All the political heat the Kansas Supreme Court has taken this year apparently isn’t keeping justices from asking tough questions, thank goodness. Justice Carol Beier got at a key point during Thursday’s hearing on Attorney General Phill Kline’s attempt to get access to abortion patient records: whether Kline’s interest in unreported sex abuse stops at abortion clinics.
“How about teachers? How about all the other mandatory reporters?” Beier asked Kline deputy Eric Rucker, according to The Topeka Capital-Journal.
In response, Rucker conceded that “at this juncture,” Kline hasn’t subpoenaed records from others required by state law to report child abuse.
Translation: Kline’s primary targets are the abortion clinics, not child molesters.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
Registered?
Commenting on WE Blog now requires you to be a Kansas.com member. Use the links above to register, if you haven't already, or to log in.Contact us
Follow us
Daily Archives
-
Recent Comments
- Monkeyhawk on Open thread 11/22
- Monkeyhawk on Open thread 11/22
- RightAngle on Open thread 11/22
- Regular on ACORN stole election?
- thomaswitt on ACORN stole election?
- Daniel on Open thread 11/21
- Daniel on ACORN stole election?
- Phantom on Open thread 11/21
- Daniel on Open thread 11/21
- thomaswitt on ACORN stole election?
36 Comments
Way to state the obvious.
I’ve been asking these questions for months. Since he’s so into pissing on HIPPA, why not subpeona all records of girls under 16 who get Pap smears? Then he can put them through some classic Chinese torture until they reveal the names of their “rapists”.Disgusting filth. Using something horrible like child molestation as an excuse to cater to his political base…I’m steamed, now. Attorney-client privilage is more protected than medical records. It’s insane.
Maybe the Kansas Supreme Court will do the right thing and throw his butt out in the street. Now what about those medical records that countless eyes have seen and read, total invasion of privacy of Kansan’s personal lives.
You act like child predation is not an important crime! The other facilities report suspected cases of abuse, but abortion clinics do not. That is why Kline is only after the abortion mills. If they complied with the law, like other facilities, he would not be investigating them! This is NOT about abortion, it is about criminal activity on the part of abortion mills who hide crimes and believe because they participate in the “sacred rite” of abortion that they are above the law. They are not protecting privacy as much as their guilt!
not “at this juncture” is an important point Holman points out.what she doesn’t explain, however not suprisingly, that an investigation is an ongoing process with steps of the investigation. when he said “at this juncture,” couldn’t that have meant that they could not proceed with the investigation w/o this stage?Holman needs to do her homework.don’t think Kline is a partisan hack, I think Holman is.
That is an assumption based on unknown fact. If no one has said they had a late term abortion at either clinic. Or that an underaged child had one.
Then this is nothing more then it appears. A look about into private files that is a matter between the Doctor and patent. They are governed by the same laws as any other Doctors. It is a stretch to say just because they have not reported any crimes. That they must be hiding something.
The same could be said about any hospital that has not report a thirteen y.o. having a live birth.
It is fine to say, “Well I have done nothing wrong so if he want to search my house…Go ahead”
But guess what, there are thousands of laws that most do not know of. Right now in your house is something that you could be arrested for.
That is not how the law works, he is abusing his office for his own agenda.
how is he abusing his office.there was a showing of probable cause – a subpoena was given – he has applied the law in the fairest way possible.
The outrage when a pregnant 14 year old was brought to Kansas to cover statuatory rape with a marriage license was deafening. How could a parent do such a thing?
It appears that bringing a 14 year old to Tiller’s clinic to cover a rape with an abortion would be OK. Doctors protecting rapists to protect their abortion mills. Disgusting.
Oh, listen to the wails of anguish. They’re only trying to “protect the children”! Hogwash! This is just the latest installment of the republican plan to take control of your bedroom. Republicans talk a lot about getting government out of our lives, but every time you turn sround, they want the government’s nose in your private business.
This isn’t about protecting children, it’s a naked attack on women’s reproductive rights.
what “repoductive rights” are being attacked by a subpoena of medical records.I thought this was all about privacy.or was that just an excuse to turn the issue into abortion
Yeah, conveniently murdering unborn children has nothing to do with what people with common decency are trying to prevent.
NoJo, what do YOU know about common decency? You’re a republican.
“what “repoductive rights” are being attacked by a subpoena of medical records.”
Don’t be an ignorant twit. You ‘pubs aren’t fooling anybody.
you can call folks names, Vlad, maybe you have personal problems, I don’t know.
But the question still remains.
What “reproductive rights” are being attacked (or stopped) by a normal judicial/law enforcement procedure?
Vlad, The Baby Impaler
What “reproductive rights” are being attacked (or stopped) by a normal judicial/law enforcement procedure?”
OK, gotta spell it out for the right-wingnut:The right of a woman to have control over her own body. Let’s not be foolish. This is ALL about abortion, otherwise, the idiot would be going after hospital and school records.
NoJo…The Baby Impaler? Ask your wife what I “Impaled”.
By the way, NoJo, did you know your wife calls you “shrinky-dink”?
Yes, it’s about abortion. I’m glad he’s pushing it!
If it’s about abortion, there are straightforward legal means to amend the constitution. Being sneaky,lying bastards goes against the religion that they intend to promote, and is an admission that they don’t have the support to do it legally, and so must resort to subterfuge. Immorality is necessary and acceptable to make everybody be moral against their will? Come on!
