To help quantify how far Attorney General Phill Kline has strayed from a core mission of his office, consider his meager effort to help cheated consumers.
As an Eagle article reported Friday, Kline has brought in about $1 million a year in consumer fraud restitution — less than half the average $2.2 million a year won by former attorneys general Bob Stephan and Carla Stovall Steckline.
Kline defended his record, saying previous efforts were those of a “shakedown agency,” but it might sound strange to Kansans for the person in charge of protecting consumers to be attacking successful efforts to protect consumers.
In fact, Kline’s office has actively discouraged consumer complaints, leading to a sharp decrease, from 7,000 a year under Steckline to 4,300 a year under Kline.
“Don’t call us” might be the new motto.
Add another number — the record $1.5 million in independent advertising support that Kline received from an out-of-state pro-business political action committee — and you can’t blame Kansans for wondering whose interests Kline is looking out for. And who’s doing the shakedown.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
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
- Politico on Too many exemptions
- XXX on Open thread 11/23
- XXX on Let immigrants run
- BlueJay on Let immigrants run
- Monkeyhawk on Let immigrants run
- Chrisfrommactown on Let immigrants run
- BlueJay on Let immigrants run
- Monkeyhawk on Too many exemptions
- JWink on Too many exemptions
- LonnythePlumber on Jail consultants straining patience
90 Comments
I would imagine a lot of the complaints in previous years were using the Attorney General’s Office like an insurance agent hoping to get paid.
I also bet most people filing a complaint with the AG’s office never bothered to take any of the recommended steps as outlined in brochures by the AG office.
People hate getting ripped off, but a lot people will swear and scream then act like someone has committed a capital offense instead of calmly trying to deal with the merchant, the BBB or going to small claims court.
Sure, there are legitimate complaints and most of these can be handled at lower levels or even with the merchant.
I would be interested in seeing a break down of the complaints in those past years and compare it to current list to see the difference.
I can think of several reasons why there might be fewer complaints handled by the AG office that are not political. Frivolous complaints on a product where the cost of the product doesn’t even pay for a phone call in my mind would a good reason not to handle the complaint.
There is a cost/benefit analysis to everything; has to be or you go bankrupt or in the case of a State run agency use up all of your investigating funds that were budgeted.
The Kansas No-Call Act (KSA 650-670a) only authorizes the Attorney General to enforce the act. A consumer can’t bring legal action against the offending company. I’ve had a well-documented complaint ignored by Phill Kline’s office. I’m an attorney and certainly would have handled the matter myself if the law allowed that.
Correction: KSA 50-670a
I also reported a failure of the KDHE to respond to a KORA request as well. They did nothing, and the KDHE was really out there in the request. His office is ther to make sure that KORA requests are filled by state agencies appropriately.
Phill KLine doesn’t care about individual’s cases or claims because they take a lot of work per all the individual cases. But that is no defense or excuse to do what HE has done inoffice.
He is a terrible Atty. General and must go.
Here is one Republican Conservative hoping to show him the door this Nov.
The answer in the Kansas Governor’s race, the Kansas Attorney General’s race and the Sedgwick County Commissioners’ races is — VOTE OUT ALL INCUMBENTS.
These incumbents all have objectionable baggage. They can find other jobs. The election on Tuesday gives voters the opportunity to elect new representatives to these offices who just might listen to citizen-voters.
You forgot to add U S House of Representatives to that list.
Randy, why not a link to the very study from which you and Crowson quote? Why, we cannot have an informed electorate, can we? Na’t have people actually reading the consumer report posted at http://www.ksag.org, then they might realize that 2002 was the low point for consumers as to enforcement actions filed, as to education and as to ACTUAL DOLLARS recovered in fines and penalties. There is so much to this story that the Eagle is IGNORING to make Carla look good and make Tiller and the Wichita auto dealers happy. Such pandering is sickening. Those millions really do buy friends in journalism. Chech out the excerpts at the previous post on consumer, check out the reform posted at http://www.ksag.org and realized that Crowson and Scholfield have teamed up today to reveal more about themselves than Klines’ Consumer Division.
A good investigative journalist would ask why the Wichita Auto Dealers have poured money into Morrison’s campaign and shunned Kline, studied the 2005 Annual Report at http://www.ksag.org and noted the enforcment filings against Stevens Auto and others, and looked into the thought that maybe a hard hitting enforcement effort (Klne has filed more enforcement actions in four years than did Stovall) might be fueling the Wichtita Auto Dealers concerns. But given that the Dealers buy a lot of ad space in the Eagle, that reporter could get fired. While striping Brown and Kline would get that same reporter KUDOS. HMMMM. what should an Eagle reporter and editor do???? Just look at Lefler’s article and this blog entry for that answer! Auto discounts on the house!
Can anyone tell me what the punishment should be for Kline giving O’riley medical records? Those are the very records he said he wanted to use to report rape.
He is a liar and needs to be punished
Pam: You are making a big assumption.
I do think it is important that O’Reilly focused attention on what really matters, the failure of the abortion clinics, including Tiller’s, to comply with the law and report underage abortions. Thus the perpetrators of the child rape and incest go undeterred and unpunished to repeat their vile acts.
Yet the big concern of media outlets like the Eagle is not putting these animals in their place, but rather false concerns about the privacy of patients (victims). Even though the records have been purged of identifying information. Sad and disingenuous.
I hope that whoever is the next attorney general will go after these criminals with the same relentless resolve that AG Kline has. Since Mr. Morrison has made it clear who’s side he is on, I guess there is only one way to make sure of that.
Paul Morrison is on the side of the patients by protecting their privacy. What’s wrong with that? I don’t see why the big government conservatives think it’s okay for the government to be involved in everyone of our private affairs.
I want to know why a mental health diagnosis isn’t good enough for the anti-women, anti-choice people out there. Women in history have gone through great lengths, risking their own lives, sterility and infection to have abortions when it was illegal. So why is it so easy for people to discount that pregnancy is a very serious and emotionally traumatic experience for some women, enough to push them to suicide? Abortion is not something that is taken so lightly!
