width=”100″ height=”120″ border=”0″ title=”Klinedebate_4″ alt=”Klinedebate_4″ src=”http://blogs.kansas.com/weblog/files/images/klinedebate_4.jpg” /> Which is worse: That it’s our state’s top attorney who is running a campaign ad that treats a 15-year-old, unsubstantiated allegation as if it had been proven true? Or that he is also a proud Christian who regularly speaks at churches yet resorts to such sleazy campaign tactics? Either way, Attorney General Phill Kline’s new TV ad is a new low.
View a video excerpt from an Eagle editorial board interview with Kline. The video was taken less than a week before he held a press conference about an old sexual harassment allegation against his opponent, Johnson County District Attorney Paul Morrison. On the video, Kline says that a lawsuit was settled — implying that there was some settlement to make the case go away. Morrison, his attorney and the plaintiff’s two attorneys all have said that isn’t true. Kline also says on the video that he won’t use the old allegation in his campaign. That didn’t last long.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
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81 Comments
” Kline also says on the video that he won’t use the old allegation in his campaign”
I hope that fact gets wide circulation. In fact, perhaps Morrison should cut a clip of the interview and ask how long Kline’s promises are good for.
This dude is finished. Can’t say I’m going to miss him.
Turn out people, turn out.
Republicans got it, dems don’t. Kline over Morrison, 51/49.
Hank
PS Morrison has also recieved the ‘kiss-of-death’ the WE editors have endorsed him!
That’s funny, Hank. Too many people don’t pay enough attention to the races, so when they need to make up their mind, they vote the opposite of what the Eagle endorses figuring WWLD (What Would Libs Do). “If libs are for Morrison, I’ll be for Philllll”.The Eagle’s endorsment may have put Kline over the top. Finally I can say, thank you editorial bored!
Hank – want to put another Jackson on that?
Didn’t the Eagle endorse George W. Bush?
And Todd Tiahrt.
Hey Ben, RD,
Yes they did, thankfully Tiahrt and Bush were good enough to overcome their endorsement!
Problem with Morrison is that Kline has a lot more name recognition than Morrison.
Turn out ladies, turn out!
Hank
I think Kline is justified in putting this harassment allegation on the table. Morrison is intimidating and controlling. It took a brave woman to come forward. I am just guessing but I bet Kline has recieved more information that does put Morrison’s actions around women in question. Wake up women out there. Morrison has problems with women.
Hey Ben,
I’ll make another bet with you, what’s the over/under on Garth?
Hank
Garth? Don’t I wish. Tiahrt in a walk. But Kline/Morrison? I’ll take Morrison in that one.
Well Ben,
I really don’t care about the AG race, really. Of course, being a right-wing-fundy type-republican I would like to see Kline win…if he wasn’t a crook. Just for BLOG bragging rights.
But Morrison is a crook too. Coin toss. Don’t care.
For poor ol Garth, everyone knows he won’t win. I bet he gets less than 42.5% of the vote.
Turn out.
Hank
On that we agree Hank. I think this could have been a year to unseat Tankerless Todd but it wou’t happen. However, in the AG race Morrison will unseat Kline.
So, want to cover my AG bet?
I’m tempted, but…Nah.
Kline deserves to lose, I just hate that it’s liable to be Morrison.
Hank
OK. We’ll stick to our other two (and my old win in CT)
“But Morrison is a crook too.”
Let’s see you back up that wild allegation with some facts, Hank.
The only thing you are right about today is that it will be a close race. I am thinking that sanity among Kansas voters and Morrison will prevail.
Recent polls have shown Morrison picking up women voters (little wonder then, on the lie from Kline), Republican voters, and Sedgwick County voters. Kline and Morrison are nearly tied in Western Kansas.
It will be close and it is far and away the most exciting race in Kansas this year.
Done,
I haven’t written any of this crap down and I suffer from CRS.
I oughta make CA collect in person if I lose to him!
