TOPEKA ? Operation Rescue, a national anti-abortion group, today gave outgoing Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline its man of the year award.

Kline received the award for his investigation into two abortion clinics, said Troy Newman, president of the organization.

Kline has said he is investigating allegations of sex offenses and illegal late-term abortions. The clinics have accused Kline of going on a politically motivated fishing expedition.

Kline was defeated in the general election in November by Democrat Paul Morrison, who made an issue of the investigation during the campaign.

Newman said of Kline, “It would have been politically expedient to have walked away from his investigation in order to save his political career, but instead he chose to stand on integrity and principle.”

Kline was then appointed by Republican Party precinct officials to take Morrison’s place as Johnson County district attorney.

Operation Rescue gave its woman of the year award to Leslie Unruh for spearheading an abortion ban in South Dakota. The law was repealed in the November general election .