I can absolutely guarantee you that if I ever became pregnant again (and I have been fixed, but still), I would be one of those women- I would be a wreck. I cannot carry a child physically, emotionally, financially or any other way.
I can absolutely sympathize with women who may be in the same predicament. And because I was fixed, I’d also likely be one of the ones who would not know right away that I was pregnant.
And it also kills me that those so opposed to abortion also are opposed to birth control like the morning after pill. I’m so sick of the argument that the women got themselves into the mess, so they should have to live with the consequences. Having a child should not ever be thought of as a punishment!
You know when I speak to anti-choice legislators and tell them my story, a few have said “well you would be the exception to the rule”. NO I WOULDN”T! My situation is not unique, and it’s nobody else’s business in the first place. Women should not have to justify their actions for their own bodies because someone else doesn’t understand. Until those people can walk a mile in the other person’s shoes, they should just keep their opinions on how others live to themselves.
My wife’s business got a bunch of office supplies in the thousands of dollars from a fraudulent Texas company with a name similar to a legitimite company.
There was a small order made, but they tried to bill us for a bunch of stuff we didn’t order.
When we complained, Phill Kline’s office sent us a form letter saying in essence, “too bad, so sad, you’re on your own.”
Total deriliction of responsibility.
I’ve made complaints to Kline in the past and he has done nothing. I provided evidence and the exact laws that were being violated. Of course the people mentioned in the complaint were on a first name basis with Kline so I didn’t expect anything to be done anyway.
Kline just went on television sharing private medical information with Bill O’Reilly. Isn’t that evidence enough Kline will trample over anyone to publicize himself?
Randy Scholfield wrote: ‘Kline defended his record, saying previous efforts were those of a “shakedown agency,” but it might sound strange to Kansans for the person in charge of protecting consumers to be attacking successful efforts to protect consumers.’
Well, gee that sounds familiar. Ideology first, people second and with Kline the decider.
Hmmmm, now where have I seen this behavior before? …
Oh yeah, George Bush. And we all know how well THAT guy’s plans work in the real world.
Posted by: CapnAmerica | November 05, 2006 at 11:04 AM”My wife’s business got a bunch of office supplies in the thousands of dollars from a fraudulent Texas company with a name similar to a legitimite company.
There was a small order made, but they tried to bill us for a bunch of stuff we didn’t order.”
That’s very curious Capn America.
Did your wife have the purchase orders in which she ordered the supplies?
If so, it would be rather easy to prove what was ordered and what wasn’t.
How did she order from a company that wasn’t legitmate?
Didn’t she check the address and phone number. Check for a confirmation of the order?
Somehow, not all of the story here is not getting through, but maybe I’m missing something.
“You can observe a lot by watching ” – Yogi Berra
Stovall (former Attorney General) blasted Kline on spending $40,000 to prepare for Supreme Court Cases. Then went on to declare that’s the reason the consumer protection office was at a lower recovery rate.
However, Stovall neglected to mention the $194,000 she spent doing the same thing.
Kline had no problem spending taxpayer money to take the issue of selling beer on Sundays to the Supreme Court. Apparently all other issues had been solved so we can go after guys who drink beer while watching football in their underwear.
On Thursday the Eagle published a letter to the Editor by Bryan J. Brown entitled “Morrison’s ads ignore the truth” (http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/news/editorial/15904632.htm ). An unedited version of this letter is being circulated on the Internet:
===========================
I am Attorney General Phill Kline’s Consumer Chief. I write in response to Paul Morrison’s allegations.
Yes, I was arrested twelve times between 1988-1992. All were tangential to the peaceful efforts of the pro-life rescue movement. Most were for being in the “wrong” place at the “wrong” time and, along with hundreds of others, refusing to leave. Most of the charges were city ordinance violations, which are not even misdemeanors.
Yes, a lower federal court in Indiana did order me to pay $61,000 directly to an N.O.W. sponsored legal team fifteen years ago. The injunction winning abortionist attempted collection at first, but after the legal basis for the judgment was overturned by the United States Supreme Court all efforts were abandoned. That overturned judgment has been uncollectable for many years.
Yes, I have led a team effort to reform the Consumer Protection Division. Over the past years the division engaged in many investigations that were not proper under the law. The actions were, in a word, unconstitutional. While Team Kline has set records on the filing of enforcement actions and on educational efforts, Team Kline has stopped investigating complaints that contain no allegation of consumer fraud. Those who believe that government agencies should be tightly managed to do only that which is authorized will find the reforms of Team Kline inspiring. Those who believe that the “nanny state” should address every consumer complaint (regardless of merit) will find Team Kline’s reforms quite disturbing. I encourage all taxpayers to read about Team Kline’s reforms at http://www.ksag.org.
Ironies abound in this election season. Here are four of my favorites: #1. Paul Morrison has spent $200, 000 in a bid to paint me as a criminal for actions I took at the same time that he was (allegedly) sexually harassing Kelly Summerlin. Yet he claims his case is too stale to be relevant. #2. Many of my arrests ended in “not guilty” verdicts as a result of my pre-law school constitutional arguments. A few were settled against no contest pleas. A few were dismissed. Only one resulted in a conviction. Yet District Attorney Paul Morrison cries foul when the merits of a sexual harassment case he lost at the summary judgment stage are discussed. #3. I am widely criticized for not respecting city ordinances enough due to my arrests. But when I post a report demonstrating that former AG Stovall (whose tobacco litigation reveals the degree to which she valued cronyism over justice) was operating her Consumer Division in a manifestly unconstitutional manner, I am criticized for taking state law too seriously. #4. My pro-life arrests were a byproduct of my Christian values. Those were formed as I followed the lead of a good many Catholics and Catholic clergy, including Bishops. For those loiterings and trespasses I am roundly criticized by Paul Morrison — who claims to be a leader in the Catholic Church while striking a Faustian bargain with the abortion industry to become the next Attorney General of Kansas.
