Attorney General scandal — Let it go [Editorial re ex KS AG Paul Morrison]

Topeka Capital Journal ^ | 12/30/07 | Editoral Board

[Huntress]

Silence can sometimes be golden.

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius would do well to remember that the next time she is tempted to defend Paul Morrison.

Sebelius recently commended Morrison for his professional accomplishments while attorney general. At the same time, she couldn't resist taking a swipe at Morrison's predecessor, Phill Kline.

Sebelius said recently that Morrison proved himself a capable attorney general but let personal conduct undermine his professional accomplishments.

We're not buying the spin.

And as far as Kline is concerned — we sometimes wonder how far the Democratic Party will go in attempting to discredit the Republican former attorney general.

Kline, of course, was a chief target of Sebelius' Democrats in the November 2006 elections. Morrison won big-time, clobbering Kline with 58 percent of the vote.

Then came the news that Morrison's personal conduct — we think it crept well over the line of professionalism as well — had put the state of Kansas, as well as Johnson County, in harm's way.

Morrison, the former Johnson County district attorney, turned out to be the subject of an EEOC claim that was lurid enough to qualify as a script for a soap opera.

We will spare our readers more review of the sordid details of the allegation.

But revelation of the claim sent Morrison tumbling to resignation just five days after the story broke in this newspaper.

The post-resignation politicking, from both Republicans and Democrats, has been ugly.

The GOP, of course, is looking to capitalize on Morrison's downfall. Other Democrats, no doubt, are in their sights.

Republicans very much would like to see Sebelius damaged via shrapnel from the Morrison bombshell.

For the most part, it would appear that Sebelius can escape relatively unscathed — if she puts a muzzle on her postgame comments.

Yes, Sebelius and the Democrats will forever be questioned about their knowledge — or lack thereof — of Morrison's extramarital relationship with an administrator in the Johnson County prosecutor's office. The affair was going on when Morrison ran for attorney general, and it went on after the election.

Times and locations of encounters cited in the complaint are too frequent to recap in this editorial.

And the Democratic power brokers didn't know?

At best, they appeared to be clueless. At worst, it appears they chose to turn their heads.

No matter, due diligence in determining personal integrity obviously wasn't high on the radar screen when it came to anointing the "beat Kline'' candidate.

Sebelius is now focusing on selecting Morrison's successor.

She says integrity will be a critical component, and we'll take her word for it.

She's been burned once.

Still, her post-resignation comments defending Morrison's professional efforts might come back to haunt her.

Morrison's personal conduct crossed professional lines.

Or does the governor condone the D.A. carrying on with a mistress who was a subordinate?

This was a professional gaffe as well as a personal one.

The complaint, remember, alleges that Morrison tried to influence pending litigation, implying witness tampering. If even a shred of that claim turns out to be true, the governor would be well advised to take cover.

Sebelius would be wise to be done with Paul Morrison and focus on the future.

We don't want any more Paul Morrisons, and we don't want to hear the governor's lame defense of Morrison.

Silence is your best bet, governor.

[Lancey Howard]

A Democrat newspaper is trying to help out a fellow Democrat by offering sage advice.
Sebelius should listen.

[MEGoody]

Trying reading this article:

http://www.christianpost.com/article/20070629/28237_Notorious_Late-Term_Abortionist_Faces_19_Criminal_Charges.htm

Or this one:

http://guppybork.blogspot.com/2007/08/defend-dr-george-tiller.html

There were plenty of other articles you could look at as well.

If convicted he could well go to jail. What are you going to do if that happens?

Eat my words, then celebrate. But as long as there is a Dem or RINO Attorney General, Tiller won't spend a single day in jail.

[Non-Sequitur]

There were plenty of other articles you could look at as well.

And what will they tell me that I don't already know?

Eat my words, then celebrate. But as long as there is a Dem or RINO Attorney General, Tiller won't spend a single day in jail.

Or a Phill Kline. Given his track record.

We'll see what happens to Tiller. One way or another it has to go to a jury.