Attorney General Paul Morrison has acknowledged that he had an adulterous “consensual relationship†with his employee Linda Carter while he was Johnson County district attorney. Regardless of the accuracy of the rest of Carter’s allegations, that truth shows terrible judgment on Morrison’s part — as a boss, lawyer and husband — and should trouble the 58 percent of Kansas voters who put their trust in Morrison last year. His apology and pledge “to continue to fight for the safety and security of Kansans to the best of my ability†fall short, leaving Kansans to wonder how much of Carter’s shocking story is true. Whatever becomes of Carter’s civil rights claim with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Morrison’s credibility, ability to work with the Legislature, and political prospects have been damaged. And at least for the underlying conduct, he has no one to blame but himself.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
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87 Comments
Sounds like he got what he deserved!! I never trusted him anyway. hat a great Attorney General we have!! Steve
He was boinking Wonder Woman?
Cooolll…..
So Rhonda, how does screwing an employee when he was a DA affect his ability to be attorney general now? Does your criteria hold for all the Republican presidential candidates who cheated on their wives?
stupid typekey makes me a “blank” poster again. So My post won’t get erased once again by WE Blog monitors, I’ll post it again under the normal method of sign in.
My 0951 post:
“Looks like Kline’s “I told you so” is echoing a sharp ring in the ears of those who voted for Morrison.
One step into this type of dishonesty, I’m sure Morrison wouldn’t be hesitant to undertake other dirty deeds that would be to his advantage.
Perhaps some one should check the transcript of his “sexual harassment” case and see if he perjured himself while under oath.
Doesn’t Johnson County and Kansas have an EEOC provision incorporated into oaths of office that prevents employees from lying as a condition of employment?
There is little doubt in my mind that Morrison used the adulterous affair with the woman to “spy” on Kline in the “Johnson County Gang of 8″ case. He is exactly the “type A” personality power-seeking maniac that would do such a thing.
I do believe that a Federal Prosecutor should be assigned to look into this case as the cover up by Government office holders in Kansas would simply ‘gloss’ over and make the matter simply hide in the wood work of Democratic Politics.
Morrison needs to do more than resign, he needs to be made an example of by Federal Prosecutors for using “dirty” and illegal politics and power abusing sexual harassment for his own personal pleasure.”
this must be Phil Kline’s fault. I’m sure he’s behind this somehow. Or maybe it was President Bush? I’m not sure, but clearly the vast right-wing conspiracy and the crazy pro-life people forced Morrison into this affair. They probably drugged him (for 2 years) and tricked him into having sex with this woman in the state office buildings.
Huh. Did Morrison use taxpayer money to hire a security detail for Linda Carter, launder the money through little-known Johnson County departments, and have $400,000 prepaid to an American Express account for his own personal use?
That Paul Morrison: he’s no Rudy Ghouliani, ah tell yew whut.
Ah yes, Trollboy. Blame Typekey.
Your posts are getting signed as [blank] because you have previously and intentionally posted as [blank]. Typekey signs you out, so you default back to your last non-Typekey nic.
Once again: Busted.
And on the subject…
In business, having a sexual relationship with a subordinate is usually dealt with by a swift firing. I’m not calling for Morrison’s resignation, but if he worked for me, he’d be turning in his office key right about now.
Yeah okay Tom, whatever.
Every time I have the “capcha” system pop up when I use Typekey, it logs me in as blank. Sometimes it does it when I don’t expect it.
This forced “blank posting” has been complained about by Cosmos, CapnAmerica and Sugar, so it is not just me.
But leave it Tom, the bitter old political hack, to come in off topic on a thread and get his shots in with false accusations.
Doug asks–how does screwing an employee when he was a DA affect his ability to be attorney general now? Well, read the article. The employee he was “screwing” says he’s trying to influence ongoing cases in Kline’s office through her. I thinks that affects his ability as State AG now. Also, it sounds like some of this “screwing” was done in the office during office hours and in hotels on taxpayer money. Wake up.Doug also asks–Does your criteria hold for all the Republican presidential candidates who cheated on their wives? Yes, and I think that would include Mr. “Ghouliani” (thanks CF2k) and think that’s why he won’t win the republican nomination. Hope that helps you guys with your questions.