I hope these ironies are not lost on the good people of Kansas.
Bryan J. Brown
===========================
Well, this is what happens when you elect a single-issue candidate. All other issues get ignored. Even then, he has so far accomplished absolutely nothing regarding the issue he ran on (abortion),except generate a lot of smoke!
“Yes, I have led a team effort to reform the Consumer Protection Division. Over the past years the division engaged in many investigations that were not proper under the law. The actions were, in a word, unconstitutional. While Team Kline has set records on the filing of enforcement actions and on educational efforts, Team Kline has stopped investigating complaints that contain no allegation of consumer fraud. Those who believe that government agencies should be tightly managed to do only that which is authorized will find the reforms of Team Kline inspiring. Those who believe that the “nanny state” should address every consumer complaint (regardless of merit) will find Team Kline’s reforms quite disturbing. I encourage all taxpayers to read about Team Kline’s reforms at http://www.ksag.org.”Posted by: KS Meadowlark | November 05, 2006 at 12:23 PM
LOL. Like I said above, ideology first, people second. Team Kline will decide what’s good for you, don’t yall worry.
If you love the course George Bush has stayed in his second term for the US of A, then I’m sure you’ll love Team Kline’s second term, too.
I find it curious that in my area, SE Wichita, Derby and Mulvane only the Republicans have their campaign signs posted in right of ways / public easements — a violation of County and City laws? Seems that Kline and Barnett are the biggest offenders -Tiahrt right up there with em – have yet to see a Democrats sign posted improperly. Tells me the Republicans have little regard for the law of the land — Is there anything I can do to rectify the problem without acting illegally ?
Seems a lot of things are lost on the good people of Kansas — particularly in the SE corner … in todays paper the Beagle in essence said that voter turnout in Sedgwick county will be smaller than in Johnson County because they are mostly white collar (smarter?) and here in Sedgwick county are blue collar (not so smart?).. I believe the political parties don’t want an educated / informed electorate that will vote — it’s why public education and oversight in Kansas is underfunded — they really don’t want you to see the corruption / irregularities in our government — ignorance is bliss at work???? More importantly they want higher education to only be affordable by the well heeled and wealthy —
“In fact, Kline’s office has actively discouraged consumer complaints, leading to a sharp decrease, from 7,000 a year under Steckline to 4,300 a year under Kline.”
I would like to read where Randy S. finds this damning evidence. You should be looking at how many complaints were attempted to be filed. Also, you should look for changes in the law to see if some that were previously used have been changed or removed.
A little background would help me take Randy seriously. Otherwise I’ll write him off as another hyper-partisan Galahad.
Randy,
You guys love to brag about how many hits this blog is getting. I’ll assume that it isn’t JR clicking away with his mouse at 4 in the morning.
So, I wonder, do you have any kind of journalistic morals? Values?
Do you care about reporting the truth or just fabricating catch phrases and hit pieces?
Now I know there are some legitimate things going on with Kline to report on, but giving a Blog a title: “Kline to consumers: Don’t call us”
Please tell me you did some investigation on this besides a comparison of the numbers of money brought in?
Do you actually have something to show that Kline doesn’t care about consumers or is it just speculation your pulling out of your rear?
I know you guys don’t believe in responding to posts… so I won’t hold my breath.
Until then, why don’t you guys pretend like the blog is actually a news outlet instead of your own version of the democratic underground.
Nathan,
Did you have a constructive comment to post regarding the information in Randy’s comment? Constructive meaning that you actually participate in the content, instead of bashing the WE editorial staff when you don’t like the title or the questions they ask.
Just wondering…
Anon,
I work 7 days a week at 3 businesses I own and am usually working at 2 of those 3 simultaneously all day. That means I eat while I work and take very short breaks throughout the day and evening to check out and sometimes post to the blog.
Would you like me to keep a minute by minute schedule for you? I’m sure you’d find that I work far more hours than you do in a 24/7 period.
anon – fulltime (50+ hrs/week) at my regular job, run an LLC, and some self-emplylent on the side. And you?
Oh. forgot to mention 3 grandchildren …
Lets see, I get up at 4:45 in the morning on the days I work, and spend 45 minutes on the computer before I have to get ready to leave. I get home at 4 IF I’m not working overtime. I work 4 days a week, when I’m not doing this, I’m either…working/playing with my kids, cleaning, cooking, doing stuff for any of the 3 organizations I belong to. I come back to my computer throughout the day, I don’t just sit here all day. So why don’t you tell us about your day anon?
Today is my day off, I cleaned, did laundry, visited my mother and sister, fixed the water softener, vacuumed, put a puzzle together with my son and helped fix my daughter’s car. And I’m getting ready to make chicken and noodles. Amazing how one can do all of that while spending so much time on the computer! Oh and Desperate Housewives is on tonight and I can’t miss that.
consumerThere are both Federal and State nocall lists.You say you are an attorney. You know full well, then, that you can file a complaint with both branches of government.—-We dont need an Attorney General to enforce “no mayo” on fast food orders.The previous administrations WERE abusing there power and taxpayer money.I am amazed that the Wichita Eagle WANTS the AG to shake down everybody EXCEPT George Tiller!
Paul, you are sure free with your “shake-down” claim. That is 100% the opposite of what I hear and read. If we want to just become infinitely more litigious then why not just say so. But then don’t complain about zealous plaintiffs’ attorneys.
Kline’s been too busy being an ‘activist’ attorney general to take care of the traditional responsibilities of the position. Lighten up on him!
Ben and SteveKline has filed MORE actual actions than Stovall.Does that matter?You are playing games with the numbers.The Auto Dealers and Financers are mad at Kline.Kline enforced laws against them.There is a difference between enforcing actual laws that are on the books and taking care of every crackpot “hold the mayo” fast food complaint.
If Kline did give those medical records to O’Reilly then that would be a violation of law – wouldn’t it? I thought they were supposed to be sealed records.
