Johnson County District Attorney Phill Kline has decided not to participate in grievance hearings for eight employees dismissed on Monday, a county official said this afternoon. That means the county will not hold the hearings, chief counsel Don Jarrett said. What happens next is up to the affected employees, he said.
Kline had until noon to say whether he would participate.
Posted by Keith Chrostowski
Democrat Johnson County Commissioners, Ed Peterson and John Segale, will be the speakers at the JoCo Democrat's 2nd Saturday Breakfast, January 13th, Lenexa Holiday Inn. Breakfast buffet opens at 8:00.
Please join us, and help us plan how we can next attack Phill Kline and make sure he is totally ineffective as Johnson County DA.
Posted by: | January 12, 2007 at 03:35 PM
"Please join us, and help us plan how we can next attack Phill Kline and make sure he is totally ineffective as Johnson County DA."
Your atempt at sarcasm is understood, but it doesn't work. Here's why. Kline is already taking care of that "ineffective" part just fine on his own. Since he doesn't actually require any help with that, you see how the sarcasm doesn't really work?
Posted by: | January 12, 2007 at 04:34 PM
The next step is to see just how unethically Morrison behaves in this situation. It now goes to him. let's see just how many of his pals, contributors and cronies are above the law and any ethical questions.
Posted by: Gentle Ben | January 12, 2007 at 04:55 PM
GB - What is it that makes you think Morrison is unethical? Is it the talking points you get from the Kline camp? Morrison has done nothing but dedicate the past 25 years of his life to the JoCo DA's office.
The simple fact is, Kline could have fired these people the right way, and this wouldn't be a story. Also, it would allow Morrison to do his job as AG without having to deal with an employment mess created by Phill because he was on vacation instead of actually planning to do his new job.
Posted by: mike | January 12, 2007 at 05:56 PM
Uh, I don't know, maybe it's the fact that he fired the special prosecutor who was going after his biggest benefactor. Or maybe it was the vindictive manner in which he tried to get the joco commission to slash Kline's salary. Or maybe it's the fact that he has 30 charges that we know of that he could be pursuing against that same benefactor and has failed thus far to do so. Maybe it's the fact that I don't think he has the integrity to have anything to do with Kline. In fact, don't you find it suspicious that the shyster representing the Idiot Eight is also a Morrison contributor? I do. It's all just a little too neat.
Kansas, as corrupt as you think it is.
Posted by: Gentle Ben | January 12, 2007 at 06:55 PM
Then move, Ben.
Kansas was a great place to live until it was invaded by the rw fundies. First they embarrassed us with their anti-evolution nonsense and now they just refuse to give up on promoting their hero Phill. (Who, by the way, has been IMPOSED on Johnson County, after they couldn't get him fairly elected.) Now they cry foul when Phill fires people with 4 hours notice and those of us who think this is lousy have the nerve to complain about their hero.
Abortion is LEGAL. Dr. Tiller has been investigated repeatedly and has yet to be found guilty of a crime. Give it a rest. If you don't believe in abortion, don't have one.
Posted by: Kansan | January 12, 2007 at 07:18 PM
First, prior to 1/8, Morrison had no jurisdiction to pursue anything against Tiller. Morrison - was JoCo DA. Tiller - resident and practiced in Sedgwick Co.
Second, Morrison is looking at the materials to determine if there is a need to file criminal charges. Fact is, Foulston couldn't get Kline to give her all of his records - even though he apparently had no problems giving them to Bill O'Reilly. Also, for those of you saying Foulston lied, consider this - she made her statement in a legal filing. If she stated an untruth, she would be disbarred. Kline brayed before the media, but did not appear at the hearing to argue the matter himself.
Third, as far as the attorney is concerned. Apparently you would only be happy if a Kline contributor represented the wrongly fired employees (note - I'm not saying they couldn't be fired, I'm saying that the lawyer selected by the JoCo Repub precinct people didn't follow the law in firing them). The problem with that is you would immediately call that person a turncoat, liberal, commie and start questioning their ethics.
Your arguments are flawed and your logic is tired. Go watch Fox.