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=3977702&page=1
Victim: Gang-Rape Cover-Up by U.S., Halliburton/KBR
KBR Told Victim She Could Lose Her Job If She Sought Help After Being Raped, She Says
By BRIAN ROSS, MADDY SAUER & JUSTIN ROODDec. 10, 2007—
A Houston, Texas woman says she was gang-raped by Halliburton/KBR coworkers in Baghdad, and the company and the U.S. government are covering up the incident.
Jamie Leigh Jones, now 22, says that after she was raped by multiple men at a KBR camp in the Green Zone, the company put her under guard in a shipping container with a bed and warned her that if she left Iraq for medical treatment, she’d be out of a job.
“Don’t plan on working back in Iraq. There won’t be a position here, and there won’t be a position in Houston,” Jones says she was told.
In a lawsuit filed in federal court against Halliburton and its then-subsidiary KBR, Jones says she was held in the shipping container for at least 24 hours without food or water by KBR, which posted armed security guards outside her door, who would not let her leave.
“It felt like prison,” says Jones, who told her story to ABC News as part of an upcoming “20/20″ investigation. “I was upset; I was curled up in a ball on the bed; I just could not believe what had happened.”
Jones told ABCNews.com that an examination by Army doctors showed she had been raped “both vaginally and anally,” but that the rape kit disappeared after it was handed over to KBR security officers.
Over two years later, the Justice Department has brought no criminal charges in the matter. In fact, ABC News could not confirm any federal agency was investigating the case.
KBR has moved for Jones’ claim to be heard in private arbitration, instead of a public courtroom. It says her employment contract requires it.
*******
While you CONs get all outraged about Morrison’s fling, save a little outrage for the President who hires mercenaries to operate without law or oversight . . .
Oh brother!
Capn couldn’t post this crap on the open thread, but has to post it in the thread on Morrison.
I ask Editors to remove his post and any other off topic posts in the thread.
“Bedsitter people lie back and lament,
Another day uselessly spent.”
I ask Editors to remove his post and any other off topic posts in the thread.
Posted by: Kansas | December 10, 2007 at 11:05 AM
Now that’s got to be one of the dumbest posts I’ve seen in a while even for Kansas. Since when has any thread stayed on topic?
He has a lot of explaining to do; it may be time for him to step down.
Posted by: CapnAmerica | December 10, 2007 at 11:02 AM
I don’t care where you posted this, I’m just glad you did. It’s outrageous, and you can’t help but feel so sorry for that poor girl.
Who wouldn’t want to have an affair with Linda Carter? She probably lassoed him. Or was that Lynda Carter?
I agree, Ben.
If there is evidence that Morrison threatened or harrassed the women into sex, then he should resign.
Coming forward now after all this time . . . sounds a lot like Anita Hill and Clarence Thomas. We have no idea of the woman’s motivations at this point.
Wouldn’t give a rip about this but for one thing. He trotted his wife and kids out there to do campaign commercials to run against Kline.
BRILLIANT!!!
If he’d divorced his wife and married her, he wouldn’t be in this awkward position. He’d just be like Newt.
…and if he worked for my employer he would be out the door same day.
She wasn’t even working for him (but still sleeping with him, where’s the coeercion) when she alleges he was trying to he tried to interfere in the Kline firings.
There doesnt HAVE to be any evidence that he forced her or intimidated her into having an affair.
A sexual relationship with a subordinate is evidence on its face of creating a hostile work environment.
Even governor leadership is saying he should step down if this is true. Hostile work environment thing.
Buh-bye.
Now… if we can just document Parkinson doing something wrong, maybe the democrats could take back the KDP?
I mean, WTF did anyone expect by recruiting republican men? No wonder he were afraid of the wingnuts in their own party. He had adultry to hide?
Popping the organic corn…
The hostile workplace thing happened in Johnson County, not while he was AG.