I noticed that Kline didn’t offer his OWN medical records or those of his wife to O’Reilly to display on national television.
The AG should be of the highest integrity and plainly Kline has shown his level of integrity and it is in the bottom feeder level.
Paul F(alse) Rosell,
“Kline has filed MORE actual actions than Stovall.”
So explain the drop in amounts…’Consumer recovery rates by recent attorneys general”http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/news/politics/elections/15913150.htm
“every crackpot “hold the mayo” fast food complaint.”
1) How many fast food complaints were there? What percent of total?2) Careful food prep is critical for people with food allergies.
I can’t believe you all bothered to explain yourselves to anon.
“anon” has never had a post here that wasn’t a bitch about the forum or a criticism of other bloggers. Hey anon? There’s lotsa blogs out there. “Talented” rhetoric like yours might find a better home over on the Salina Journal blog for example.
AND Nathan with a side long shot on me. I don’t think I’ve ever posted much after 1 A.M. much less 4 Nathan. How do YOU find so much time to blog in the middle of a war zone?
I don’t think your complaints about Randy hold much more water than you’ve likely got in your shoes Nathan. This IS the same board that has not asked Todd Tiahrt to debate his democratic challenger Garth McGinn and given Tiahrt an unqualified endorsement. TOO, they have ignored more than 50 requests by myself and other posters for a Tiahrt thread. Perhaps they will finally comply AFTER the election? So I don’t see a liberal bias here.
Kline has one and only one agenda. Well he is supposed to be Attorney General, not “guy in charge of restricting a womans right to choose”. After he gets beat Tuesday, he can go camp in front of Tillers clinic and contiue his work on it there.
I don’t like abortion but I’m not in the camp with the Operation Rescue people.
I wonder if these abortion opponents actually know that the tactics of Phill Kline in opposing abortion is actually turning the moderates off of their agenda?
Nobody likes their privacy invaded and I just think Operation Rescue and Phill Kline have attempted the wrong strategy to win converts to their cause.
Cap’n,
Corporations cannot plead a cause of action under The Kansas Consumer Protection Act. The CPD has jurisdiction if the Act does not apply. Thus Kline CPD, since it is run by law and not to make Carla the Queen of Kansas, cannot help corps like your wife’s or Koch Industries unless and until the law is changed. It is a long lost doctrine called Separation of Powers. Yeah, I know, you darn libs don’t believe in that one either. Damn Kline for investigating Tiller thru an inquisition supported by probable cause that has been approved of by the Supreme Court, and damn Kline for NOT investigating businesses when he holds no allegation that can be read as a violation of the laws of Kansas. In other words, laws seemingly broken to cover up child rapes ….Kline should ignore. Too much mayo on cheeseburgers, no legal issue, Kline should investigate. Scholfied, Crowson, you sold out yellow journalists want fries with this order?
Reject the Yellow (Or Is It RED?) Journalism of Scholfield and Crowson. Read the posts at the link in the actual story referencd and, better yet, read the report at http://www.ksag.org. There is a story here the Eagle is afraid to cover….. auto dealers advertising dollars pouring into Morrison because they hate the way Kline’s team has run Consumer. And not because these vehicles dealers love consumers, of that I can assure you! Moreover, what year was the lowest for actual recoveries, lowest for actual enforcement filings, lowest for education but highest for BS-mayo-like complaints resolved???? 2002, the year Carla fell in love with her meal ticket and allowed the office to slip into mindless auto pilot. Read it for yourself at http://www.ksag.org. Do not trust Crowson and Scholfield to shoot you straight on this one, the Beagle is far too compromised and beholden to auto dealership ads to give Kline any credit on this one. IS THERE AN INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST IN KANSAS WHO WILL GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS ONE??? Why no, silly rabbit, since muckrakers only rake to the left in Kansas!
Paulie Rosell must be very proud of himself today…………..HE GOT HIS NAME IN THE PAPER. After Bonnie Huy’s defeat on Tuesday, maybe Paulie won’t lend his name (or money) to right wing repugs.
Capn, is your wife a corp?
And whoever it was who posted the blah blah blah about the CPD could be anybody. Sorry, capn’s nemisis, but posting with no viable email and a nic that says nothing, except you want to remain anonymous, doesn’t win you a ribbon for knowledge, no matter what.
Why only 90 records? Who chose the records? What was the criteria? Anybody know?
The thing is, Kline was responsible for the information in those files, no matter who or what was leaked to O’Reilly.
(Waiting while the pot of chili simmers…)
Didn’t letters from consumers and the AG office answers used to appear in the WE? Has that practice stopped?
Phill Kline is doing what is right for Kansas, yet all everyone wants to do is tear this man apart. This man has the guts to stand up to a murdering scumbag who operates a modern-day Auschwitz on East Kellogg, yet everyone complains about invading women’s privacy.
Keep in mind that Mr. Kline only wants the names of child rapists, not the women themselves. And the time to close Tiller the Killer’s murder factory is long overdue. Anyone who baptizes aborted babies, creamates the remains himself and then gives the mother an urn with the ashes is mentally deranged and needs to be locked away from society.
Tiller the Killer should be in El Dorado in a cell with BTK, not killing thousands upon thousands of innocent babies.
Well hey there David! We’ll just seat you in the “ranting kooks” section. I think you just proved the gist of my earlier post.
No shit Jr. These are Kline’s supporters. LOL.
If Kline only wants the names of child rapists, why is he rummaging through most of the 90 records that belong to adult women?
Randy, how are you related to the Scholfield family that sells one heck of a lot of vehicles (pricey one too) in Wichita? I mean, if Kline has taken more action against bad car dealers than any Consumer Chief in history, and if you are related to that business by blood, then would you not have something to gain by getting Kline out of office? So please tell us, Mr. Scholfield, how close is the relationship, and does Crowson have ties to the same Eagle-underwriting industry????
