Background reading to prepare for Kline ethics hearing

Kline's ethics hearing will start on Feb. 21 in the Attorney Discipline Hearing Room in the "Insurance Building" at 701 Jackson St in Topeka

The attorney ethics hearing of former Kansas Attorney General and Johnson County District Attorney Phill Kline is scheduled for the week of Feb. 21, 2011 in Topeka.

Understanding the case is not easy since many of the legal arguments are over matters that were from secret Kansas Supreme Court proceedings, a secret Shawnee County court inquisition, and secret Grand Jury proceedings in Johnson County.

The Kansas Meadowlark first wrote about the secret Kansas Supreme Court proceedings in a Dec. 4, 2007 article, Why all the secrecy in the Kansas Supreme Court? Will Phill Kline survive a legal/political battle with the Supreme Court in a secret case?

During a similar attorney ethics hearing involving Eric Rucker, an “Investigative Report” by DeFries and Mudrick dated May 21, 2008 came to light from an ethics complaint filed by Dr. Tiller’s attorney, Dan Monnat, against Kline and his assistants, Eric Rucker and Steve Maxwell.

This Investigative Report regarding “Phill D. Kline” was Exhibit A (pp. 8-28) of Rucker’s motion to reconsider the probable cause finding.  Where are the press reports about the findings from that report:

“After reviewing the substantial documentation in this case, it is the opinion of these investigators that there is no probable cause to prove that Phill Kline violated any of the rules of ethics.”

How the Office of the Disciplinary Administrator considered this exculpatory evidence in Kline’s current case is not clear.  Why the ethics case against Kline was not modified after this evidence was made available in Rucker’s case is not clear.

A number of other articles may be useful to review in anticipation of Kline’s hearing on Feb. 21 to understand the abortion politics battle in Kansas.    Articles listed below are from the Kansas Meadowlark except as noted.

Powerpoint summary of Gov. Sebelius, Dr. George Tiller, ProKanDo PAC information and abortion political money used against Phill Kline,  2002-2008.

Politics and the Kansas Judiciary.    Long list of articles about politics and the Kansas Judiciary, 2003-2010.

2/25/2005.  Tiller and his ProKanDo PAC Used Health Records from Clinic for Fundraising

Phill Kline after being elected by precinct committees to be Johnson County District Attorney in Dec 2006

10/22/2006.  Group Controlled by George Soros’ “shadow puppeteers” Attacks Phill Kline

10/29/2006.  The Snoop Dog Page.  A huge amount of political money is used to defeat Kline’s re-election to Kansas Attorney General.

12/18/2006.  The Left-Leaning and Unprofessional Kansas Press Maligns and Impugns Phill Kline

4/16/2007.  Does the “L” in KC Star’s Editorial Board Member Yael Abouhalkah’s Name Mean He’s a Liar? The Star’s Abouhalkah says the second “L” in Phill Kline’s first name stands for “Liar”.

5/22/2007.  KMBZ’s Bill Grady invents ethics case against JoCo D.A. Kline

8/20/2007.  The ProKanDo PAC raised and spent more political money than any other Kansas PAC, but wasn’t listed in the top 20 PACs in Kansas in 2006?

8/20/2007.  How the names of political contributors of over $52,000 were hidden on the ProKanDo PAC Reports.  In Nov. 2008 ProKanDo was fined $2500 for hiding names of contributors for over $71,000 in contributions.

11/26/2007.  KCTV5 Stalks Innocent Women, Teenage Girl, and Others (Oh, it’s just KCTV 5 investigating Phill Kline).  Kline was attending “secret” proceedings at the Kansas Supreme Court but the report by KCTV5 missed that during their investigation.

11/27/2007.  Defending the Dimwit, The Pitch.

12/4/2007.  Why all the secrecy in the Kansas Supreme Court? Will Phill Kline survive a legal/political battle with the Supreme Court in a secret case?

12/11/2007.  AG Morrison wants independent investigation by the Kansas Board for Discipline of Attorneys of professional misconduct allegations against him.  Lists members of Kansas Board for Discipline of Attorneys with known political contributions at that time to Kathleen Sebelius or Paul Morrison.

5/13/2008.  Jack Cashill’s latest video: Kline v. Kansas

7/26/2008.  Jack Cashill’s WorldnetDaily series about Phill Kline

7/28/2008.  Kline vs. Kansas City Star in an August Primary Election?

12/5/2008.  Kansas Chief Justice admonishes fellow justices for denigrating Phill Kline.

