Not exactly a cacophany

Posted by MyName (anonymous) on December 13, 2007 at 10:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I don't see how a scandal could possibly make me dislike Phill Kline more than I already did his entire tenure in office.

I guess that's all I have to say about that.

Posted by Keith (anonymous) on December 13, 2007 at 11:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)

What do you mean, Phill has his own problems to worry about. This other thing is just another Republican sex scandal, that makes how many this year?

Posted by lazz (anonymous) on December 13, 2007 at 11:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)

a good sex scandal is exactly what state government needs right now.

Posted by El_Borak (Bill Hoyt) on December 13, 2007 at 12:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)

"a good sex scandal is exactly what state government needs right now."

What we need is a good sentencing scandal. Morrison and his mistress ought to be prosecuted for adultery, sentenced for the full 30-days-in-jail per act that "tough" prosecutors give to regular people for Class C misdemeanors, and then the legislature ought to repeal that ridiculous law along with every other law on the books that they ignore except to pile onto defendants to show how tough on crime they are.

Posted by who_mikejones1978 (anonymous) on December 13, 2007 at 12:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)

If Morrison tried to use the relationship to spy on what Kline was doing, then that's wrong and Morrison should be punished to the fullest extent possible. But, we shouldn't be so quick to judge. People seem to have forgotten that this woman filed suit against him after they broke up. Might be a little bitter? perhaps. don't know yet.
and, might i add, it's sad to see republicans using this as a stage to grandstand against "that liberal" Morrison. they're obviously still bitter that he ditched their party, and Morrison's affair began while he was still a republican.

Posted by OtherJoel (anonymous) on December 13, 2007 at 12:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Regular people are jailed for adultery? I get that it's a stupid law, but I (seriously) wonder if it is ever enforced anymore -- unless it's one of those things lawyers dig up when they're trying to add weight to other, more serious charges. But I don't know. Maybe ladylaw can clarify.

Now if there's anything to the harassment charges or the accusations of improper conduct with respect to the Planned Parenthood case, that's another story. While I was very much a Morrison fan during the AG race, I have to admit that he was very quick to admit to the affair -- which makes me wonder if he is trying to deflect attention away from the other issues.

I guess the story about how Kline only works 30 hours a week and keeps a false Johnson County residence has completely been eclipsed. Thanks Paul.

Posted by El_Borak (Bill Hoyt) on December 13, 2007 at 12:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)

"Regular people are jailed for adultery?"

The last prosecution I know of was in Dickinson County, and yes, it was an add-on to I believe a drug case. Eric Rucker was the prosecutor.

People are not regularly jailed for adultery. But they are regularly arrested, fined, and jailed for class-c misdemeanors, of which adultery is one, especially by 'tough on crime' prosecutors, and new things are regularly criminalized by 'tough on crime' legislators. The result of which is that we have a system where the prosecutor can throw so much book at someone that something is bound to stick whether they have committed a crime or not, in the minds of a poorly-informed jury.

If Morrison had any integrity he'd prosecute himself for committing a class-c misdemeanor on the courthouse grounds to the same extent of toughness he would have the average john who was caught patronizing a prostitute (also a class C) in the very halls of justice.

Posted by lazz (anonymous) on December 13, 2007 at 1:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Now yer talkin', Bill.

Posted by DOTDOT (anonymous) on December 13, 2007 at 2:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I hereby declare this blog part of a vast right wing conspiracy.

I do miss all the cigar talk, though.

Posted by El_Borak (Bill Hoyt) on December 13, 2007 at 2:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Damn. I should have known that nothing escapes the dots...

Nothing.

Posted by bob_brown (anonymous) on December 13, 2007 at 5:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Frankly, the relative silence is refreshing. Hopefully it indicates that the Kansas media isn't consumed by the voyeuristic lust that sends CNN, Fox, WaPo, etc. into virginal titters when someone says boobie. It may also be that Morrison didn't make a show of campaigning in churches during the election and criminalizing teenage sex while DA, which, if he had, would add an amusing hypocracy angle. Putting that aside, ElB, what do you think should be happening mediawise that isn't? What do the professionals think? Where's Joel?