How do these abortion opponents propose to know so much how Tiller Clinic works? Have they been there in person and seen these horrific scenes they are portraying or are just repeating some nonsense crap that one of the Religious Wacko nutjobs has said?
If the abortion opponents really believe this is going on in Tiller’s Clinic, then send in a person with a camera like Dateline does – provide proof not just accusations!
Hey J.R., why don’t you go join Tiller the Killer for some killing on East Kellogg one day soon? You two are peas in a pod!
the sad fact is that Operation Rescue would not be raking in their millions of tax-free money if it was not for George Tiller.
So, in a way, the abortion opponents need Tiller to be the big bad boogeyman.
Is it any wonder why the abortion numbers haven’t gone down?
JM, Nemesis–
You neither one deserve an answer.
I’m also not going to divulge a lot of specific information to the likes of you two.
But, in short, this fraudulant company tried to sell us a bunch of stuff we didn’t order and Kline didn’t give a rat’s ass . . .
Separation of powers, okay whatever. That doesn’t mean Kline has to be unhelpful about it.
And the numbers don’t lie–7,000 complaints before, 4,000 now.
More of that fact-based reality that has a clear left-wing bias . . .
Yeah pol. mom.
The 8:09 post is obviously not mine. How very illustrative of the supporters of Kline! Trolling under others nics and using language like that. Very telling.
Let me twist the knife for ya Klinesters…..
Kline is gonna lose and you are not going to stop a woman from exercising control over her own body.
Suck on that.
There I lit the fuse. GO boom for us little Klinesters!
If any industry should sweat over a Consumer Protection Division that handles live ammo (that is, that really litigates rather than playing nanny state and mediating, mediating, letter writing, etc) it is the smarmy rent to own industry, RIGHT RANDY SCHOLFIELD????
No, Randy does not like that point….do you old boy on the HIGH MORAL GROUND….
From Wichita State Univ web:
Playing Through”, the biography of Tom Devlin, founder of Rent a Center, is co-authored by Randy Scholfield, an editorial writer and columnist for The Wichita Eagle. The Wichita Eagle published excerpts “Playing Through”.
“This man has the guts to stand up to a murdering scumbag who operates a modern-day Auschwitz on East Kellogg”
Uh, David?
Have you noticed that the law of the land enshrined by the Supreme Court in Roe v Wade, 1973 make abortion legal?
If you want to change the law, I encourage you by all legal means to do so.
Nothing would help us liberals more than having you Rapture Right idiots demanding that the right-wingers you put in office actually DO SOMETHING like make abortion illegal again.
So, please, go for it.
And stop letting the lip-service conservatives play you for the suckers you are.
WELL LOOK WHAT I JUST FOUND ON THE WEB! (VOICE FOR LIBERTY) IT APPEARS THAT MR. SCHOLFIELD IS A POLITICAL SICIENTIST OF SORTS…
In an editorial in the September 18, 2005 Wichita Eagle, Randy Scholfield wrote “Less government is a laudable goal.”
The dictionary defines laudable as “Deserving commendation; praiseworthy” or “Deserving honor, respect, or admiration.” Mr. Scholfield’s past writings don’t treat the goal of less government this way. In fact, it doesn’t seem there is a single government program that Mr. Scholfield doesn’t like and praise.
On September 13, 2004, he advocated more funding for early childhood education, writing “… the state Legislature needs to do the right thing for the state’s children and future, and invest in early childhood education.”
He seems to automatically believe that schools need more money.
He believes in government subsidies. In an editorial in The Wichita Eagle published on April 19, 2005, he wrote: “Wichita should stick to its subsidies. They’re fostering competition, not stifling it, and paying off big-time for the community by lowering airfares and boosting economic development.”
He has consistently supported the government building the downtown Wichita arena.
He advocates more government spending on arts (August 9, 2005 “Culture requires community support”).
He supports more funding for Exploration Place.
Mr. Scholfield, is there any government program you have opposed, any example that would lend credibility to your claim that less government is a laudable goal?
WELL, HE DID READ THE CPD REPORT ON THE REFORM OF THAT BLOATED MEDIATION UNIT AND DISMISS IT. HE SEEMS TO LOVE THE NANNY STATE. MAYBE ESP WHEN IT IS MEDIATING INSTEAD OF LITIGATING, WHEN IT IS ALLOWING VIOLATORS TO JUST DISGORGE INSTEAD OF FACE ENFORCEMENT ACTION.
Games with names?
Kooks for Kline?
Or did somebody leave the booby hatch open and loose some real whackaloons on us this evening?
Hey kook? I participated in the summer of mercy….on the other side.
It was the hypocrisy of folks like you drove me away from that movement.
Why don’t you use your energetic zeal to work as hard for the already born and quit taking your frustrated lack of a sex life out on everyone else?
WELL, IT APPEARS THAT RANDY OFTEN HAS A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING CONSTITUTIONAL CONCEPTS, POOR FELLA:
FROM AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY:
In his column, Mr. Scholfield claims that the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights has led to “massive deficits” in Colorado. While we pointed out yesterday that the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights in Colorado actually led to a much smaller deficit than would have otherwise been the case (you see, it forced spending restraint there while so many other states just spent all the revenue they collected in the Roaring 90s, leading to truly huge deficits when revenues dried up,) perhaps we should draw Mr. Schofield a picture.
Hmmm, compare this to Randy’s bio…. from the Scholfield dealerships webpage.
In 1952, when Vic Scholfield began working with his older brother and mentor, Dick, it was to run a modest used car lot in Augusta. Fifty years later, Vic has been the driving force behind Scholfield Auto Dealerships, which includes ten of the world’s most prestigious franchises, two body shops and four separate used car facilities.
SO RANDY, FAIR TO SAY THAT YOUR FAMILY UNDERWRITES MUCH OF THE EAGLE’S ANNUAL BUDGET BY SELLING CARS IN SEDGWICK?
Ask the schools and the disabled how fabulous life is in Colorado under Tabor. Tabor is a mess.
Of course Americans for Prosperity dont’ give a damn about anything but their own pocketbooks.
