someone they cannot work to feed their family, offering them no help, and then threatening their arrest if they safely try to earn a living is wrong,” Marshall wrote.
The Wichita Eagle reported that Aichele said he was not available for an interview “at this time.”
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