|
Posted on Thursday, December 28, 2006
McKinney a longtime abortion foe
BY DEB GRUVER
The Wichita Eagle
The Wichita lawyer who Attorney General Phill Kline named as a
special prosecutor in the George Tiller case is a longtime abortion
opponent who supported Kline's failed re-election bid.
Donald McKinney was admitted to the
Kansas Bar Association in 1987. He is active and listed in good
standing.
Kline called McKinney, a Democrat and
brother of House Minority Leader
Dennis McKinney, D-Greensburg, a
highly respected attorney.
McKinney could not be reached for
comment late Wednesday.
"This appointment of an independent
special prosecutor will remove this investigation from a highly
charged political process," Kline said during a news conference
Wednesday.
But Wichita lawyer
Dan Monnat, one of Tiller's
lawyers, said of McKinney, "We've known him to protest outside
Tiller's clinic."
Cheryl Sullenger, spokeswoman for the
anti-abortion group Operation Rescue, said that within the last year
she's seen McKinney outside Tiller's clinic "praying for the
babies," walking up and down the sidewalk. "He has a constitutional
right to do that."
His opposition to abortion shouldn't
disqualify him, she said. "I think you can have personal views on
things and still conduct yourself professionally, and I think Mr.
McKinney would do that."
As for him being outside the clinic,
she said: "I think it gives him a unique perspective when it comes
to prosecuting this man. You don't have to be neutral to do your
job."
Steve Joseph, a longtime Wichita
lawyer, said that "in terms of the legal community, Don is
politically and socially on the far-right fringe."
During this fall's attorney general's
race, McKinney was a leader of a group called Democrats for Kline,
along with state Sen. Mark Gilstrap of Kansas City, Kan., and former
state Rep. Charles Laird of Tecumseh.
In October, McKinney criticized The
Eagle in front of its offices for not investigating 15-year-old,
unproven allegations of sexual harassment against challenger Paul
Morrison, and for an editorial criticizing statements Kline made at
campaign events.
McKinney said the old charges raised
serious questions about Morrison's character, though two lawsuits
filed by a former employee were dismissed and she received no
damages.
In July 2001, McKinney represented
local members of the group Operation Save America who took the city
of Wichita to federal court after it blocked an anti-abortion parade
outside Tiller's clinic. A federal judge overturned the city's
action.
In May 1992, a year after the
so-called "Summer of Mercy" anti-abortion protests in Wichita,
McKinney urged City Council members to prohibit off-duty police
officers from working as security guards at medical clinics. He also
accused city leaders of spending thousands of dollars guarding
clinics where abortions are performed.
A month later, he said a list of one
council member's campaign contributions showed "how the blood money
of the abortionist has crept into the political process." That
council member is no longer in office.
Bill Townsley, president-elect of the
Wichita Bar Association, said that he could not offer an official
association comment but said McKinney is a member in good standing
and participates in committees.
The disciplinary administrator's
office, an arm of the Kansas Supreme Court, has no record of
disciplinary action or complaints against McKinney.
Contributing: Tim Potter of The
Eagle; Associated Press
Reach Deb Gruver at 316-268-6400 or dgruver@wichitaeagle.com |