As to this phony issue about Kline “giving out medical details,” he made generalizations. If you are so concerned about “privacy,” then please protest the mandatory reporting of abortion statistics to state health departments and various federal agencies. Protest the reporting of other (non-abortion) health statistics to all sorts of government agencies. Protest the fact that doctors talk about cases to each other and to other patients provided they avoid disclosing any personal details about the patients.
I will soon be facing gall bladder surgery. My doctor told me that he had another patient who went through the surgery and drove himself home the same day. Tell me, did my doctor violate that other patient’s privacy? He told me nothing personal about the patient other than the fact that the patient had gallstones, had his gall bladder removed, and drove himself home. If you were consistent with your complaints about Kline’s appearance on the O’Reilly Factor, you should be demanding that my doctor have his medical license revoked for privacy violations. If you don’t believe my doctor violated anyone’s privacy, then tell me what’s different about what Kline said?
Kansas law states that when rape is suspected, it must be reported. There is an allegation that this is not being reported by abortionists. Rape is a serious crime and a tragedy for women who are victims. Is it so important to protect child killing businesses that anything – even allowing rapists to roam free on the street so they can go after more women and young girls – is okay as long as these baby killing businesses are protected? Why should baby killing businesses be exempt? Why not other types of businesses? And then, why have law at all if certain industries get to allegedly pick and choose whether or not to obey the law?
I thought abortion is “safe” and “legal.” As to being “safe,” there have been quite a few women who have died from legalized abortions. Of course, the object of an abortion is to cause the death of an innocent child. Thus it’s not really “safe.” As to being “legal,” it cannot be legal unless the abortionist complies with all laws. What about the state law requiring suspected cases of rape to be reported?
I love the smell of kook desperation!
Mr. Crowson, I just read your Sunday cartoon again. Are you illiterate or just as corrupted by money and politics as Scholfield? The text does not follow the article from Friday. But you know that, don’t you. Your ed cartoon could go right into a textbook on Yellow Journalism. Guess since it is Kline you are kicking all standards get shot against the wall, right? Typical leftist…Manipulate the Masses, the cause to too high to allow truth to rear its ugly head. You, Scholfield, Brownless and the whole den of manipulators should be ashamed of yourselves. Is that what you learned in liberal Journalism school, or does it take annual bonuses to sell out bigtime? I am guessing it is the bonuses.
If O’riley is getting records that are supposed to be sealed, aren’t those records worthless as criminal evidence since you need a warrant to unseal them?
Ok enough
Kline does not have as many kook supporters as are posting here.
What we have is likely ONE poster playing at many nics. MY guess is Paul F Rosell.
Own up whoever you are. Come on out into the light. Wear the nic you usually do. Because no one is buying this many bedbugs coming out at one time.
Troll–
Colorado has TABOR and runs a deficit.
Kansas has no TABOR and with a budget of 5 billion we have a surplus of 620 million.
Gee, do we need to draw you a picture.
Here’s the link–
http://www.da.ks.gov/budget/publications/FY2007/FY2007_Comparison_Report.pdf
It’s that damn fact-based reality again.
No CRW, your doctor did not violate confidentiality. He would have had he handed you the patient’s chart with the name crossed out.
These records were sealed from the get-go and Kline fought tooth and nail to get them, he knew full well that the information in those charts should have never been disclosed until his investigation was complete, and even then, very general terms to only the people involved in the case.
If you would like me to find the stats on maternal mortality, I sure can, but I can promise you that more women die from giving birth than they do abortions. Every surgery, no matter how small, carries risk, every patient is informed of that risk.When we refer to safe and legal abortions, we are referring to removing as much risk as possible, under qualified doctor’s care.
When we refer to them as legal, we mean the ability for women to make that decison for themselves, and the doctor to be free of prosecution for that decision.
From Pat, at Red State Rabble:
The DeKline and PhallDid Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline illegally show private patient medical records — obtained in his continuing witch hunt against abortion — to right-wing pundit Bill O’Reilly?
According to The Kansas City Star, Bill O’Reilly told a national television audience that an inside source told the show that Kansas physician George Tiller performs late-term abortions when a patient is depressed. O’Reilly called that “executing babies.”
Kline appeared on O’Reilly’s show just a week after obtaining medical files relating to abortions at the two Kansas clinics. Kline said the files may contain evidence that illegal abortions were performed or that child abuse was covered up.
The Star reports that Pedro Irigonegaray, an attorney for the Overland Park clinic operated by Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri, [Irigonegaray also represented scientists and educators at the intelligent design road show held in Topeka last year] said Kline should not be talking about the case on television.
“I am absolutely flabbergasted that our attorney general first decided to go on Mr. O’Reilly’s show to talk about what is supposed to be a criminal investigation,” Irigonegaray said, adding that it was “inconceivable” how O’Reilly could have received information about private medical records.Kline has no respect for the rights of Kansans — abortion is, after all, still legal. He has no regard for the law. His lying, negative campaign ads prove there are no moral boundaries that he isn’t prepared to cross in order to be re-elected. There’s little doubt he blabbed about medical records to O’Reilly.
Tomorrow, the voters have a chance to bring an end to Kline’s miserable career. Paul Morrison, a professional prosecutor with vast experience, has stepped forward to rid Kansas of Kline’s right-wing bullying.
It can’t come quick enough for Kansas or RSR
Looks like Brownlee and company have rushed in to bury this and save RANDY SCHOLFIELD from having to answer embarrassing questions about his motivations….and ties to RENT A CENTER, that great boon for consumers!
“Well, gee that sounds familiar. Ideology first, people second and with Kline the decider.”
Once more, Pedant nails it. In this state we have a consumer fraud division that is pro-business and anticonsumer. Bryan Brown in an Eagle article disparaged what he considered the “nanny state”.
Calling up, down; white, black – really does sound familiar. “Clear Skies Initiative” “Helping America Vote Act”, anybody?