OK. Vlad is just insulting.and Jed just reverts back to the same old hack arguments.
if anyone really wants to get into the issue, feel free to post.if you want to rant unreasonable assertions, then go ahead.
I thought this was a thoughtful forum.
oh well. too bad.
Capt. Poinsy, I’m insulting? You’re blind. I gave you your answer twice and in typical republican fashion, you go off on a tangent.” I thought this was a thoughtful forum.”Have I dissapointed you? I’m crushed!
so much hate and angst. I feel bad for you Vlad.
anyway, you haven’t PROVEN to me how this actually takes away a woman’s right to chose and abortion.
Rucker admitted in his statement that “at this juncture” they hadn’t subpeonaed any other facilities, only abortion clinics.That shows his focus only on one subject. Male sexual abuse victims would fall completely through the cracks he’s left open. Sex abuse is a subject that would be worthy to tackle.If he was really interested in helping minors with sexual abuse he’d have a wider scope.
Oh Poinsy….You haven’t proven otherwise.What’s your point?
No hate and angst, I just feel sorry for your pathetic delusion. There, there…it’s not your fault. The gop makes a habit using small-minded people like you; you’re the striength of their party.
Looks like either Hank is posting as Nathan, or vice versa. Triple X busted him over on the Pat Robertson thread.
Pointy,I keep reverting back to the same arguments because you fundies keep refusing to answer any of them!
By the way, I first heard about this story a few months ago, and now I can’t remember all the details…isn’t he trying to subpoena records of late term abortions AND abortions of girls under 16? Correct me if I’m wrong.
What makes this so bad is that everyone and their mothers knows exactly what this is about. Kline is pro-life. We know. He’d rather that abortions be illegal. I have no beef with that.
But a half-hearted attempt to be “concerned about child rapists” is just an insult to all of us. We see right through you, phoney.
what same arguments am I reverting back to?you are the ones who bring up the same ole ‘fundamentalist’ argument, the same old ‘extreme right argument.’ its all so boring.and Vlad, you are insulting and a complete idiot. folks like you amuse me.if you want to be that way, fine. at least I sleep at night.
think about this point on access to medical records, which is what the kansas supreme court case is about:
different broups can gain access to medical records for a variety of purposes:
Insurance companies can request medical background information before authorizing a policy; buy information directly from hospitals for use in setting coverage levels.
The government may request access to health records to verify eligibility for Medicare, workers’ compensation or other assistance.
Employers may request medical information for insurance purposes.
Marketers may buy information from health-care providers to learn more about consumers.
LAW ENFORCEMENT CAN SUBPOENA MEDICAL INFORMATION FOR INVESTIGATIONS.
This is not extremism. This is where we are today in the law.You can argue motivations, conspiracies, et al.but the point remains.
This information was not recieved via a gop website or some right-wing blogger. This was gained from the Kansas City Star. Not exactly a conservative publication.
why is this case so special that the abortion clinics should not abide by the above precident?
Hey Pointy,you wouldn’t happen to be another of Hank’s and Nathan’s playmates, would you?Yes, there are certain people and organizations that can see your health records, provided they have YOUR SIGNED PERMISSION to do so. And yes, law enforcement can subpoena medical records by showing cause to believe that a particular person is likely to have broken the law, and that those records are necessary to the case. This is not a carte blanc to look over (and share) the records of a whole class of people on the grounds that one or two MIGHT have done something questionable! What Kline is doing is not sanctioned by the law and shouldn’t be by the people.Oh, and I don’t find you amusing, just disgusting.
Pointy, of course I amuse you. You’re a moron and it doesn’t take much. Small things occupy small minds.See pointy, you just don’t get it. The liberal posters on this board are busy making sound points, and they’re just not comfortable about sinking to the level you republipukes do sometimes. I on the other hand, have no problem playing in the mud. So while my liberal friends make the points, I’m here to get you muddy.
Problem? Call 1-800-screw-you.
the did sign an authorization.if you check when you first open up your medical records, you will see you must sign a document that states the hospital (or whatever) may turn over your medical records to law enforcement in an investigation (that is not the exact wording but the consent is there).
I should say ‘they’ did sign an authorization.so did youso did Iso does everyone
know your facts.You don’t know me, so I may or may not be a moron. But the facts remain (facts above)you all still have not shown any FACTS that support your position.I respect your position, but in the arena of ideas, politics and law, you have to have facts.on this, there is no dispute.
does MIGHT = probable cause?
because if MIGHT = probable cause, I would agree with you.
unfortunately nobody else would agree with us.
Pointy,At the clinic where I volunteer, no such release is requested. The privacy policy does state that when the court subpoenas records, the clinic may be forced to hand them over.That’s a far cry from the blanket release you’re trying to imply exists.Get your facts straight! Oh, I forgot, you don’t want the facts straight, ’cause you make up your own to fit your argument.
I misspoke.no ‘release’the privacy policy.so my facts are correct.sorry for the mis-step.
oh, and congrats on volunteering at a clinic.
I’m sure your mother is very proud.
now I just feel ashamed.
My mother went down to support Tiller in ‘92, and if she were still alive would be right there with me today! I’m proud of her, too!
I had an abortion at Tiller’s when I was only 13.I had been raped and I was 33 weeks pregnant.I am angry that he did not contact law enforcement to report a crime he knew had taken place.My rapist victimized once and Tiller did it again by destroying any evidence of the crime.