1/22/2009.  Topeka Rally for Life: “Free Judge Anderson”

3/8/2009.  Mystery surrounds release of letter from Kansas Attorney Disciplinary Administrator

3/12/2009.  Who is playing politics in the Kansas Judiciary by leaking information to the press?

5/12/2009.  Will the Kansas Supreme Court Free Judge Anderson tomorrow?

9/21/2009.  Formal ethics complaint against Stephen Maxwell, former Kline assistant, Kansas Watchdog

1/19/2010.  Attorney disciplinary complaint filed against former AG Phill Kline, Kansas Watchdog

1/20/2010.  Records show two on ethics panel contributed a combined $150 to campaigns opposing Phill Kline, Topeka Capital-Journal.

1/25/2010.  Rucker files motion to reconsider probable cause finding in attorney ethics case, Kansas Watchdog

3/8/2010.  Rucker says Disciplinary Administrator using “Inflammatory Language”, Kansas Watchdog.  Article also discusses political donations made by panel chair Patricia Dengler to Kathleen Sebelius, Chris Biggs, and Paul Morrison.  Rucker had asked for her disqualification partially based on these contributions.3/22/2010.  Rucker claims Disciplinary Administrator is introducing politics into attorney ethics case, Kansas Watchdog

4/29/2010.  Former AG Phill Kline responds to attorney ethics complaint, Kansas Watchdog

5/4/2010.  Only handwritten notes allowed at Rucker disciplinary hearing, Kansas Watchdog

5/13/2010.  Allegations dropped, point of contention remains in Rucker attorney ethics case, Kansas Watchdog

2/10/2011.  Why prosecutors fear the abortion industry, Jack Cashill in WorldNetDaily.

Complete webcast :  MP3 Audio (1:37:25)

Includes:

• Tim Huelskamp, U.S. Representative from Kansas,  MP3 Audio (6:43)
• Kris Kobach, Kansas Secretary of State and Constitutional Law Professor, MP3 Audio (11:38)
• Jack Cashill, Kansas City journalist and author, MP3 Audio (13:16)
• Lila Rose, president, Live Action
• Bay Buchanan, president of The American Cause Foundation and author
• Jenn Giroux, former executive director of HLI America
• David Bereit, national director of 40 Days for Life

The panel of three attorneys to hear Kline’s case are:

Jo Ann Butaud, Shawnee, 68, Republican.  Contributed $250 to Jerry Moran in 1996 and $200 in 2009 for U.S. House, and $250 in 2010 for U.S. Senate.  Butaud gave $125 to Bill Graves for Governor in 1997.  5 of 8 law partners gave to Kline’s opponent, Paul Morrison, for AG in 2006.
Calvin J. Karlin, Lawrence, 58, Democrat.  Contributed $300 to Sebelius in 2002, $100 to Sebelius in 2003; $50 to Paul Morrison each year in 2005 and 2006 for $100 total.  Karlin gave $50 to Paul Davis for State Rep in 2003, $50 to Mark Buhler in 2003,  $200 to Judy Hancock for Congress in 1996, and $400 to Jim Slattery in 1993-1994.
Jeffrey A. Chubb, Independence, 57, Republican. Contributed to $50 in 2001 to Kline’s opponent, David Adkins, for AG in 2002.  Chubb gave $350 to Carla Stovall in 1994.

Chubb wrote this letter to Newsweek in March 2008:

America’s right-wing conservative “bashers” have bashed so much that traditional Republicans such as myself are numb. They are so full of their own self-importance that they expect all “true” Republicans to simply follow their lead. Sadly, these media “entertainers” and volunteer spokesmen for the Republican Party provide nothing but entertainment. Their views do not reflect the true beliefs of most Republicans. Most of these bashers think that if they repeat a statement or a position enough times, then Republicans will just fall in line like obedient sheep. Not so. They need to realize that most Republicans are more moderate and independent thinkers. I don’t appreciate clergy and media entertainers telling me how to vote.

Jeff Chubb
Independence, Kansas

Chubb is on the Independence USD 446 school board and is a partner in the law firm Scovel , Emert, Heasty, Chubb and Gettler.

Many members of the Kansas Board for Discipline of Attorneys have made a number of political contributions.   See summary and details of partisan political contributions by members of this non-partisan board.

Related:

1/20/2010.  Records show two on ethics panel contributed a combined $150 to campaigns opposing Phill Kline, Topeka Capital-Journal.

Attorney Discipline Hearing Room