That’s right, let’s talk about anything but the discomforting idea that Scholfield, Crowson, Brownlee and our heroes in the press may have sold out on this one.
This message brought to you by Rent A Center and the new car dealers of Wichita, who ask, “Why own when you can lease from us for eternity???”
My post last night still stands.
Whoever you are nic switcher, can it with the games and own up. PRETENDING you are many Kline supporters does not make it so. This will be proven tomorrow when Kline is relieved of the pretense that he is anything more than a johny one note hack.
JR, what about PFR’s supposed crimes?Did we learn anything new?
“I hope that whoever is the next attorney general will go after these criminals with the same relentless resolve that AG Kline has.”
The only case I know of is the one with the two approx 12-year-old sisters. Interesting that they had live births some time ago and that led to nothing. The action finally being taken is by local prosecuters, not Kline.
So just what IS Kline’s track record in this?
Hey nic-switcher, yahoo@yahoo.com, you forgot this little bit of evidence: Randy Schofield supports public libraries – the unpatriotic buffoon!
“Libraries Still Matter”
Randy Schofield, editorial writer for The Witchita Eagle has written a wonderful, if sentimental, editorial about public libraries. Well done, Randy! As I read the editorial, it made me think of a recent trip to the “new” Los Angeles Public Library: a wonderful place that was packed nearly shoulder to shoulder in nearly every room! It was bustling with activity, on an early Monday afternoon. People of all ages and backgrounds were using the library for school work, personal work and for pure entertainment. In fact the library is so beautiful that as I walked through it, I ran into a number of groups of tourists, who like me, were there to simply take in the sights! There was also one organized tour. Every city should have one like this….
http://thelifeofbooks.blogspot.com/2005_03_01_thelifeofbooks_archive.html
This .pdf is evidence that Randy Schofield got cuckolded by his brother!
http://www.sconet.state.oh.us/rod/newpdf/4/2002/2002-Ohio-6945.pdf
Anybody else think the troll needs to find a new hobby besides playing “boy reporter”?
Political Mom, interesting. My opinion from your note is that pro-abortions claim of abortion being “legal” means that only the laws which pro-aborts agree with should be followed. In other words, the legislation from the Supreme Court’s bench which invented a “Constitutional right” to slaughter babies is to be followed. Pesky annoyances like getting rapists (which are lucrative to abortion mills) off the streets are nuisances to be ignored. This is my opinion of your comments.
Rape really is a cash cow for abortion mills which make hundreds or thousands of dollars for each baby that is slaughtered. Afterall, if serial rapists are able to impregnate young girls, the abortionist can make money off each rape that results in pregnancy. The abortion supporters can say abortion is needed because of the rape. In the end, the child gets punished for a vile act by his or her father. The father gets to continue his evil act on either the same or other women.
As to statistics about mortality, that does not counter the fact that women die from allegedly “safe” abortions. The excuse used to legalize child slaughter is that it would become “safe.” That’s a tall order, but the pro-aborts are the ones who say it. By the way, did you see the pictures of the cockroaches in the former Central abortion mill? Did you read about the code violations? (Are codes just more pesky nuisance laws like those that require abortionists to report rapes?) Do you call that “safe”?
By the way, if you are inferring that Kline handed these records to O’Reilly, I’d suggest you go to http://www.foxnews.com/oreilly/ and watch the video. If one listens objectively, O’Reilly makes it clear that Kline did not give him the records.
Again, Kline made generalizations. He has been skewered over and over, accused of all sorts of things. Is he supposed to just let the other side go on and on spewing propaganda without explaining why he is investigating this? As a taxpayer, I appreciate it when a government official offers justification for his actions. He had the names redacted. He did not give details of any individual case. He made a broad statement. From the broadcast, can you tell me any more about these abortion mill customers than I could tell about the patient my doctor described?
crw,Aren’t you forgetting one small detail? Those “abortion mills” wouldn’t exist if there wasn’t a demand for their services. They didn’t just appear with Roe v. Wade; there were doctors, chiropractors, nurses and just plain unqualified people performing them all through the 100+yrs they were illegal.Although hard figures from that time are almost nonexistent, it appears that the number of abortions performed annually may have actually peaked in the early 1960’s, before R.v.W., and were in decline by 1973.You want abortion to go away, but there’s no chance of that happening. If you succeed in outlawing it, abortion will simply go back underground, where it flourished during the Comstock Law’s era. The ONLY difference will be that due to unregulated conditions and no follow-up care, many women will die.I know- too bad, they deserve to. They, of course, don’t have a right to life!
Yes women die from abortions, safe abortions, because nobody can predict every person’s response to medical procedures. Is a dental cleaning considered safe to you? It is to me, and yet, people DO die from it. The fact remains and you cannot logically or statistically dispute it, that the number of women who die from abortion in the US is far less than women who give birth, (10:1) and is far less than women who die during illegal abortions in other countries…to the tune of THOUSANDS per year. So where do you argue safety? Is one death in 100,000 safe? I’d say it is!
And it’s just downright despicable that you’re claiming that pro-choice people want to keep children raped just to keep the abortion docs in business. What the hell is wrong with you?
As far as the building code violations, I’ve no doubt at all every minor thing was pointed out, and staged by the anti-choice crowd…I’m sure the cockroaches were planted there. You people really have no credibility, if maybe you weren’t so hell bent on shutting them down, I might believe you…but I don’t put anything past your people.
What is the big deal about Scholfield and Rentacenter…who freaking cares?
Hey does anyone know what Kline’s big deal was tonight in front of Tiller’s clinic?
Jed, everyone has a right to life. The woman has a right to life, including Christin Gilbert who died of abortion complications. Baby girls who are slaughtered have a right to life. They won’t ever have a chance to grow up and get any women’s rights….because they are murdered in businesses that call themselves “pro-women.”
Tell me why the pro-abortion crowd fails to protest forced abortions in China and North Korea. Women certainly aren’t given any choices there.