Hank
Walk it off Steven. It wasn’t a “wild alegation” merely a casual comment.
The man is a lawyer, he’s a democrat, in my book prima facia evidence that he is a crook!
I don’t care. Prove he isn’t!
Hank
Glad to see you still have your high bench marks for reality-testing, Hank.
You sure you don’t want to place a bet on Kline v. Morrison. It will be a close one.
And, don’t forget Morrison was a Republican for a long time. Just a few months of being a Democrat is enough to turn him into a criminal? Interesting.
Well, he obviously was a crooked republican! Why else would he change parties?
Hank
Okay. But why do you think Kline deserves to lose?
I’m more interested in knowing if “ksldy” has anything to back up HER claims! “Morrison has problems with women.” Yea? I think ksldy is making things up. “I am just guessing but I bet ksldy is on Kline’s staff”
Hank–
We had a bet too that the Dems wouldn’t pick up any seats in Congress.
Barring another terrorist attack, a Democratic House is almost a certainty, so it looks like that outcome is swinging my way.
But to tell you the truth, I’m too much of a softie to collect from a guy whose son is serving in Iraq, hehe.
So save it for champagne for when they all come home . . .
Capn – join me in letting him contribute to gerard House. He can even take the tax deduction!
I want to see Ossama captured next week and the Libs trying to look happy about it.Now that’s an October suprise worth having.Tears running down Pelosi’s plastic surgery face all the while saying she’s happy about it.Brilliant!
I don’t think CapnAmerica would like that. TeeHee
Hank if I lose I will pay up. But, I am with Capn on the donating my winnings to the champagne fund or Gerard House, whichever you prefer.
“I want to see Osama captured next week and the Libs trying to look happy about it.”
Our chances of catching him would go up dramatically, I am thinking, IF we were looking for him. What I am wanting to know, is this a clinical example of lapsing into satisfying fantasy when reality is so frustrating?
One reason why the chances of finding OBL have declined, if he is where many think he may be:
http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/10/no_peace_in_pak.html
Kline is finished and MOrrison will do a fantastic job cleaning up klines messes.
It is about time for good real people in office…and then all we have to do is wait for 08 to take back the white house from the thieves.
Steven,
I’m not really happy with the way Kline uses the churches for fund raisers. He doesn’t speak for free. He receives a love offering.
They have the members write the checks to the church, the church then writes a check to Kline’s for proffit busines and then…. well, you get the picture.
I’m really more upset with the churches for putting up with that crap. Kline can’t help it, he is a politician after all.
It’s perfectly legal for the democrats to get religion and speak in all of the black churches every election cycle, I just expect more from the republicans.
Morrison on the other hand has been getting a lot of money from Tiller’s ProCanDo PAC. I think they even had a $100.00 dollar a plate fund raiser in DC for him.
So, if it comes down to voting for tiller’s butt-boy or Kline the medical record man, I guess Kline will get my vote.
Kinda like being up to your neck in horse shit and someone comes along and throws a bucket of cow shit at you.
Do you duck?
Hank
OK, the first case was dismissed by the trial judge at the close of the Plaintiff’s evidence; the second, by agreement of the parties. This second dismissal can be construed as a settlement, whether there was any cash consideration paid or not.
IIRC, Plaintiff’s counsel had entered rehab, leaving her without counsel to prosecute her claim (as she was unable to find one). Mr. Morrison says that he agreed to not file a counter suit (probably for malicious prosecution) as a part of the deal. Thus, both sides signed off on an agreed Order of Dismissal, if this went as most of these things normally do.
Thus, it can be said there was a “settlement”. I understand that the term “settlement” invokes, in most people, the thought that one side or the other “bought their peace”. I don’t care for Mr. Kline’s use of the term, with all the negative connotations associated therewith, which is why he pursues it.
Sounds like she couldn’t find a lawyer to take her case, that wasn’t strung out on something.
