Despite election loss, Phill Kline saga continues
After re-election defeat, Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline named Operation Rescue Man of the Year, appointed county prosecutor
 Background (January 2, 2007): We began reporting on Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline when he tried to force health providers to report teenagers for having consensual sex and tried to force abortion clinics to turn over patients' records (at which he ultimately succeeded).
In September, in a tough battle for reelection, Kline gave his campaign staff detailed instructions on how to use churches to raise funds, recruit campaign volunteers and collect voter contact information (click here). He wrote the instructions in a memo, posted here. He lost anyway. Fallout from the memo continues.
During the final days of Kline's campaign, Fox News personality Bill O'Reilly claimed to have some of the clinic patients' records that Kline had obtained. After Kline lost his bid for re-election, he pressed the prosecution of a clinic physician, which was thrown out of court. Click here
Meanwhile, Kline was not without his consolations: The Kansas Republican Party appointed him District Attorney of Johnson County, a post being vacated by the Democrat who defeated him (and who had changed his party affiliation from Republican). And Operation Rescue, the militant anti-abortion group, named Kline "Man of the Year."
Kline appointed District Attorney
Sebelius doesn't sign off on Kline
A.G. still will become Johnson County's district attorney
By John Hanna, The Associated Press, Topeka Capital-Journal, December 21, 2006
TOPEKA — Gov. Kathleen Sebelius refused Wednesday to endorse recently defeated Attorney General Phill Kline's selection as Johnson County district attorney, but Kline's appointment became official nevertheless. Continue.
Johnson County GOP taps A.G.
Kline to take over district attorney seat vacated by Morrison
By John Hanna, The Associated Press, Topeka Capital-Journal, December 12, 2006
LENEXA — Republican activists chose Attorney General Phill Kline as Johnson County's new district attorney Monday night to replace the Democrat who ousted him from statewide office last month. Continue.
Kline loses bid for re-election
Abortion issue undid Kline
Bill Blankenship, The Capital-Journal, Topeka, Kansas, November 8, 2006
The most bitter campaign of this election cycle -- called by some the nastiest in a generation -- ended Tuesday night when Democrat Paul Morrison easily defeated Republican Phill Kline's bid for a second term in office.
With 3,188 of 3,290 statewide precincts reporting, Morrison, the longtime Johnson County district attorney, was leading Kline by 58 percentage points to 42 percentage points.
Kline conceded the election at about 10 p.m. in the Sunflower Ballroom of the Kansas Expocentre, where two days earlier President Bush spoke in Landon Arena encouraging a capacity audience to vote for the state's slate of GOP candidates.
Kline clearly thought his defeat hinged on his dogged pursuit of records of two abortion clinics.
Kline said he sought those records to determine whether late-term abortions were done in compliance with state law and to see whether any underage girls who received abortions were the victims of child rape. Continue
 Morrison Slithers into Kansas AG's Office on Backs of Dead Babies
Kline courageously stood for the abused innocent in spite of attacks
Operation Rescue.org, November 8, 2006
Nov 08, 2006 Attorney General Phill Kline was soundly defeated by pro- abortion Democrat Paul Morrison in a bitterly contentious election that centered around abortion politics.
In what was expected to be a closer race, Morrison garnered 58% of the vote in a state where the pro- abortion media refused to accurately report Kline’s positions, and published vicious and often personal attacks on him daily.
At the center of the race was Kline’s investigation into abortion clinics for the concealment of child rape and illegal late-term abortions. A judge had granted Kline access to 90 abortion medical records that the court determined showed "probable cause" that crimes had been committed. Names of the patients were redacted by the court. Continue
Kline accused of improper state computer use
Associated Press, Topeka Capital-Journal, December 21, 2006
Outgoing Attorney General Phill Kline has been accused of improperly using state computers in his failed re-election campaign this year and could face a $5,000 fine from the state Governmental Ethics Commission.
