Morrison Watch: "Kansans deserved better"

The state's largest newspapers are now weighing in on the controversy surrounding Attorney General Paul Morrison.

The Wichita Eagle editorializes about how the state deserved better, but urges caution on booting Morrison from office.

The Kansas City Star, which covers Morrison's old stomping ground of Johnson County, sounds a lot angrier in its editorial.

Meanwhile, Kansas City Star reporters add an article speculating that Morrison's political future may be over. The following passage is significant, particularly given the fact that Loomis once worked for Sebelius and has close ties to Democrats.

Sebelius’ comments probably mean that top Democrats want Morrison to explain himself, according to Burdett Loomis, a University of Kansas political scientist.

He said Democrats probably would stand by him if the allegations of meddling and harassment turned out to be unfounded.

Still, Loomis said, the damage to Morrison’s future may be done.

“I don’t see how even if Morrison stays in office that he possibly wins re-election,” he said.

Even worse for Morrison: The Star reports that a long-time supporter, Johnson County newspaper columnist Steve Rose, told talk radio that Morrison should resign "because of the cloud hanging over him."

For me the most disheartening part of this story is this. (The emphasis is mine.)

Even if he stays put, observers said that Morrison’s troubles were certain to cripple his political future and potentially curtail the Democratic resurgence that Morrison helped start in Kansas.