Steve, it is often difficult to retain another counsel when the first case resulted in dismissal of the claim at the close of Plaintiff’s evidence; also, I believe the date of trial was rapidly approaching, another deterrent to a second attorney entering the matter.
If bush was a plumber and bin laden was a clog in your drain, after 5 years of work your house ruined water up to your waist would you fire him?
Attorneys will take a case they think they can win. They are less likely to take one they will lose.
.morg
Poor analogy. If Bush was a plummer and bin laden was screwing up your plumbing and after five years bin laden had caused you no problems and was pretty much neutralized as a threat would you hire another plummer that refused to consider poor plumming a problem?
Hank
Not sure why people keep saying Kline wants in our bedrooms. Is it because someone is having sex with underage girls and doesn’t want it known. If someone beat up your minor child would you want the person that did it brought to justice? Without the medical records this won’t happen when someone has an abortion.
Being endorsed by the WE doesn’t impress me but being endorsed by 89 Kansas Sheriff’s department makes me think our law enforcement people think Kline is doing something right. As for the harrassment suit – Morrison himself said he said something he had to apologize for whether the lawsuit went forward or not. Having worked for people like this he is a sleaze. Sorry if I confuse anyone with facts.
The LA Times reports that NBC is abandoning expensive sitcoms and dramas during the opening weeknight hour (8-9 Coasts, 7-8 Inland), and is going to save money broadcasting gameshows. So maybe Phil Kline can contact NBC and pitch a new one that he can host: “DESPERATION TIME!”
DESPERATION is totally on the mark heart! Kline is just slinging mud because he’s going DOWN.
.morg-That is part of the problem with you people. Bin Laden (and his minions) are not just clogs in the drain. They want to kill us. You too. That’s why the cut and run strategy is so frustrating.
hotlick,
A better anlogy would have been:
One day in September, you’re minding your own business, taking your morning dump and bin ladin comes along and convinces a bunch of fanatical ragheads to blow you and your toilet all to hell.
morg. would be more like a clog in the drain.
Hank
I do know Paul Morrison personally. I am not affliated with any political party and am not writing to endorse Kline. As for the aggrieved female’s problem in finding a lawyer, do you really think lawyers practicing in JO CO want to sue the lead prosecutor?
hotlick,I’m not sure who you mean by you people. But it’s now the majority of America that believes we should start to withdraw from Iraq. And now, James Baker who Bush put in charge of cleaning up his mess says there will never be a victory in Iraq.http://politicalheartland.blogspot.com/2006/10/victoryyeah-nevermind.html
Why wouldn’t they? He’s not a judge…lawyers do things to piss prosecutors off all the time…
Sorry, blogs don’t count as anything. That’s what we call weak.
hotlick,I’m trying really hard not to make you look dumb. What’s weak is you didn’t even look before speaking. But I think that’s obvious. The blog has the links to CNN so you can read it for yourself. I think that’s the problem with a lot of conservatives. They don’t read anything. They only watch FOX News. That’s what we (liberals) call weak…
PU. I saw your list of links. What? No Mao Tse Tung?I already know about the falling approvals of this war. Lincoln’s War had that trouble, too. Just because it’s not popular doesn’t mean it’s not right. Your other comment about Jim Baker and the commission has already been discussed here. The paper is not finished, “still being amended and revised”. Be patient, the commission will report soon enough.It’s not CNN either.
“They want to kill us. You too.”
“you’re minding your own business, taking your morning dump and bin ladin comes along and convinces a bunch of fanatical ragheads to blow you and your toilet all to hell.”
I wonder if conservatives wet themselves every time they see an Arab. It is a wonder you kooks have the courage to come out from under your covers, let alone cause the grief that you do. Kooks.
I shall take great pleasure when your peeping Phil gets his ass handed to him. Then he can go preach in small church.
