Kansas Pro-Life Group Files Complaints in Attorney General Abortion Scandal

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Jan 3, 2008   |   9:00AM   |   WASHINGTON, DC

Kansas Pro-Life Group Files Complaints in Attorney General Abortion Scandal Email this article
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
January 3,
2008

Topeka, KS (LifeNews.com) — A Kansas pro-life group has filed official complaints with the state government over a scandal involving disgraced Attorney General Paul Morrison. He has admitted to an affair with a former subordinate, but Morrison denies her charges that he asked her for documents related to charges filed against an Overland Park abortion center.

On Wednesday, Operation Rescue told LifeNews.com it had filed two complaints last week asking for the revocation of Morrison’s law license.

Troy Newman, the group’s president, said he filed a complaint with both the Office of the Disciplinary Administrator and the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission asking for discipline for potential violations of Kansas law.

The ODA is responsible for policing attorneys and the second has jurisdiction over enforcement of the code sections listed in Newman’s complaints.

"Morrison, in attempting to use his influence over his mistress to persuade her to help him tamper with these criminal cases, has violated the very core of ethical conduct that we expect from our attorneys," Newman said.

"Morrison still serves as the Attorney General until the end of the month. During this time, he could potentially impact the very cases he is accused of trying to illegally influence," Newman told LifeNews.com.

Morrison’s lover Linda Carter worked for him and, later, for his replacement, Phill Kline.

Kline is the official conducting the probe into a Planned Parenthood abortion business in Overland Park that he has charged with 107 counts of illegal late-term abortions and falsifying medical paperwork.

A citizen-generated grand jury has also been called in the case to investigate the matter further.

Morrison stepped down December 14 after acknowledging the affair and plans to officially leave his office as the state’s top attorney on January 31. Still, that won’t avert the eyes of Johnson County officials from looking at Carter’s claims.

Kline says he still plans to appoint a special prosecutor next month to weigh the charges of blackmail, telephone harassment and disrupting a county attorney’s investigation.

Kline had already indicated he would appoint a special prosecutor but there was some question about whether he would commit to doing so following Morrison’s resignation. Previously, the Johnson County Commission voted 6-1 to authorize Kline to spend $25,000 on a legal counsel to investigate Morrison’s possible criminal activity.

With Morrison’s resignation, pro-abortion Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, a Democrat, will appoint his successor.