Posted by: mike | January 12, 2007 at 07:41 PM
Why am I not suprised that ole philly won't participate in the grievance hearings??? The only time he will EVER be present at anything is if there's grandstanding to do.
Posted by: | January 12, 2007 at 08:34 PM
Phill Kline, as incompetent as you think.
Posted by: dingojoe | January 12, 2007 at 09:28 PM
To think I thought the leftists on the WE blog were idiots above and beyond the norm.
Posted by: Unreal | January 12, 2007 at 10:50 PM
No, Mike, follow this. If you were one of the Idiot Eight and wanted your job back, really wanted your job back, which strategy would you pursue, hire someone who knows and can talk privately to Phill to reassure him that you are not out to damage his office, or hire a major contributor to his biggest enemy, who then stands in front of the courthouse like a braying jackass bad mouthing the very guy you want to get along with.
I sincerely question who this lawyer was representing out there, because that is the stupidest way I've ever seen to try and convince someone that you mean them no harm and that you're safe to bring back on staff. he is supposed to represent his clients' best interest, but he clearly has not done that. he's not my attorney, so I have no standing to file an ethics complaint against him, but if he were, I would.
And, if this is the strategy they chose, I think it's outrageous that anyone would ask Phill to take them back.
Posted by: Gentle Ben | January 13, 2007 at 02:15 AM
Mike,
Why does Morrison have to deal with the Olathe 8 mess? Why not hire a special prosecutor? Wouldn't that make it less political? He has an opportunity to be the bigger man -- he is the bigger office now, right?
Posted by: Jeetzwillager | January 13, 2007 at 08:12 AM
Gentle Ben -- makes a lot of sense to me.
Posted by: Jeetzwillager | January 13, 2007 at 08:15 AM
Even better -- Morrison could hire an "arbitrator" to handle the employment problem. I'm a former educator who was also a salary negotiator for my school district. (from another state) Anyway, in that State when we reached an "impasse" which means a decision can not be agreed on by either side, then an arbitrator (similar to a spec. prosecutor) was selected to make the final decision. It is called Binding Arbitration.
Kansas is only local in its bargaining -- no State Code for collective bargaining -- therefore it is why the decision is being legally given to the previous local "boss." And Morrison was the previous DA.
Morrison has the legal power to hire an arbitrator to make it less political. (And arbitrators are NOT expensive at all -- many times they are college professors or retired judges who are experts in employment law)
Will Morrison be the bigger man and do that?
Posted by: Jeetzwillager | January 13, 2007 at 09:16 AM
How about Judge Donald Allegrucci who is newly retired from the Supreme Court -- he was a pretty astute scholar on education funding.
He would make a great arbitrator for this impasse.
Posted by: Jeetzwillager | January 13, 2007 at 09:29 AM
How about expecting Phill to follow county rules and procedures? You Phill fans just refuse to admit that he has made any mistakes. What is he, God?
As for the attorney they hired, yes, if I was appealing a decision like this, I would want the best lawyer who was NOT a friend of the person who wronged me. That certainly isn't rocket science.
You Phill fans also need to understand that maybe, just maybe, these staff members who were fired are more interested in serving the people of the county than working for Phill. Of course, they are most likely not Phill worshippers like you guys. So that may be a tough concept for you to grasp. But here is a clue - most of us who are in govt service jobs chose our professions to help and serve PEOPLE, not to make nicey nice with the boss.
Posted by: | January 13, 2007 at 01:25 PM
So you folks in government service think you're above the concerns of your superiors? Quite frankly that makes me wish we would go back to the days when a change of officeholders meant a complete turnover of the employees of that office.
Here you elitists think Kline should have to put up with people who want to undermine the effectiveness of his office and then you'll complain when he doesn't meet his goals. Sweep the decks clean and then hold the officeholder accountable for the behavior of their employees.
The parasites of the Idiot Eight need to get lost rather trying to undermine the criminal justice system in Johnson County.