No problem. I can’t wait until they release the full report. I really didn’t think anyone still believed there to be weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. And I wouldn’t compare the Iraq War to the Civil War. At least the Civil War ended in Victory. lol
JR: Just because you don’t understand that Islamic fanaticism is the major threat to America and our way of life in the world today, does not mean that it isn’t. Hiding your eyes, wishing it away, or playing brave won’t do it either. All that kind of attitude is going to accomplish is to hinder resistance at a time when we take it on.
If we don’t confront this threat now, it will be your son and my son who are going to be faced with dealing with it. That is a much worse thing to saddle them with than a deficit.
True Story -I was a manager at a local manufacturing company. A female employee visited my office to discuss work. I asked this employee to look into finding some missing data. She replied that she would not do it, it was not her job. I asked her to repeat herself. I explained to her that ‘it’ was her job and that I expect her to do it. She said no. I informed her that I would speak to her supervisor.As I was speaking to her she told me that I did not know what I was talking about and she left my office. I followed after her and asked her again, with her supervisor present, to perform the task. She made up a lie about having already done it and I am harrassing her.I spoke privately with her supervisor. She was issued a disciplinary action for insubordination.The next morning I was under investigation for sexual harrassment. She claimed that I called her to my office and asked her out, told her how much I want to be with her, and that she told me ‘no’ and that I became angry and chased her to her office.
It’s hard to remember a lie. She told 3 different versions of this story, and in one version, claimed another employee was present in my office.
I was cleared, so to speak, she was told her story didn’t hold up….that’s all….so really I wasn’t cleared…because she wasn’t punished for making the charges….
Anyway – I was totally blown away. My office is all windows – no covers, and this happened to me.
Never Ever discount that there are bad people, bad employees, bad apples, in any office, any work place.I was falsely accused and when the investigation came – I was treated like a criminal. However, my luck won out – she told three different stories.
So, don’t jump on a bandwagon whenever there is a charge of sexual harrassment.Thanks for listening. That episode still bothers me. I don’t work there anymore…. after she was proven to be an idiot…she never came back to work.
Okay, am reposting this here because I fear that Meadowlurk is so fact – challenged that he won’t post it:
Your comment is awaiting moderation.October 24th, 2006 at 9:06 pm“The truth is that highly respected Catholic attorney Bryan Brown was arrested for peaceful abortion protests. When Kline said Bryan’s peaceful protests were in the admirable tradition of Rosa Parks, he was mocked.”
According to Paul Morrison, whom I heard make a speech this evening, the restitution dollars received by Bryan Brown’s department is 10% of what it was under Carla Stovall. I believe that Carla Stovall-Steckline was in office for 8 years and Mr. Morrison did not clarify if the comparison was over all of Stovall-Steckline tenure. But even if it was a comparison to the 8 yrs, shouldn’t he be at 50% of his predecessor? Maybe, he really is not the respected attorney and valuable civil servant as he is portrayed here.
Look.In business. Does a company knowingly hire someone who violates the very product or service they provide?For instance, if in my free time I pissed in Pepsi bottles, poured it on cats, filmed it, and played it on youtube – if Pepsi knows I do this…they probably shouldn’t hire me, right?
So, if Little Bryon Brown breaks the fucking law – isn’t that pissing on the very product/service that the AG’s office provides?
Holy shit..on common sense alone, Kline should be forced to resign. Rule #1, you don’t shit where you eat. Kline hired a shitter.Kline is a shithead.His hiring of BB is an obvious show of his personal politics overriding the common sense of his position.I hope the dumb, smug, SOB gets depression and goes for a long walk on the railroad track….peanut butter!
Dear JR,
I was merely mocking .morg’s ridiculous analogy when he compared bin laden to a ‘clog in a drain’.
You then twist it into a dig that I am a kook that should be afraid to come out from beneath my covers.
You then finish by putting ‘my’ ‘peeping Phill’s’ ass being handed to him as a future source of great pleasure.
You sir live in a delusional world that is getting ever smaller.
I still love ya. You are one of the few that can even make us kooks look good!
Hank
PS Phill over Morrison 51/49. Turnout!
