From beneath Kline's rock

BY: Steve Rose, Publisher

Steve Rose, Publisher

By now, everyone who is not a fanatic knows Phill Kline lives beneath a rock. What is amazing is that, every time that rock is kicked over, more slime, apparently bottomless, is exposed.

A quick refresher: Kline, as Kansas attorney general, named a virulent anti-abortionist attorney to be a so-called independent special prosecutor to go after Wichita abortion doctor George Tiller. Kline then went after women’s private medical records without probable cause. Soon after, Kline was booted out of office and re-planted as the Johnson County District Attorney, and then went after Planned Parenthood without cause, as part of his moral crusade. He will abuse his powers unflinchingly. Those are the principles one finds in a person who lives in another world, where abuse of power is a means to an end.

The slime oozes out yet again.

Kline has determined to go after former Kansas Attorney General Paul Morrison, who deserved to resign for his long extramarital affair with a former employee. This column also called for his resignation.

But Kline smells blood. He says he has reason to believe Morrison is guilty of telephone harassment and blackmail.

And for that reason, Kline has called for two independent special prosecutors to look into this matter. He went to the Johnson County Commission and requested $25,000 now to fund this so-called independent effort, with possibly an additional $25,000 to be requested later.

The commission voted to appropriate the funds.

Who could say no? The whole idea of a special prosecutor is to take politics out of the investigation. And, since Morrison was the one who defeated Kline for attorney general, it is easy to see that politics could have played a biased role in any investigation.

Here is the definition of a special prosecutor: He or she is a lawyer outside, I repeat, outside, of government investigating a government official for misconduct while in office. The reason for such an appointment is the government branch may have political connections to those it might investigate. Thus, a special prosecutor eliminates a potential conflict of interest.

One of the two special prosecutors Kline has appointed flunks that test with flying colors. Timothy Keck worked for Kline as an assistant district attorney until about six weeks ago. And he worked in the same office with the alleged victim of Morrison’s alleged criminal actions.

The Johnson County Commission grimaced and then voted to ask Kline to appear and explain himself. Kline blew them off, saying he didn’t want additional media exposure to this case.

Kline conned the commissioners in a bait-and-switch. He requested an independent prosecutor and appointed someone who was anything but independent. There is conflict-of-interest written all over this.

Kline is, technically, a state employee. As a practical matter, he can go ahead with his so-called special prosecutors, and the county would have little recourse but to pay the bill.

Still, as a symbolic gesture, the County Commission should send Kline a clear message. They should vote to withhold the funds, because Kline lied to them. He did not hire an independent special prosecutor. He hired a buddy, an ally, and a recent member of his office who only pretends to be independent and unbiased.

Whether Morrison eventually is found guilty of any or all charges is beside the point.

Paul Morrison, whether you like him or not, is an American citizen who deserves fair justice, not a stacked deck. He deserves an independent prosecutor who is independent.