But Tuck Duncan, a Topeka attorney representing Kline, said, "I don't think the allegation has any merit, because I don't believe there is any violation of the campaign finance law."
The commission plans to have a hearing Jan. 17 on the allegation, which it spelled out in a public notice after receiving information about e-mails Kline's bid for a second term. Continue
Kline's church campaign memo and the fallout
Kansas Attorney General writes orders for a reelection campaign operation "in each church"
Memo shows Republican Phill Kline's detailed plan for a church-based political machine
by JewsOnFirst.org, September 17, 2006
 In a tough battle for reelection, Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline gave his campaign staff detailed instructions on how to use churches to raise funds, recruit campaign volunteers and collect voter contact information. He wrote the instructions in a memo obtained by news organizations and JewsOnFirst.org.
Kline writes that the "goal" of receptions, which his staff will organize to dovetail with church services, "is to walk away with contact information, money and volunteers and a committee in each church." He names three of the churches already involved in his campaign. Continue
"Church efforts" memorandum by Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline
Please click here to read a copy of Kline's memorandum instructing his re-election campaign staff to organize support from churches. Click here to read this PDF document.
Watchdog Group Accuses Churches of Political Action
By Stephanie Strom, The New York Times, October 26, 2006
A nonprofit group has filed a complaint asking the Internal Revenue Service to investigate the role that two churches may have played in the re-election campaign of Kansas’ attorney general.
The complaint by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a nonpartisan legal watchdog organization, cited a memorandum from the attorney general, Phill Kline, a Republican, directing members of his campaign staff to recruit churches to distribute campaign literature and serve as the sites for events.
"This is the top law enforcement official in the state who is encouraging everyone to break the law," said Melanie Sloan, executive director of the watchdog group. "He’s either abysmally unfamiliar with the law, or he’s deliberately violating it." Continue.
Kline memo called year's worst abuse of religion in politics
'Money people' note caught attention of Interfaith Alliance
By John Hanna, The Associated Press, The Capital-Journal Topeka, Kansas, November 10, 2006
A memo Attorney General Phill Kline wrote outlining a plan to fully tap his support among churchgoers was the worst abuse of religion in American politics during the 2006 election cycle, a national group said Wednesday.
Kline's directions to his campaign staff members included making sure friendly pastors brought "money people" to fundraisers and signing up church members to help with passing out campaign literature. It said one goal was to form a pro-Kline committee at each church.
The memo's designation came from the Interfaith Alliance, a Washington-based group that promotes the separation of church and state and government neutrality on religion.
Kline already faced criticism over his activities involving churches. Continue.
 IRS Seeks to Silence Kansas Church
News release, Operation Save America via Christian Newswire, June 1, 2007
WICHITA, Kansas, June 1 /Christian Newswire/ -- On April 20, 2007 the IRS sent an "inquiry" letter to Spirit One Christian Center stating that, "a reasonable belief exists that your organization has engaged in political activities..."
They cited our church marquee signs - specifically a sign we put up which read, "Sebelius accepted $300,000.00 from abortionist Tiller, price of 1000 babies."
The IRS has turned into a Gestapo, a speech police, who says if you're Christian, there are some things you can not say or preach.Continue.
Kline's persecution of abortion clinics
Operation Rescue to Morrison: Stop Stalling and Reinstate Tiller Charges
Operation Rescue news release, January 20, 2007
WICHITA, Kansas, Jan. 20 /Christian Newswire/ -- As Operation Rescue began their Cry For Justice event in Wichita, Attorney General Paul Morrison held a press conference where he indicated that he is unsure if he has all the 90 medical records turned over in response to a subpoena issued by former Attorney General Phill Kline.
Fifteen of those medical records were the basis of 30 criminal charges filed against abortionist George R. Tiller for illegal late-term abortions and improperly reporting of those abortions. Those charges were dismissed on jurisdictional grounds by a judge that never read the complaint. Continue.
