For Kansans Only - Microsoft settlement at stake

[Jim Herrmann]

This is only for people who live in Kansas.  The Show-Me people can just 
delete now.

Fellow Kansans, I personally spoke with Chris Biggs, who is running for 
Attorney General of the state of Kansas.  As you know, Kansas is a state that 
is still holding out on the Microsoft settlement, refusing to go along with 
the no teeth agreement that Microsoft bought from AG Ashcroft.  Mr. Biggs 
assures me that he would continue to prosecute the Microsoft case, and that 
his opponent believes that going after businesses is bad for business.  I 
think the only people Phil Kline is interested in prosecuting are doctors 
performing legal abortions.  Anyway, below is an article that gives some more 
background on the two candidates.  I would encourage you to vote for the guy 
who can and will finish off the Microsoft case, be you Democrat, Republican, 
Green, Libertarian, or independent.

Get out and VOTE Nov. 5th !!!

Thanks for listening,
Jim Herrmann

By Steve Rose, The Johnson County Sun

If Kansas had an elected position of Surgeon General, would you vote for a
candidate who had never performed surgery? For that matter, would you vote
for a candidate who had hardly practiced medicine of any kind?

If your answer is yes, you can skip the rest of this.

If your answer is no, you obviously believe that someone in a high position
of great responsibility should have the experience to go with the job.
Phill Kline is no more qualified to be Attorney General -- the top law
enforcement official in Kansas -- than the man in the moon.  Let's cut to
the chase. Phill Kline's legal experience is pathetic. He has been a
full-time politician with a law degree who has spent, at most, just a few
years, off and on, practicing law. Since he obtained his law license in
1987, Phill Kline has been so uninvolved in the practice of law that he
allowed his law license to lapse three times.

Phill Kline has never prosecuted a case, except as a summer intern.  This is
a critical deficiency. The single most important part of the Attorney 
General's job is as a prosecutor. Ask any prosecuting attorney what it would
be like to have a boss who had not prosecuted a case, except as an intern,
and you will see a grimace.

Phill Kline has never managed even one attorney. The Attorney General's
responsibility includes managing 40 attorneys, plus 60 other staff members.
Phill Kline decided to run for this position only after he was asked by the
White House to withdraw his name from nomination for U.S. Attorney, and
after polls indicated he would once again have a difficult time unseating
incumbent Dennis Moore in what would be another unsuccessful race for U.S.
Congress.

Phill Kline then turned his eye to the Kansas Attorney General's office.

Now, let's see how this stacks up against Chris Biggs, who is also running
for Attorney General.

Chris Biggs has been the prosecuting attorney in Geary County for 13 years.
In that time, his office has handled thousands of cases. Chris Biggs knows
the criminal and civil codes inside and out. He understands, firsthand, what
it means to meet the burden of proof. His office has sent 800 criminals to
prison.

Chris Biggs has tried dozens of cases in court. He has, himself, handled 25
homicides.  Chris Biggs has managed a staff of four attorneys and seven
associates, a microcosm of the Attorney General's office.

So, on the one hand, we have Phill Kline, a virtual novice in the practice
of law, with only a very recent interest in the position of Attorney General.  
On the other, we have a seasoned veteran in Chris Biggs. He has been 
preparing his whole adult life for the responsibilities of the job of 
Attorney General, and he is ready.  There is no contest.

Now, one last word about Phill Kline, from someone who has been covering him
in Johnson County since he cut his eyeteeth in politics: Phill Kline is 
charming. He is energetic. He is affable. He is endearing.  He certainly is a 
seasoned campaigner.

Phill Kline, however, is also irresponsible and reckless. He will champion 
anything for headlines, including his radical efforts in the legislature to 
eliminate all property taxes. Had he been successful, our schools would be 
bankrupt today.

It is no secret that Phill Kline views the Attorney General's office merely
as a stepping stone to the governor's office.    Should that scenario play
out, heaven help us.

©The Johnson County Sun 2002