SO if she… or any other women in the office sue (and they can, given the prima facie evidence of hostile workplace)…
It is JOCO that will pay, not the state.
Hehehheheeheh. Just couldnt happen to a nicer buncha wingnuts…
How do we know she didn’t come on to him?
I don’t think an intra-office affair is grounds for a resignation.
But he does have some explaining to do . . . and so does she.
Why wait until AFTER the election to reveal this?
A sexual relationship with a subordinate is evidence on its face of creating a hostile work environment.Posted by: ksfarmgrrl | December 10, 2007 at 11:38 AM
Wise and with great insight as usual kfg.
Phil Kline wasn’t going to be reelected. Donald Duck could have run against him and won. The election wasn’t an affirmation of Morrison. If Morrison had an affair with a consenting adult they are both guilty of immorality. Time will tell if there is more to this story and whether or not any laws were broken. If it is necessary for him to spend time he owes to his job on this he should step down or be removed from office.
I hope his wife throws his clothes out onto the front lawn.
Mary – I’d be inclined to give her Lorena Bobbit’s knife!
They both sound like scum bags. Collecting wages while getting their cookies.
I wonder if Carter was keeping the same office work schedule as her new boss she apparently had gotten close to.
Is it just me or is anyone else curious about the tatoo? Did he get one and where?
If so he got to go!
According to Andrew Young, one of Hillary’s credentials is how well she handled Bill’s “Bimbo Eruptions”!
Maybe Mrs. Morrison should help out her hubby, stand by her man, like Hillary, and use that for a future political career of her own?
It is time for the Eagle to issue an apology to Phil Kline.The Eagle trashed Kline for bringing similar issues up, during the campaign.
Apologize to the corrupt Phill Kline? Why bother? Paul Morrison only got into the vagina of one woman, Kline got into the vagina of hundreds while he was in office.
First,
The idea that we can not enforce the laws of the State of Kansas is a bit absurd.Enforcing the Law is not “getting into women’s vagina’s” you coward blank poster.
Next,I believe that Mr. Morrison ALSO found criminal behavior by abortionist George Tiller!
Kline went through the private medical records of women and violated their privacy in order to continue his religious crusade against medical freedom. Econ101, if you want your life to be an open book then post your tax forms online for everyone to see.
As Doug well knows personal information was knocked out of the records by Tiller’s attorneys. But hey, don’t let the truth stand in the way of your telling more lies Doug.
DougProsecutors and other attorneys look at medical files ALL THE TIME!
Get past the dishonest campaign rhetoric, will you?
Thank-you Rhonda on behalf of the sisterhood! It must have been difficult choosing whether to stand-up for a women that engaged in a consentual affair with her powerful boss, District Att.at the time the affair began. Or support the guy, who is now Att. General, and staunch pro-abortion, and Tiller supporter!
The Topeka Capital Journal printed in Sunday’s edition that Morrison purchased a $16,000.00 diamond engagement ring for Carter, about the tatoo, and other sordid details. Which should be easy to trace, and at least prove him to be a foolish cad!
I predict if the charges are proven and Morrison did indeed break the law, will somehow be overshadowed by liberal Editors ,with blame being applied to Phill Kline, the woman bringing the charges, and Morrison’s wife.
This admission should have been accompanied by his resignation. Simple, this type of behavior by a supervisor in any area should not be tolerated, much less in public office.
IMHO — Morrison should resign, and then the rest of us should allow the legal system to do its job, and then we can return to this matter after we know more information than we know now!
Too painful to hear about Chas? Cover up your ears and it will go away right?
Sorry Chas, but Morrison brought this upon himself and is a public, elected official. We the voters of Kansas have a right to discuss it.
The Democrats will not sweep this under the rug that easily.
In Democrat politics somehow he will be exonerated. The good ole boy network if you are democrat.
I and many others personally saw Raj Goyle campaigning in the Maranantha voting place on election day and our democrat DA said it wasn’t breaking the law because he was a ‘poll watcher’.