Kline action seen as messy
Sebelius faults efforts aimed at abortion doctor
by Tim Carpenter, Topkeka Capital-Journal, December 29, 2006
Gov. Kathleen Sebelius chided Attorney General Phill Kline on Thursday for sidestepping state law in his unsuccessful attempt to prosecute a Wichita physician accused of performing illegal abortions.
"It is not appropriate, to me, to have an attorney general who isn't following Kansas law," she said. Continue.
Kline loses fight to have charges against Tiller reinstated
By Tim Carpenter, Topeka Capital-Journal, December 28, 2006
WICHITA — Attorney General Phill Kline was dealt a legal rebuke Wednesday by a Sedgwick County judge who refused to reinstate 30 misdemeanor charges against the state's highest-profile abortion doctor. Continue.
Kline appointee sees 'political posturing'
Associated Press, Topeka Capital-Journal, December 29, 2006
A special prosecutor who is supposed to pursue criminal charges against the state's most visible abortion provider sees the fuss surrounding his appointment by outgoing Attorney General Phill Kline as "political posturing."
Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, an abortion rights Democrat, has jumped into the debate, chiding Kline, a Republican and strong abortion opponent, for his actions. Continue
Morrison unlikely to keep Kline’s prosecutor
Associated Press, Topeka Capital-Journal, December 28, 2006
A special prosecutor appointed by outgoing Attorney General Phill Kline to pursue criminal charges against the state's most visible abortion provider isn't likely to last long in that job.
Attorney General-elect Paul Morrison said in a telephone interview today that he isn't inclined to have a special prosecutor handle any investigation into Dr. George Tiller, who operates a Wichita clinic and is one of the few doctors in the nation to perform late-term abortions.
Kline, a vocal abortion opponent, contends Tiller has performed illegal late-term abortions and filed charges against the doctor last week, only to see them dismissed the next day by a district judge. On Wednesday, the judge refused to reinstate those charges, citing a jurisdiction issue. Continue
Analysis: Time running short for Kline's vindication
John Hanna, Associated Press, Topeka Capital-Journal, December 25, 2006
Time is working against Phill Kline as the Republican and passionately anti-abortion attorney general seeks to vindicate himself over activities that helped prompt Kansas voters to boot him from statewide office.
Kline has long been pursuing abortion clinics operated in Wichita by Dr. George Tiller and in Overland Park by Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri. He has been trying to build criminal cases against the state's most visible abortion providers. They have resisted and tried to slow or block his efforts. Continue
Judge won't revive charges against abortion doctor
He rules that Kansas' attorney general lacked authority to push the criminal case forward.
By Stephanie Simon, The Los Angeles Times, December 28, 2006
A district court judge Wednesday refused to reinstate criminal charges against a nationally known abortion doctor, ruling that the Kansas attorney general had overstepped his authority in the case.
Outgoing Atty. Gen. Phill Kline last week charged Dr. George Tiller with performing illegal late-term abortions at his Wichita clinic and failing to report them accurately to state authorities. Hours later, Sedgwick County Judge Paul W. Clark dismissed the case on jurisdictional grounds: Only the locally elected district attorney, he said, had the power to bring such charges.
Kline asked Clark to reconsider. At a brief hearing Wednesday, the judge took another look at the legal arguments -- and upheld his previous decision. Continue.
Kansas judge dismisses abortion charges
The outgoing attorney general's case against a doctor is tossed. 'This is war,' says the head of Kansans for Life.
By Stephanie Simon, The Los Angeles Times, December 23, 2006
Hours after the outgoing attorney general of Kansas charged one of the nation's few late-term abortion providers with illegally aborting viable fetuses, a judge dismissed the charges, ruling Friday that the attorney general had overstepped his authority.
Atty. Gen. Phill Kline angrily vowed to get the charges reinstated executive director of the anti-abortion group Kansans for Life. Continue.
Kline speaks out against dismissal of charges
By Steve Fry, Topeka Capital-Journal, December 23, 2006
Attorney General Phill Kline said Friday he had jurisdiction to file the 30 misdemeanor criminal charges against a Wichita doctor who performs abortions that a Sedgwick County District Court judge had dismissed just hours earlier.