Jim G
I sense that you are holding back. Why be so subtle? Tell us what you really think!
Hank
Kline doesn’t break 35%.
I am a rude prick, aren’t I.Oh well. I just don’t have the savy to be in politics so I use what savy I have to be a prick about politics.
Jim G,
I have a lot of money that says he breaks 45%. I gotta give Ben first choice though!
Hank
Isn’t it amazing that only strong vote Kline will get is from the religious whackos. It’s irony. He launders money, hires lawbreakers….and this buys him the respect of the religious.Go figure. Religion is one fucked up thing.
Steven Davis, he posted it.
My take on what the voting booth will look like this year in Kansas.
http://mccluer.name/confusion.jpg
Thank you, Political Mom.
Hank, I think I am smelling desperation in your posts. There are some meds that may help you. Anxiety is not always the enemy of the masses. But, usually, it is.
Outlander?You say:”JR: Just because you don’t understand that Islamic fanaticism is the major threat to America and our way of life in the world today, does not mean that it isn’t.
If “scary terrorists” is your first concern in voting then you OBVIOUSLY have less worry about threats closer to home. In other words, you and YOUR son are well off. The same is not true for me and mine. I call folks like you and bush a far greater threat to me and mine than any angry Arab on the other side of the planet.
hank? “I have a lot of money that says…..”
Are you sure your wife will cover your bet? Better ask her. Another person with few real world worries who wants us to be scared so we will support policies that grow the wealth of the wealthy.
Kline is toast just like the kooks on the board of education got toasted. Kansas IS a backward place. But even Kansas is not yet a religious fiefdom.
JR
My retirement pay will cover my bets, your taxes are paying for it.
I love ya,
Hank
JM-Even though I don’t agree with your picture of voting confusion I like it non the less. I really think you should make something for every post. It makes these a little more fun. Post after post gets boring. Its fun to see pictures once in awhile. :)
Hey Steven,
Let me know if you still smell it on November 8th. If you do it’s not my desperation, it’s probably your butt.
Hank
Hank,
Well thank you. I had other things to say, but why bother?
Good luck to you, my reality-challenged friend. You will seriously need it.
A better analogy would be there’s a skunk in the house, Bush the exterminator/pest remover comes over to your house and sets it on fire to drive the skunk out.
Dear Steven,
Turn out.
Hank
Ok, I dont have time to read all of the previous posts, but the Eagle Editorial Board, once again, is forgetting history, and is also pretending to be naive in such legal matters.—
Complaints of this type are often settled out of court. Both sides often agree, under a binding legal contract, to keep the terms of the agreement quiet.The attorneys for both sides might even have to deny there was ever any agreement at all.A judge does not have to rule on the legality of such contracts. It is an “out of court settlement.”The Eagle had no business questioning Kline on his campaign strategy concerning this issue.What was Kline supposed to say? The Eagle is solidly behind Morrison, Morrison likely heard of Klines “no” response before the ink was dry on the next Eagle attack.(The Eagle has repeatedly claimed that Bryan Brown, on Klines staff, owes a court judgement of $61,000. This is FALSE, and the Eagle knows it is false. All Court Judgements against O.R., under the RICO act and the KKK act, were invalidated by the Supreme Court of the United States. Honesty? The Eagle has no credibility, the Eagle has been lying about this race from the beginning!)—-History Lesson:Jerry McCoy lost to Jan Kennedy due to an out of court settlement of a sexual harrassment case.They were both former Sedgwick County Treasurers.I tried to defend McCoy, as I was a Republican Party official at the time, and I did not like the way in which some Republicans were trying to run McCoy out of office in order to advance their own agenda.The local Party likely would have passed a censure vote and resolution demanding McCoy’s resignation if not for my strong opposition.(Ironically, My Democrat friend, the late Jan Kennedy, suffered the same disloyalty from the Democrat Party when she was falsely accused. Her party turned on her. I did my best to stand up for her.)Jan Kennedy never brought up the sexual harrassment issue. She didnt need to. The Republican infighting and bad press doomed McCoy. Besides, the Eagle brought up the sexual harrassment issue constantly.———Ok, here are the issues that voters would want to know:
Was taxpayer money involved?(It is entirely possible for government officials to settle lawsuits quietly. This is a confidential personel matter. It could have been paid for out of Morrison’s office account, or a closed session of the Johnson County Commissioners could have approved a pay off.)
