On October 20th 1973 Richard Nixon fired Archibald Cox, the special prosecutor appointed by Attorney General Elliot Richardson to investigate the events surrounding the June 17, 1972 Watergate break-in that had been carried out by political supporters of the President. This action and the string of high level resignations that followed was dubbed the “Saturday Night Massacre” by political commentators. The act of firing a special prosecutor charged with the investigation of the alleged misconduct of his political supporters, while legally within President Nixon’s power, justly led to a withering storm of criticism against him. It was in defense of this action that President Nixon gave his famed “I am not a crook” speech; less than a year latter he resigned the presidency.
This week in Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline appointed Don McKinney to serve as special prosecutor in the ongoing criminal investigation of late term-abortionist George Tiller. To give this matter proper context it is important to note that the two judges who have reviewed the current evidence in the case have found probable cause to believe that crimes have been committed. Sedgwick County District Court Judge Eric Yost issued a summons for Mr. Tiller to appear to answer the charges.
Attorney General Elect Paul Morrison has made it clear that his first act after being sworn in as Attorney General on Monday January 8th will be to fire special prosecutor McKinney, thus ending McKinney’s investigation of Mr. Tiller. While this is interesting in and of itself, it becomes even more so when one takes into consideration the fact that Mr. Tiller and his ProKanDo Political Action Committee are substantial financial backers of Mr. Morrison.
Mr. Morrison’s response to all this has been to engage in sanctimonious posturing, accusing everyone else of playing politics while deflecting the core issue. Simply put, Mr. Morrison has pledged that his first act as Attorney General will be to fire the special prosecutor appointed to investigate alleged criminal misconduct by one of Mr. Morrison’s most prominent political supporters. While Mr. Morrison has the legal authority to fire Mr. McKinney, by doing so he will have inaugurated his administration with a “Monday Morning Massacre.”
Lance Kinzer
State Representative
District 14