The judge dismissed the charges against Dr. George Tiller, citing a law that prohibits an attorney general from filing charges "without invitation, request or acquiescence" of a county attorney or district attorney. Continue.
Judge dismisses Kline's case against Tiller
The Associated Press, Topeka Capital-Journal December 22, 2006
WICHITA -- A Sedgwick County judge dismissed 30 misdemeanor criminal charges against Wichita physician and abortion provider George Tiller, less than a day after recently defeated Attorney General Phill Kline filed them.
Judge Paul W. Clark dismissed the case against Tiller after Sedgwick County District Attorney Nola Foulston said that her office hadn't been consulted by Kline, a vocal opponent of abortion. Continue.
Tiller Escapes Charges of Performing Illegal Late-Term Abortions
Focus on the Family, December 22, 2006
Just one day after Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline filed criminal charges against a Wichita abortionist for performing illegal late-term abortions, the county district attorney successfully moved to have all 30 charges dropped.
The charges against George Tiller stem from an investigation by Kline spanning several years. In 2004, Kline requested to see abortion records from two clinics in order to determine whether they contained evidence of criminal activity. Kline was looking for an indication that clinics failed to report the abuse of minors or whether they performed illegal late-term abortions. Continue.
DA Drops Tiller Charges -- Operation Rescue Says Cronyism Thwarts Justice in Kansas
News release, Operation Rescue, December 22, 2006
WICHITA, Kansas, Dec. 22 /Christian Newswire/ -- District Attorney Nola Foulston has successfully moved to drop the 30 charges against late-term abortionist George R. Tiller filed yesterday in Sedgwick County District Court by Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline. The motion was made because, under Kansas Law, charges can only be filed by an Attorney General at the invitation of the District Attorney or request of the governor or legislature. All charges have been dropped. Continue.
Abortion clinics’ request rejected
Kline investigation of medical records allowed to continue
By Scott Rothschild, Lawrence Journal-World, December 1, 2006
Topeka -- Attorney General Phill Kline’s investigation into two abortion clinics will continue after the Kansas Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a request from the clinics to take control of the probe.
Kline, who will remain in office just five more weeks, said he was pleased by the court’s ruling, adding that the clinics’ efforts "were without legal basis." Continue.
Kansas A.G. inquiry into abortion clinics to continue; court outburst ‘unproductive,’ pro-life lawyer says
By Tom Strode, Baptist Press, November 13, 2006
WASHINGTON (BP)--Kansas voters removed Attorney General Phill Kline from office in the Nov. 7 election, but that apparently will not halt his investigation into two abortion clinics.
Democrat challenger Paul Morrison, Johnson County district attorney, gained 58 percent of the vote to defeat Kline in a race marked by controversy and by special interest from both sides in the abortion debate. Continue.
2 abortion clinics want Fox's O'Reilly investigated
By The Associated Press, November 7, 2006
TOPEKA, Kan. — Two abortion clinics asked the state's highest court yesterday to investigate Attorney General Phill Kline and Fox television's Bill O'Reilly over O'Reilly's statements that he had information from Kansas abortion records.
A Kline spokeswoman called the clinics' move "a political ploy." Continue.
Kansas A.G. inquiry into abortion clinics to continue; court outburst ‘unproductive,’ pro-life lawyer says
By Tom Strode, Baptist Press, November 13, 2006
WASHINGTON (BP)--Kansas voters removed Attorney General Phill Kline from office in the Nov. 7 election, but that apparently will not halt his investigation into two abortion clinics.
Democrat challenger Paul Morrison, Johnson County district attorney, gained 58 percent of the vote to defeat Kline in a race marked by controversy and by special interest from both sides in the abortion debate. Continue.
