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Morrison resigns in scandal

By CARL MANNING
Associated Press Writer

TOPEKA -- Attorney General Paul Morrison announced his resignation Friday, less than a week after he acknowledged having an extramarital affair with a former employee who's accused him of sexual harassment and professional misconduct.

Morrison's resignation is effective Jan. 31, 2008. Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, a fellow Democrat, will appoint his replacement to serve the remaining three years of the term.

The woman, Linda Carter, has said she and Morrison had a two-year affair starting in September 2005 -- meaning it continued while Morrison ran for attorney general last year and after he took office.

''I have held others accountable for their actions, and now I must be held accountable for my mistakes,'' Morrison said in a statement read to reporters outside his office.

At one point, he paused to gather himself. ''Many people feel betrayed by my actions, and they have every right to feel that way.''

After finishing his statement, Morrison returned to his office without taking questions from reporters.

Carter filed a civil rights complaint with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in November, several weeks before leaving her job as director of administration for the Johnson County district attorney's office. Morrison was district attorney for 18 years before winning the attorney general's office. That made him Carter's supervisor, and she has said she initially resisted his advances.

Morrison switched parties and ousted Republican incumbent Phill Kline in last year's race. Johnson County Republicans then named Kline district attorney.

And Carter accused Morrison of unsuccessfully trying to persuade her to write letters on behalf of eight former employees fired after Kline took over the county office. In August, a federal magistrate dismissed all but one count in a wrongful termination lawsuit the eight employees filed.

She also said she claimed Morrison sought sensitive information about Kline's activities as district attorney.

Her allegations were detailed in a statement obtained by the Topeka Capital-Journal, which broke the story Sunday. Morrison acknowledged the affair but denied her allegations of harassment or professional misconduct.

''I have great faith in our system of justice and believe the truth ultimately comes out. And it will in this case,'' he said.

Kris Kobach, chairman of the Kansas Republican Party, said resigning was Morrison's only ''plausible option.''

''Paul Morrison has disgraced the office which he was elected to,'' Kobach said in a statement. ''The people of Kansas deserve better than scandals, rumors and embarrassment from their chief law enforcement official.''

But Sebelius said Kansans are ''grateful'' for Morrison's years of public service and that she respects his decision. She helped recruit Morrison to run as a Democrat late in 2005.

''Now we must now turn our attention to selecting a new attorney general and restoring Kansans' confidence in our state's top law enforcement agency,'' she said in a statement. ''My priorities are to protect the people of Kansas and preserve their faith in our system of justice.''

Even before Morrison's announcement, politicians speculated Sebelius might replace him with Securities Commissioner Chris Biggs, a former Geary County attorney who narrowly lost the 2002 attorney general's race to Kline.

Other names mentioned include Lt. Gov. Mark Parkinson and Douglas County District Attorney Charles Branson. But spokeswoman Nicole Corcoran said Sebelius will look at ''all possible talented candidates.''

''There is no set time frame, and we will do the best we can to get the right person in there as quickly as possible,'' Corcoran said. ''Party has not been part of our discussions.''

Washburn University political scientist Bob Beatty said Morrison's departure now helps minimize political damage.

''It's the best time for him to resign because it gives Kansans three years to have someone do a good job and let them forget about Paul Morrison,'' he said.

Meanwhile, Kline plans to appoint a special prosecutor to look into what he said Thursday was blackmail and telephone harassment. While he didn't name the target of the investigation, a county official confirmed it was Morrison.

Neither Kline nor his spokesman, Brian Burgess, returned telephone messages left Friday.

The state board that reviews allegations of misconduct against attorneys also is investigating Morrison's conduct, at the request of Morrison. The Kansas Supreme Court would have the final say on what sanctions, if any, could be imposed against Morrison's law license.

Brian Russell, a Lawrence attorney representing Carter, declined to comment on Morrison's resignation, noting the investigations by the EEOC, Kline's office and the state board.

''We believe it would be inappropriate for us to say anything that might interfere with those people being able to do their jobs,'' Russell said.

House Speaker Melvin Neufeld, an Ingalls Republican, said there appears to be no reason for the Legislature to become involved with pending investigations. He said Morrison's resignation is in the best interest of the state and his family.

''Kansas needs an attorney general who can focus on the duties of the office and the legal needs of the state,'' Neufeld said. ''It is clear this is not possible for Mr. Morrison to do.''

Some Republicans and many of Morrison's critics saw Carter's allegations about official misconduct as potentially the most serious ones.

Morrison said during his news conference, ''I've made mistakes in my personal life, but I've always obeyed our laws and done the right thing professionally.''

''Because of my actions in my personal life, many people have stopped believing in me,'' Morrison added. ''This has been damaging to this office, my staff and the people of the state.''

But Sen. Phil Journey, a Haysville Republican and an attorney, said after Morrison acknowledged having the affair, ''It just lent credibility to everything that Linda Carter said.''

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Associated Press writers John Hanna in Topeka and Roxana Hegeman in Wichita contributed to this report.