GOP senator faces scorn after blistering exposé exposes 'truly shocking behavior'

As Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) faces an unexpectedly tight reelection fight, a new Kansas City Star report on his past work as an OB-GYN drew outrage Sunday, with one critic decrying his “truly shocking behavior.”

Marshall, who worked as an obstetrician for 25 years, sued more than 700 patients for debts during his career, leading to at least 81 of his former patients being arrested, The New York Times revealed last month. The new report from The Kansas City Star revealed that at 18%, Marshall had charged “by far” the highest annual interest rate for unpaid medical bills in the state.

“It’s amazing that this guy was ever a senator after what he did to people,” wrote Neera Tanden, former Biden White House staff secretary and liberal political consultant. “Truly shocking behavior.”

The outlet reviewed the public records of roughly 150 medical practices in Kansas and found that no other medical provider charged “any other specified rate above 12%,” far below Marshall’s 18%.

“Court records show that attorneys representing Marshall repeatedly asked judges to issue arrest warrants for former patients who failed to appear in court. Eighty-one people with unpaid bills were arrested, and patients’ wages and bank accounts were garnished,” The Kansas City Star’s report reads.

“Bond money collected when patients were arrested for failing to appear in court was turned over to the doctor by court order.”

Marshall denied that he personally called for his past patients to be arrested, telling Fox News last month that once the unpaid bills “went to collections,” he “had nothing to do with the process.”

The revelation comes as Marshall faces renewed scrutiny for stiffing a baker over a nearly $700 cookie bill from 2020, one that he claimed Saturday to have paid in full, plus interest, though notably less than the 18% interest he charged his patients.

Former Republican congresswoman and attorney Barbara Comstock urged Kansans to “send Marshall back to Florida” — referencing the Kansas senator’s extensive property ownership in the Sunshine State — and called his conduct “disgraceful.”