Kansas Attorney General Alarms Abortion-Rights Groups
By John Hanna, The Washington Post, September 27, 2006
TOPEKA, Kan. -- GQ magazine declared he would do anything to stop abortion and called him the future of the anti-abortion movement. Planned Parenthood put him on a list of 15 Americans it saw as major threats to abortion rights.
Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline has emerged as one of the nation's foremost foes of abortion by tangling with abortion clinics and health care providers in this heartland state, where is now running for a second term. Continue.
Kline is Operation Rescue's Man of the Year
UKOR, or All of One Stripe: Unruh, Kline, Operation Rescue
By cyncooper, Talk2Action, January 3, 2007
An award program concocted by a militant Religious Right organization does more to depict the singular ugly underbelly of the anti-abortion movement than any mere blog could ever do. Next week, Operation Rescue will honor two losers as Man and Woman of 2006: Phill Kline of Kansas and Leslee Unruh of South Dakota. Kline lost as Attorney General after the citizens got fed up with his prying into women's medical records. Unruh was the executive director of the losing campaign to ban abortion in South Dakota.
But it is a measure on its own that the outrageous, militant Operation Rescue is bestowing honors upon them. Continue.
Operation Rescue names Kline its 'Man of the Year'
Associated Press, Topeka Capital-Journal, December 19, 2006
Voters in Kansas rejected Attorney General Phill Kline, but the anti-abortion group Operation Rescue is naming him its "Man of the Year."
Kline, a vocal and longtime opponent of abortion, waged a two-year legal battle to obtain the records of 90 patients from two abortion clinics. Kline has said he is investigating potential crimes that include illegal late-term abortions.
Operation Rescue said it would have been "politically expedient" for Kline to drop his investigation. Kline's pursuit of the records became a political liability, with his critics -- and some voters -- seeing it as a potential invasion of privacy. Continue
The Wannabe GOP Grand Inquisitor of Kansas
Frederick Clarkson, Political Cortex, December 30, 2006
What if an attorney and close associate of a well-known operative of a domestic terror organization became a special prosecutor -- investigating a top target of the domestic terrorists?
Sounds like a script for a Fox TV drama series. But if it were the real world, and it were say, an animal rights attorney with ties to the Animal Liberation Front, we would be hearing nonstop howls of outrage on Fox News. Hannity and O'Reilly would never get over it. Greta would be pondering the crisis of the breakdown of legal ethics every night. The president would hold a press conference to denounce the opposition party for coddling domestic terrorism. But in fact, the hypothetical situation above became reality this week in Kansas, where the outgoing GOP Attorney General has appointed antiabortion activist Don McKinney to the job of investigating Wichita abortion provider George Tiller. Tiller has been the target of an assasination attempt that left him wounded in both arms and his clinic has been the target of a variety of criminal acts. McKinney has protested outide Tiller's clinic and is a longtime pal of the late Paul deParrie -- a promient member of the Army of God who has called Shelley Shannon, the would be assasin of Dr. Tiller, a "hero." Continue
De-Kline of a Vendetta
By moiv, Talk2Action.org, December 27, 2006
For over three years, Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline has spent enormous amounts of both his time and the taxpayers' money pursuing an obsessive vendetta against Planned Parenthood in Overland Park and Dr. George Tiller in Wichita. Driven by his own decidedly unusual views about sex, his animus against abortion rights in general, and seemingly by his feelings about Dr. Tiller in particular, Kline has stooped to making common cause with the likes of Life Dynamics' Mark Crutcher, Operation Rescue's Troy Newman and Bill O'Reilly.
After a resounding defeat last month by Democrat Paul Morrison, Kline's term as AG is drawing to an end. This January, as Paul Morrison becomes Attorney General of Kansas, Kline -- through a bit of GOP legerdemain that has left Kansans heartily disgusted -- will assume Morrison's former position as District Attorney of Johnson County. Phill Kline has only days remaining in which to turn the last three tortuous and torturous years of legal persecution into a long-sought prosecution . . . and he's hell-bent on using every one of them. Continue.
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