Kansas Attorney General Wins DA Job, May Continue Abortion Probe

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Dec 12, 2006   |   9:00AM   |   WASHINGTON, DC

Kansas Attorney General Wins DA Job, May Continue Abortion Probe Email this article
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
December 12
, 2006

Topeka, KS (LifeNews.com) — Outgoing Attorney General Phill Kline has been selected to replace the candidate who defeated him in November’s elections, Johnson County district attorney Paul Morrison. That may allow Klineto continue a probe on whether two abortion centers did illegal late-term abortions and abortions on girls who were victims of statutory rape.

Morrison switched parties to run as a Democrat against Kline in the general election. Since he vacated his elected county post, the local Republican Party was charged with elected a replacement.

Republican precinct committee members voted 316 for Kline to 291 for Steve Howe, an assistant district attorney.

"I’m not new to the cause," Kline said in a speech Monday night before the vote, according to an AP report. "I have been tested in leadership, and you know I will stay the course."

His election to the county attorney post could allow Kline the opportunity to file charges against the abortion centers in that position and continue the investigation he started on behalf of the state.

That’s important because Morrison has indicated he may drop the state’s investigation.

“And now the chess game begins," Operation Rescue president Troy Newman said in a statement LifeNews.com obtained

“It will be interesting to see how the abortion investigation plays out," he added. "But one thing is for sure. [Late term-abortion practitioner George] Tiller and his cronies celebrated a little too early on election night. This matter is far from over.”

The investigation involves Tiller’s Wichita abortion business and one operated in Overland Park by Planned Parenthood.

Kansans for Life, the state’s pro-life organization, said it backed Kline for the district attorney post.

Mary Kay Culp, the group’s executive director, said the abortion industry was unable to sway enough votes in the race.

Peter Brownlie, Planned Parenthood’s president and chief executive officer, told AP after the vote that Kline is simply continuing a fishing expedition.

"Whatever the hell Kline’s after, we are confident it’s not going to result in anything in terms of prosecution," Brownlie said.