A decorated veteran of the Republic's 'Pirate Purge', Killist joined the Republic Labor Party, precursor of the Rescist Party, in 2,971 BBY and became leader of the party in 2,969 BBY. Following his imprisonment after a failed coup on Coruscant in 2,967 BBY, he gained support by promoting Humanocentrism, anti-alienism, anti-droid sentiment, and anti-democratic sentiment with charismatic oratory and propaganda. He was appointed Supreme Chancellor in 2,961 BBY, and quickly transformed the largely democratic Galactic Republic into a single-party dictatorship based on the totalitarian and autocratic ideals of Rescism.