It's Time to Vote Against Phill Kline. Again.

[Brainiac]

To the surprise of no one, Phill Kline has reneged on his pledge NOT to run for re-election as Johnson Country District Attorney.

You might remember Phill Kline. In 2002 he was elected to be Attorney General for the state of Kansas. At the time of his election most moderate Republicans were appalled. He was completely unqualified to be Attorney General. It's true that he did receive a Law Degree from Kansas University in 1987. However, after that he did not practice law. From the time he graduated from law school until the time he became Attorney General, he was primarily interested in three things: hosting radio programs, running for office, and being a political activist.

Phill Kline cared so little about actually practicing law that he never tried a criminal case. He cared so little about practicing law that he actually allowed his law license to lapse three times.

So how did such an unqualified guy manage to win a statewide election to Attorney General in the first place? The answer: abortion.

Phill Kline is opposed to abortion. No, strike that. Phill Kline is very, very opposed to abortion. Nope, that doesn't state the case strongly enough either. How about this: Phill Kline is obsessed with abortion. Phill Kline is consumed by abortion. Phill Kline will do just about anything to stop abortion. Phill Kline is the abortion anti-Christ.

All right, now we're getting somewhere. Phill Kline, the abortion anti-Christ. That sums up his position pretty well.

Phill Kline was able to garner enough support from abortion opponents that he wound up being elected Attorney General in 2002. Religious fundamentalists who oppose abortion are very well-organized in Kansas.

Don't get me wrong. Phill Kline has every right to take whatever position he likes on whatever issue strikes his fancy. And he has the right to be as zealous about it as he wants to be. If he is convinced that abortion is murder and if he is convinced that the doctors who provide abortions are more evil than the Nazis who exterminated the Jews during the Holocaust, that's his right. In fact, it's his duty as a private citizen to speak out as zealously as he can against injustices.

But when you run for the job of either Attorney General or District Attorney, your job is to enforce existing laws and to prosecute those who break the law. It's not your job to change the law. It's not your job to harass people who aren't breaking existing laws simply because you are morally opposed to what they are doing. If you do that, you aren't doing your job: you're simply promoting your own personal agenda.

Johnson County doesn't need a district attorney obsessed with promoting his personal agenda any more than the state of Kansas did. And after four years of watching Phill Kline turn the office of Attorney General into his own anti-abortion task force, the Kansas voters threw him out of office. The voters in Johnson County now need to do the same. There are real criminals out there who need to prosecuted, and they need to have qualified people prosecuting them. Phill Kline has never been qualified to do that.

Right now the Johnson Country District Attorney's office is getting ready to prosecute Edwin Hall for the senseless murder of Kelsey Smith. If Phill Kline bungles this case because he is too obsessed with the abortion issue to give this case the attention or the expertise that it deserves, that will be unforgivable.

Phill Kline was given the job of District Attorney two years ago by the Johnson County Republican Party after Paul Morrison vacated the job. Kline was appointed to the position after pledging that if he were appointed he would not run for re-election in 2008. It's not surprising that he "changed his mind". What is surprising is that anyone believed him two years ago.

Moderate Republican voters in Johnson County who oppose Phill Kline need to get out and vote for Steve Howe in the Republican Primary in August. Steve Howe was one of seven assistant district attorneys fired when Kline took office in January 2007. He has 18 years of experience in the district attorney's office. For more information about him, see www.stevehowe2008.com.

If Kline should manage to win the Republican primary, he will be opposed in the general election by former Johnson County prosecutor Rick Guinn. His web site can be found at www.jocoda.com.

[user]

Guys like this need to get out of the way so fresh blood can enter the body politic.

[Phobia]

Opposing abortion is a pretty good reason to vote for the guy. He has my vote for sure.

[user]

Phil Kline isn't the only lawyer in KS to oppose abortion. He's damaged goods on the subject. Another face with different tactics would serve the cause better, IMO.

[Brainiac]

Opposing abortion is a pretty good reason to vote for the guy. He has my vote for sure.

If you're good with being a single issue voter, then Phill Kline is definitely your guy.

I guess we'll find out soon enough if your position is the majority position.

[Trogdor]

Opposing abortion is a pretty good reason to vote for the guy. He has my vote for sure.

I think this is a huge problem for me with several candidates. I am not looking to get into a scrap with anyone over abortion issues, but will say that I feel that it is murder and only permissible under the most extreme of circumstances. In the past, the stance on abortion was a deal breaker for me. This leaves me in quite a quandary regarding Kline and others of his ilk as I do NOT approve of his tactics, demeanor, or performance to this point. It's a tough spot to be and I feel a bit handcuffed at present. Throw in a general apathy about the candidates (not the issues - the candidates) and I am having trouble getting motivated enough to make a choice of any sort.

Can I just turn all my cards (candidates) in and ask for 5 new ones?

I just take comfort in knowing it will be different when I am King!

[O&A Army]

Opposing abortion is a pretty good reason to vote for the guy. He has my vote for sure.

If he were running for a seat in the legislature, supreme court, or Governor, you could say so. Unfortunately, the AG should be looking out for the best interest of Kansas and making sure they aren't getting ripped off. This is not a bully pulpit. He has very specific duties and none of those really have to do with abortion.

The Jerry Johnsons and Chad Franklins of the world will be funding this campaign.

[Phobia]

I'm in fact pro-life yet not even a resident of Kansas. Just playing devil's advocate for the sake of discussion. I'm known to do that from time to time.

[TheBigGuy]

His duaghter looks like Molly Ringwald. That's all I got to say about that.