Why would Morrison’s case be any different? He was probably checking her character as a reference for a job promotion. I guess she didn’t pass.
Are you not reading well??? I just said the man should resign!! Let the legal system work… I am sure the information available now is but the tip of an iceberg… Why screw aaround with a bunch of wild speculation?? Or do you prefer speculation??
Is boning a coworker in a consensual relationship against the law? If so half the country and many political figures are guilty. It seems that the issue of infidelity is between Mr Morrison and his family. Whether he should resign who knows. But do we elect people based on their sex life’s or on their qualifications?
Tom Paine, only if the sexual activity might have some bearing on the job Mr. Morrison is elected to do… And it would appear as that might be the case… Of course, ultimately, the matter between he and his family is their business… But… “boning” a state employee, and not even HIS employee… that could have a bearing on the outcome of what HE is working on… and in the way reported by Ms. Carter… THAT does have an effect on his job as DA, AND as AG!! And I dont much care what party he belongs to either!!
I think 200 lashes for the woman and 100 for Morrisson is called for!
It seems that the issue of infidelity is between Mr Morrison and his family. Whether he should resign who knows. But do we elect people based on their sex life’s or on their qualifications?
Posted by: Tom Paine | December 10, 2007 at 02:29 PM
Tom Paine-
Perhaps it is old fashioned, or out of date, or out of touch with reality, but if a man’w own wife cannot trust him to be faithful to her, in the most intimate what I consider important relationship, why would I trust him to be upright and honest with me, or for me?
You apply that standard to the man, but imagine the husband’s surprise when he found the engagement ring.
a little off thread, (ok more than a little) — but in a stretch related —- especially during the holiday season — lighten up? (in case you didn’t see it in the caption thread
Dress Right for Heaven?
Three men died on Christmas Eve and were met by Saint Peter at the pearly gates. “In honor of this holy season” Saint Peter said,”You must each possess something that symbolizes Christmas to get into heaven.”
The first man fumbled through his pockets and pulled out a lighter. He flicked it on. “It represents a candle”, he said. “You may pass through the pearly gates” Saint Peter said.
The second man reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys. He shook them and said, “They’re bells.”Saint Peter said “You may pass through the pearly gates”.
The third man started searching desperately through his pockets and finally pulled out a pair of women’s panties.
St. Peter looked at the man with a raised eyebrow and asked, “And just what do those symbolize?”
The man replied, “These are Carols.”
…..badda – boom
Kudos for Phil being able to blown at work….
I remember the good old days myself.
Id vote for him again.
Keep a stiff upper lip there Phil.
Those of us who know Paul personally knew the “family guy” campaign was patently false. He is not a nice man. I fault the overzealous press for his election. He will not stop. The only thing he regrets is the EEOC complaint. That complaint will end in a “right to sue” finding and he will be in federal court. The self-destruction is well on its way but he will fight like an alley cat until somebody kicks him out. Between now and then it will be a black eye for Kansas.
Thanks Ken for injecting a little humor onto the blog. However the absurdity of the Morrison scandal is humorous in itself. I think it is characteristic of the bi-partisan hypocrisy in Kansas politics in which a politician measures his/her political status and power on their ability to literally screw subordinates or screw the tax payers.
Specifically:
When Morrison switched parties and ran for AG, his campaign touted that Morrision & his wife were volunteers for the marriage savers program for the Catholic Diocese of KC.
If Morrison had stayed in the GOP, Kline would never have complained about Morrison’s previous scandal with Kelly Summerlin. Sexually harrassment by a district attorney does not matter until you switch parties. Kline was only following Reagan’s 11th commandment “Thou shall not criticize a fellow Republican”
Phill Kline hired as his special assistant former Sedgwick County Judge & Attorney General Bob Stephan who was one of the nastiest misogynists to ever wear a black robe in Wichita. Stephan not only sexually abused his subordinate, he tried to raise poltical contributions to defend himself against a sexual harrassment lawsuit and then lied about it. Although it would be nice to think that Kline was being Christian by giving Bob Stephan a second chance to rehabilitate his reputation, the truth is that Kline needed Stephan to be able to play ball with the corrupt Kansas judiciary and legal establishment.