As to the days when abortion was illegal, there are lots of illegal things that cause people to get hurt. People get hurt committing robbery. Would you like to make that legal to prevent people from getting hurt?
Uh, you either haven’t listened CRW or you ignored it, we’ve spoken out against forced abortions in China and North Korea, we’ve spoken out against treating women like property in places like Iran and Iraq and Saudi Arabia…which we just installed a further anti-women regime into Iraq too.
There should be NO discussion about a woman’s right to make decisions for her own body. It’s not anybody’s business but the woman. If you don’t want an abortion don’t have one. A woman’s right to choose does not affect you one iota, but it affects her enormously.
I found out what Kline’s big todo was about…that Tiller told the women who got abortions that they’d be put on his PAC’s list. I’m on Tiller’s PAC list too, and I haven’t ever been his patient…so can you tell by looking at his PAC list WHO was a patient, and who is just a supporter of women? Nope.
Political Mom, nobody stands in front of dentists’ offices saying “Keep dentistry safe and legal.” The point is that the pro-abortion crowd claimed that by legalizing abortion, it would be “safe.” Yet it is not since women and babies die from it. A dentist doesn’t have a stated purpose of killing a baby. An abortionist does.
As for the rapes, your claims of annoyance might be believable if you would call on the abortionists to comply with ALL laws. Yes, it is THE LAW that cases of suspected rapes must be reported. This is how rapists go to jail. Call on the baby killing businesses to report these cases. Call on the baby killing business to FOLLOW KANSAS LAW. If a business fails to follow the law, it is not operating legally. If an abortion is not done according to the law, it is not a “legal” abortion.
As to the cockroaches and code violations, if you have evidence to prove your claims, cite it. Your dislike for the pro-life side is not enough to support such things.
As to the “privacy” issue, explain to me why in previous years Tiller was handing the names of his customers to his political action committee. Shortly after O’Reilly exposed that on his “Most Ridiculous Item of the Day,” it disappeared from Tiller’s web site. If you care so much about abortion mill customer “privacy,” then condemn what was done by Tiller’s abortion mill.
http://www.saljournal.com/?module=displaystory&story_id=8729&format=html
crw
You are new so you do not know that folks like political mom and myself are late of the “pro life” crowd.
You will have every opportunity here crw to demonstrate that you are truly pro life. I invite you to post your positions on “welfare reform”, the “no child left behind” act, medical care for all of America’s chilren, and susidized day care. These and other issues demand your attention. Your posts as to them will demonstrate whether you are pro life or merelsy “pro life”.
As to China.
I’m guessing your politics here. But it is YOUR president george bush that granted that nation most favored nation trade status DESPITE the atrocities you named and others that you did not.
Fianlly? You say that if abortion is allowed rapists go free. Isn’t that a bit at least like saying that if fires are put out arsonists go free? Are you so extreme that you would demand a woman carry to term or even raise the product of a violent personal violation?
What is the big deal about Scholfield and Rentacenter…who freaking cares?
ONLY THOSE WHO CARE ABOUT MEDIA BIAS AND THE BUYING OF INTEREST IN EDITORIAL BOARDS. SINCE THIS IS CURRENTLY AIDING YOU LEFTISTS YOU DO NOT CARE. SCHOLFIELD IS A SCHILL.
crw,In case you hadn’t been listening (and I so far haven’t seen evidence that you do that well) I have been adamantly vocal on the issue of forced abortions! They are just as wrong as forcing a woman to give birth against her will!I am pro-choice, not pro-abortion; I’ve never met anyone who was pro-abortion. Abortion is a lousy choice to have to make, but until the problems that make it necessary are solved and available to every woman, I will continue to support a woman’s right to make that choice.I am going to assume that you are too young to remember what it was like before Roe v. Wade. I knew women who died or were permanently injured as a result of botched abortions. It wasn’t all that uncommon. At the time, birth control was all but non-existent (condoms were illegal in Kansas until 1948, the pill not widely prescribed here until the late 1960’s), and abortion was the only solution for an unintended pregnancy whether or not the couple was married. Very many women had abortions- enough to keep four chiropractors busy doing them full-time here in Wichita, along with doctors who did D&C’s to “regulate a woman’s cycle,” nurses who did them on the side, and a few butchers who did them on kitchen tables with unsterilized makeshift instruments. If a woman experienced postoperative bleeding or infection, and went to an emergency ward, she was subject to arrest and prosecution. As a result, many women waited too long to seek help, and bled to death. These women were people’s wives, daughters and mothers! I, for one, would much rather keep the system we have today than return to the past, which is the only option you fundies will accept. I really don’t want to see my wife or daughter dead in a pool of blood because of some religious freak’s warped sense of morality!
CRW, if there was a push by a bunch of right wing whackos that suddenly said getting your teeth cleaned was murder, I’d absolutely stand in front of a dentist’s office and say “keep dental health safe and legal”, but I really don’t see that happening, do you?
Anything that comes out of Operation Rescue’s, and Kansans for Life crowd is suspect, and I don’t think many people take them seriously about anything. These are the same groups that demonize these doctors that help women for anything, make false claims (such as morning after pills being abortion, abortions cause breast cancer, shooting doctors, bombing clinics, dressing up as cockroaches)…if they had an ounce of credibility, maybe.
And like I said previously, if Tiller put all the names of those who had abortions on a separate list to call, yes there’d be an issue with privacy. However, that’s not the case. If you can pick out the people on his list that had abortions, I’d like to see it. If not, they’re just names on a list. Just because a website says so, remember that’s not a legal document. There are legal documents that the patient would sign and likely it asks if you would like to be contacted.
As far as doctor reporting, has there ever been another doctor in the state who has been convicted under this law? If you were really worried about the reporting, you’d be also asking about the other thousands of OBGYN’s and ER docs instead of just focusing on this one doctor. Which makes my belief that your focus is not about the girls and women, it’s about this doctor and what he does.
PM,Good one! You made your case beautifully!P.S. Last time I went to my dentist, it WAS murder!