Phill Kline
| Phill Kline | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Attorney General of Kansas | |
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In office January 6, 2003 – January 8, 2007 |
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| Preceded by | Carla Stovall |
| Succeeded by | Paul J. Morrison |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
December 31, 1959 Kansas City, Kansas |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Deborah Kline |
| Profession | Attorney (license indefinitely suspended) |
Phillip D. "Phill" Kline (born December 31, 1959) is a former Kansas state legislator (1992-2000), former district attorney of Johnson County, and the Attorney General of Kansas from January 2003 to January 2007. Kline, a member of the Republican Party, lost re-election as attorney general to Democratic challenger, Johnson County District Attorney Paul Morrison, on November 7, 2006, 58%-41%. Having been appointed by the Republican County Central Committee over Steve Howe to fill the vacancy left by Paul Morrison's election as Kansas Attorney General, Kline became the district attorney of Johnson County on the day he left office as attorney general, essentially switching jobs with Morrison. Kline then ran for a full term as district attorney, but was defeated by Howe in the August 5, 2008, Republican primary.
On October 18, 2013, Kline's Kansas law license was indefinitely suspended by the Kansas Supreme Court, which held in a written opinion that there was "clear and convincing evidence" that Kline committed 11 violations of conduct rules while he was the state's top law enforcement officer from January 2003 to January 2007 and later as Johnson County's District Attorney.
While in office, Kline served as Chairman of the Republican Attorneys' General Association, Co-Chairman of the National Violent Sexual Predator Apprehension Task Force, President of the Midwest Association of Attorneys General, Prosecutor of the Year for the National Alliance of the Mentally Ill and Executive Committee Member of the National Association of Attorneys General.
Kline was a polarizing figure in state politics, largely surrounding the issue of abortion. He filed charges against Dr. George Tiller, a late-term abortion provider, and led a years-long effort to prosecute Planned Parenthood in Kansas, which he said had failed to submit reports when young women (15 and younger) came to get abortions.
Born in Kansas City, Kansas, Kline grew up in Shawnee, a community on the Kansas side of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. He was the third of five children; his father abandoned the family when Kline was five years old, leaving his mother to be a single parent.
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