2 Sedgwick County judges have had affairs with family law atorneys. Judges Wilbert & Ballinger were censured last year for a sexual harrassment scandal involving a family law department employee. Don’t expect Chief Justice Kay McFarland or Justice Carol Beier or Nola Fouslton or former AG Carla Stovall to do anything to protect female court house employees by supporting reforms to insure that there is transparency and accountability in the way that judges and attorneys are investigated and disciplined.
After all it’s still a man’s world, and to get ahead, a gal has got to do what a gal has got to do.
We get the judges and prosecutors that we deserve. It’s unfortunate that most judges and attorneys take pride in being called liars, crooks and whores. It means that they are being recognized for their ability to get away with screwing people.
Bill McKeankiakahahaha@yahoo.com 293-6079
What is being over looked in this case is the allegation that Morrison has interfered with a federal investigation. That is defiantly against the law. He could be disbarred and serve prison time. This cannot and should not be tolerated by an attorney general. To have an attorney general under investigation by the federal government leaves zero confidence for the man in that position. For this reason, he should step down.
The issue with the affair is bad but the democrats do not see anything wrong with that (take Bill Clinton for example). He claimed high morals during his campaign when the other harassment suit came out. He wife came to his defense as well. All the while, he was having an affair with this Linda Carter. So you have to ask yourself if you really want an individual that lies to represent you as the attorney general? He has not apologized for deceiving the voters. Now he wants this to be a personal matter that he says he has been working on for the past year. Again another lie because he was still having the affair at least up to September.
How will we know when he is telling the truth?
Do you think Morrison will step down for the good of the party? LOL
I don’t even have to ask if this guy is a REPUBLICAN. Of course he is!
Wrong
he does need to step down and fade into the woodwork (take his pending lawsuits with him) — whats the process for picking an interim AG
“To have an attorney general under investigation by the federal government leaves zero confidence for the man in that position. For this reason, he should step down.”====================
Did you have that same opinion of Alberto Gonzales when HE was under investigation by the federal government?? Just curious!!
Well I guess democrats can’t keep their dicks in their pants any better than republicans.
But let’s not be hasty to string him up and hang him. Tar and feathering can wait until we have some sort of actual “charges”, and possibly wait for a “trial”, the “findings” of the trial, and any possible “sentencing”.
For this reason, his apology does not fall “short”. It is appropriate pending any potential legal charges which go beyond the scope of a male/female sexual relationship.
Unless it’s like Clinton – and he should be impeached for having sex.
BTW, I agree that Morrison should best step down, for many reasons.
Alberto Gonzales when HE was under investigation by the federal government Chas
Any link to that Chas? I never saw any charges against the man. Please help me out.
So I see Chas is back peddling now and defending what Morrison has done.
Just when we’re winning, they always get their peckers wet. How many people died because of Clinton’s. I wish they’d have sense enough just to pay whores. Kennedy did. Still, ya can’t stop love. Did Morrison really spring for a $60,000 ring?
AmWay — Did you support Clinton, or did you demand he step down or be impeached before any legal actions??
And, BTW, Morrison was only a Dem. in name only… He only ran as a Democrat to beat Kline… Remember??
KANSAS – please read what I post… I am not defending Morrison… Geez… You must be getting dizzy from spinning, too!
D K — I believe the dollar figure on the ring, was $16,000 –
Still a small fortune, when you are already married!! LOL
Kitrell, there are no charges pending against Morrison either… Just “investigations” the same as Gonzales!! Stay on track here, OK??
I REPEAT!!! I AM NOT DEFENDING MORRISON… I HAVE ALREADY STATED THAT I BELIEVE HE SHOULD STEP DOWN!!! GOT IT???
I dont much like Kline, but… this Morrison guy isnt the proper way to replace Kline… Just another self-centered egoist to take the place of another one… NOT good for the Kansas AG office!!