KCTV's hatchet job on Kline's residency doesn't seem to have gone anywhere. Surely that says something about the media's credibility.

As to the what if it were Kline question, I propose that Phill have an extramarital affair so we can find out. Preferably with oily shaven professional wrestler so that it's more interesting, but I won't hold my breath.

Posted by El_Borak (Bill Hoyt) on December 13, 2007 at 6:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)

"Putting that aside, ElB, what do you think should be happening mediawise that isn't?"

Oh, I have no clue what the media should be doing. I neither watch TV nor listen to the radio. All Will Rogers or I know is what we read in the paper and that is too much most of the time.

I was just amused when I compared the screams of anguish in this very forum that accompanied such non-lawbreaking as Kline's School Board Open Meetings Fiasco(tm) with the stony silence that accompanied real, actual, unlawful malfeasance in the AG's office under Morrison*. In one case, the mere appearance of impropriety was enough to hang a man; in the second the admission of multiple misdemeanors being carried out in government legal offices is not sufficient provocation even for a comment.

And I wonder why that is, late at night, as I lie on my trampoline and look at the stars.

No, I don't. The stars give a clear enough answer.

* literally. Though sometimes on top of, I understand.

Posted by bob_brown (anonymous) on December 13, 2007 at 9:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)

The situations aren't analogous yet. The concern in Kline's case wasn't so much appearance of impropriety as it was the improper use of the AG's office for partisan ends. If it turns out Morrison in fact attempted to influence a legal proceeding to disparage Kline (and threatened retaliation when Carter refused), you'll have a good point. Until then comparisons are partisan grudgery. Regardless, hopefully Morrison will acknowledge his dreadfully poor judgment and resign.

Posted by El_Borak (Bill Hoyt) on December 13, 2007 at 10:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)

"hopefully Morrison will acknowledge his dreadfully poor judgment and resign."

I do not care a whit if Morrison resigns or not. I'll feel no joy if he does, suffer no ill feelings if he does not. It was stupid, criminal, and a violation of public trust, but it really affects the public far less than, for example, hiring one's own former law firm to represent the state in the tobacco settlement.

I do feel bad for his wife, though, she's a classy lady and does not deserve any of this.

Posted by DOTDOT (anonymous) on December 14, 2007 at 10:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)

"Damn. I should have known that nothing escapes the dots..."

That's why you keep me around.

Posted by El_Borak (Bill Hoyt) on December 14, 2007 at 10:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I think it's the uncanny resemblance to Clark Gable.

Posted by Mr_A (Bryan Anderson) on December 14, 2007 at 2:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)

He' s resigning, so apparently he guilty, or the vast right wing conspiracy is more effective than I give it credit for.

Posted by El_Borak (Bill Hoyt) on December 14, 2007 at 3:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)

If you must know, it was bob_brown's last post that did it. Someone must serve as the last straw.

Posted by bob_brown (anonymous) on December 14, 2007 at 4:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)

What do you expect? I'm an 18 time Central States Heavyweight Champion. Harley Race in his prime was no match for me. Hell, death and six feet of frozen clay are no match for me. Paul Morrison knew what was good for himself.

Posted by El_Borak (Bill Hoyt) on December 14, 2007 at 6:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)

bob_brown doesn't read books. He just stares them down until they volunteer the information he wants...

Posted by justthefacts (anonymous) on December 17, 2007 at 1:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)

In case it escaped notice, El Borak's comment about who prosecuted the last case of adultry in KS - Eric R. - same man who was chief of staff when PK was AG and who works with him still and may soon be running for DA in Shawnee county.

And I too found it interesting to note how little press this story initially got (especially in the LJW); while it made front page news in Topeka and KC, it made page B-12 in Lawrence. That did make me go "hmmmmmmmmm" and wonder what page it would have made if it was PK doing the same thing(s).....

Posted by who_mikejones1978 (anonymous) on December 21, 2007 at 5:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I wouldn't say resigning makes him guilty. Of course it appears that way. But maybe he saw that this thing was gonna get real ugly and drawn out for a long time, so the easiest way to get it off the front pages and off of peoples minds at least temporarily was to step down. time will tell.