Posted by: Gentle Ben | January 13, 2007 at 02:07 PM
I just can't get over the arrogance of someone who says he doesn't have to make nicey nice with his boss. I don't care which side of the fence you're on, your boss should fire your behind just on general principles. If you think you're so perfect and such a gift to "the people" drag behind down and register to run for your boss' office rather than stabbing him in the back. After reading your post every public employee should serve solely at the whim of his superior. Zero rights. If you don't like it, get a real job like everyone else.
Posted by: Gentle Ben | January 13, 2007 at 02:18 PM
Yes, serving the people doesn't matter at all. Just kiss up to the boss and forget about the customers.
You don't work in public service, do you, Ben?
Posted by: | January 13, 2007 at 02:21 PM
No, I have a real job. Keep posting though, you're letting people know just how arrogant these low level bureaucrats are that they think they know more about what should happen than the officials "the people" elected to run the office. I repeat, I don't care whether you're a conservative, or a liberal, you're scary and I can only hope you work somewhere where your boss can fire you. Although given the nature of our parasitic "public" service jobs that's probably wishful thinking.
Posted by: Gentle Ben | January 13, 2007 at 02:54 PM
well... "parasitic" certainly defines philly's elitist approach to his sense of public service a.k.a. his ideology.
Posted by: THAT was my foot | January 13, 2007 at 03:59 PM
Oh Ben, you are allowing your ideology slip to show. Now you criticize serving people. That makes me wonder what kind of work (if any) you do. It certainly can't be a real job, as those involve customer service.
See, those of us in public service see the elected ones come and go while we are still there running the offices and departments. You know, doing the REAL work. Sometimes that involves teaching that elected one how to run the office. Some of them are very good politicians (I guess they have to be to get elected) but they don't know the first thing about serving the public - or actually doing the job they were elected to do. Sadly, raising money to run for office and soliciting votes are usually not job duties for the elected ones once they are in office.
Like Phill. Since he has such little experience as a real lawyer, he will depend on the workers in his office to show him what to do. Hence, he cleaned out the ranks to make sure he will be surrounded by employees who not only will help him do his job, but also respect and share his principles. The bad part is not that he did this, but that he did not follow the rules to do it. He also didn't think twice about treating people like dirt in the process. Sounds like a character flaw to me.
And once he is gone in 2 years, the little people who just work there will still be there serving the public. And contrary to what you believe, they most definitely are held accountable and are fired for cause, just like in the private business world. That is, except when Phill is the boss.
Posted by: | January 13, 2007 at 04:00 PM
GB - You're making a huge assumption. You assume that they wanted to undermine Kline. They wanted no such thing. They only wanted to continue in their job serving the people of Johnson County.
The fact that you refuse to see anything wrong with what Kline did is amazing. Kline chose not to make a timely decision. He chose not to follow longstanding County policies, or, in the alternative, to take the necessary steps to opt out of those policies. Instead, he skipped out on the last week of his job as AG and went on vacation to Florida.
Posted by: mike | January 13, 2007 at 04:04 PM
the attitude that you're going to do what you want to do no matter who the people elect gives lie to your assertion that you're serving the public. In your own dinky fiefdom you've made yourself a little dictator and as I said you are very, very scary.
And to Mike the same thing, what arrogance that you think that these petty bureaucrats have the absolute right to determine when, where and how they're going to "serve" the public. Employment at will is the solution for these arrogant little dictators and it's obvious that a whole lot more of them should get the axe. If you can't serve your employer with respect and integrity quit and run for the office yourself. As it is these duds deserve only contempt from those they claim to "serve".
Again, if they wanted heir jobs back they wouldn't be standing outside the courthouse like a pack of braying jackasses, they would have found an attorney Phill would trust and then they would have gone discreetly to Phill making their case. The Idiot Eight are just troublemakers who were rightly given the boot.
Posted by: Gentle Ben | January 13, 2007 at 04:21 PM
"Methinks thou doth protest too much," and that too many people speak of things they know too little about. If these people feel they were wronged, they can find a lawyer and pursue legal action. Kline has come to Johnson County and started cleaning house. If he's made a mistake right out of the gate, we'll see the results soon enough. (Two years until the next election, right?)
Posted by: mighty | January 13, 2007 at 05:45 PM