Suppose someone had obtained knowledge of the adultery and threatened exposure in order to coerce dropping or mishandling of criminal cases? We can’t have that in our criminal justice system, which is corrupt enough already. That’s why we must enforce a high standard of conduct in elected officials, especially inside government offices.Oust Morrison.
Of course Morrison is no longer a Republic Party member. If he were all the right-wingnuts would be posting all sorts of made-up excused for him; just as they did for Larry Craig, and Mark Foley, and Helen Chenowith, and Bob Stephan, and Newt Gingrich, and Henry Hyde, and Scooter Libby, and Rush Limbaugh, and Jack Ryan, and Ed Schrock, and David Vitter, and…
If Morrison were still a Republic Party member the usual suspects such as “Kansas” and “ksgrm” and “Econ101″ and “American Way” and “Nathan” and “Hank” an “GMC70″ would be on this forum contriving all sorts of out-of-their-butt possible scenarios to justify scandalous behavior. Suff like, “Perhaps it wasn’t an affair. Maybe she was cold and naked and the Good Republic simply laid on her to keep her warm;” or “He probably just had a wide stance;” or “If Linda Carter had been carrying a concealed weapon this never would have happened.
Those of us who live in the reality-based community, however, have ben consistent in taking AG Morrison to task. And not because of the sex (although boinking a subordinate in the workplace is most certainly raises questions of ethics, character, and professionalism.
But if, as alleged, Morrison attempted to use Carter to gain information about open cases, and to influence the legal dispute between District Attorney Phill Kline and eight fired staffers, he’s gotta go.
And, BTW, Morrison was only a Dem. in name only… He only ran as a Democrat to beat Kline… Remember??
Posted by: Chas.
Yes, he is a flip-flopper and a double-talker. Sounds an awful like Hillary Clinton’s wishy-washy convictions.
But the bottom line was his name appeared on my ballot as a DEMOCRAT. Another sexy scandal, but no wrongdoing.
MonkeyWe will have our fights, in the future, as we have in the past, however, for your last paragraph, above, I applaud you.
Get off the Kline bashing people. PK is a decent and honorable man who tried to do whats right. For that he got steamrollered by the elitist controlled media who viewed him as a threat to their power. Morrison was a useful idiot who was recruited and used to take Phill Kline out. They will have no problem throwing him under the bus over this because they had no long term plans for him anyway. They knew he was a pompous, arrogant, corrupt, man-slut who would self destruct just as we are witnessing now. All they had to do was keep the lid on his true nature until after Kline was defeated. Is it any wonder that Kansas has a history of corrupt, womanizing, and incompetent AG’s. A controlled or corrupted AG is the power elites way to conceal their own corruption and scandals. Just like the Wizard of OZ. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.
Similar to what I said at 11:21. ESPECIALLY if the ‘professional’ aspects of the allegations are shown to have validity.
Thanks, “Econ101″ –
Group hug!
It seems the universal policy these days, especially in government, that when there is an office “hook-up” between office workers, subordinate and superior, the superior catches all the blame. Is that the way it should be? When and how should the subordinate share culpability?
If a man breaks a sacred covenant with his wife and God he will break one and lie to anybody. His oath of office means nothing.
Perhaps we shall know more about Mr. Morrison tomorrow!! Nite All!!
If he worked where I do he would have been booted out the door, so what makes him better than the average citizen?
I hear he’s looking for a nice looking illegal woman
“Phill Kline is behind this. It has his anti-choice fingerprints all over it. He wants Morrison out of the way so that he can look at women’s medical records and in their underwear drawers.”
Phillip Brownlee
test
farngirl
did you forget some letters?
“icle”
What about Linda Carter? Was she married during the time this situation was taking place? Sounds like she had a highly responsible position in the attorney generals’ offices.
I question whether this was a superior/subordinate situation. I suspect they were both infatuated at some point during this time. Most likely an office romance that got out of control until all returned to their senses.
Too bad this happened … Morrison was a great Johnson County prosecuting attorney. As far as Morrison’s future as Kansas Attorney General, I would say let the courts play it out.