Does Morrison have a pattern of such behavior?——If a similar problem had ever occured in Kline’s past, the Eagle would have told us all of these details months ago.The Eagle obviously had Morrison’s “back” on this one, and now the Eagle if furious that Kline won’t play their game.
Hank,
You’re right about Kline having more name recognition, but that may be exactly what does him in.
A settlement that you won’t bring a lawsuit against someone for filing an harassment lawsuit, could hardly be called a settlement. Must have had a good reason for wanting that one.
Jim G – very good points on harassment “alegations.” In this case the employee had been fired so it comes as no real surprise that she sued. As you duly note – anyone can claim anything.
I disagree with your 35% – I figure 40.
GOP shill Paul – the settlement was simply “you go away and I won’t sue you back” – no monetary settlement. Obviously Morrison should have helped clog the Courts by counter-suing. Of course, if he had you would be screaming at him for “piling on.”
There’s money to be made here!
I’ll bet on Kline if you give me odds!
Hank
So, Kline said he wasn’t going to use the sexual harrasment issue? Well, maybe Morrison’s crappy misleading Bryan Brown ads, or Morrison’s crappy, misleading medical record ads pissed Kline off. Just a guess.
And besides, I don’t think that Kline is concerned about what the Eagle thinks. As if they could treat him worse.
It’s funny watching our liberal friends support a guy who was a Republican, what, a month or two ago, before he lost his scruples?
If you win Mr. Morrison, I was just kidding.
Phill Kline’s latest TV ads are not only misleading and untrue, but seek to deceive Kansans through bottom feeding gutter tactics never before seen in Kansas.Our Attorney General has proven once again that he is completely void of a moral compass.Kline is polluting our airwaves with his false, sleazy, desperate ads — and, on November 7th, Kansans will welcome the opportunity to take out the trash.
I’ve been sitting on this information now for a good long time and I’m about to burst at the seams. I wanna scream everytime I see Philly boy spouting off about how he has law enforcement support.
——————–
If you are a member of a powerful organization, and the leaders decide on their own to throw support towards a candidate without the approval of the members, does it really count as an endorsement? Apparently so – if it’s from the Kansas State Trooper’s Association. Some members are outraged at the decision, which was has been discussed, but leaders still refused to put the question to a vote, stating it was too late in the game to change an endorsement now. If this happens with this police organization, I wonder if it happens with the others as well? How many of our law enforcement really get a say in who their organizations support in their name?
“It’s funny watching our liberal friends support a guy who was a Republican, what, a month or two ago, before he lost his scruples.”
The switching to the Democratic party has been the result of the civil war between moderates and far right conservatives in the Kansas Republican Party. Parkinson (the Dem Lt. Governor candidate) made the switch, too.
Candidates of the quality of Morrison and Parkinson will be welcomed into the Democratic party instead of being scorned as RINOs which would have been their fate had they not switched over.
Until the Kansas Republican party cleans its house, there will continue to be these defections. Wagle with her extreme right nuttiness has poisoned a decent Republican’s bid for Governor. That was good thinking, wasn’t it. Outlander, I hope you guys keep up the good work.
out – he was a Republican until he FOUND his scruples. Or, more accurately, until his former Party finished losing ITS scruples.
Steven: Same guy, same ideas, different team jersey. Politics is like pro sports. Marcus Allen used to suck until he came over to the Chiefs.
Morrison would have been the guy y’all would have been raking over the coals if he had been the Republcian nominee..