Topeka — A four-page memo written by Atty. Gen. Phill Kline on "church efforts" details his strategy of raising campaign funds from religious groups.
"Get the pastor to invite 5 money people' whom he knows can help," Kline tells his campaign staff in the memo.
"As much as possible get the pastor's commitment to attend and to get these 5 people there," he said.
The Aug. 8 memo was mailed to news media anonymously with a return address of "Concerned Citizens, Everywhere, KS." The envelope was postmarked in Topeka. The mailing received today by the Lawrence Journal-World also included "event sheets" that provide details of Kline's visits to churches and later receptions on the campaign trail.
Kline, a Republican, faces Democrat Paul Morrison in the Nov. 7 election.
Sherriene Jones, a spokeswoman for the Kline campaign, confirmed the memo was written by Kline.
"There isn't anything wrong with a candidate turning to his supporters," Jones said. "There isn't anything wrong or illegal with the attorney general thinking about his election campaign."
She said none of the fund-raising occurred during actual church services, but at later receptions.
Jones said the memo detailed a campaign strategy that is common with other candidates, but added that the memo was not meant for public consumption.
Mark Simpson, a spokesman for Morrison's campaign, said he had no knowledge of the mailing nor its contents.
In the memo, Kline also provides detailed instructions to his staff on how to maximize his schedule and efforts to get more campaign funds.
After he has spoken at an event, Kline says, "Get me out. Do not schedule me for social lunches. Only working lunches were (sic) we can obtain either media, money or crucial support.
"Work with Bob to try not to leave gaps in the schedule. If there is a gap, get me to a quite (sic) place so I can make phone calls or write; feed me slimfast. Do not need a sit down meal. Takes too much time."
Kline also talks about specific pastors, and abortion, which he opposes..
"Must rework Joe Wright and Terry Fox," Kline wrote, referring to two Wichita ministers who led the charge to pass a state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.
"Must get in their pulpits and have them personally host a reception to match Tiller's blood money," Kline writes, referring to Dr. George Tiller, who owns a clinic that provides late-term abortions.
"Perhaps we can get Dobson by phone. Joe, Terry and Pat must commit to get 5-10 people there who can drop $1,000 to $2,000. This will take a lot of work, contact, work, and contact. This should be early to mid-September. Get me in their pulpits," Kline wrote.
Comments
drewdun 6 years, 8 months ago
Didn't Jesus say something about money-changers in the temple?
Oh, that's right, IOKIYAR.
lelly 6 years, 8 months ago
Churches should be taxed like every other entity. At least then, they could be on the up and up about what really goes on.
kugrad 6 years, 8 months ago
He says "Get me in their pulpits" and we are to believe none of the fundraising takes place in church? Are any of you that stupid?
buffalo_star 6 years, 8 months ago
lelly, just because you have no interest in the spiritual which is your right doesn't mean many americans with whatever beliefs shouldn't be involved in the political process. Church people are influenced by their preacher nothing new there. Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton think it's OK because black church's pulpits been used by liberal politicans for years. If its good for one its good for all. It goes on with both sides.
Oh conservativeman, your name calling gets really old
Azure_Attitude 6 years, 8 months ago
Labor unions aren't churches, and there isn't awhole lot of money in most black churches. Al Sharpton's church is in Harlem - OOH he can count on BIG dollars there!! - and for 5 years I went to school across the street from Jesse Jackson's church in Chicago so I can personally tell you what a $#!^ hole that nieghborhood is so no significant cash was coming out of there. But there are votes and it doesn't take a rocket scientists, or even much talking, for a black person to conclude that voting republican is not going to do much for them.
Conservativeman, I haven't seen such LAME posts since Hoofy was booted off the LJW Boards.
Did Hoof Hearted reincarnate? They say the devil taketh many forms . . . .
Tychoman 6 years, 8 months ago
Oh crap conservativeman's still here. Who's hoof_hearted?
Tychoman 6 years, 8 months ago
Oh I know he was booted a couple of weeks ago just since he's posted even MORE offensive drivel, he's still here. I'm surprised. And disappointed. Poo.
Tychoman 6 years, 8 months ago
Oh wow two or three Sebelius supporters interrupted Barnett. Big deal. Sebelius still won the debate.
Shut up, caveman.
jayhawkbarrister 6 years, 8 months ago
With this disclosure, any church leader who sees Phill coming should run the other way. To respond at all to this kind of fundraising could jeopardize the church's non-profit tax status and subject the church to unrelated business income tax. The audit for either of these reasons is enough to kill some not-for-profits.
Agnostick 6 years, 8 months ago
It's perfectly legal to ask churchgoers for their support--it is not legal to ask for that support in a church, church-owned building, or to seek an endorsement from the church itself. There's a distinct difference that any rational human can see.
There are God-fearing, church-going members of all political parties--these same political parties also have a few atheists among their members. It runs the spectrum. Don't believe the mindless hype of the Right-wing Propoganda Machine, or RPM. Authors like Coulter write books for one purpose: to make money. So they'll say anything outrageous they can get away with, if it will increase book sales.
American religious institutions--churches, synagogues, temples, mosques--should've lost their tax-exempt statues many decades ago. When the Catholic "Knights of Columbus" successfully lobbied to have the words "under God" inserted into the Pledge of Allegiance, "the camel's nose was in the tent," so to speak. The surviving granddaughter of the Pledge's author, Francis Bellamy, said in 1954 that her grandfather would've opposed the change.
Seems that "Divine intervention" can be a license for all kinds of fascism--Islamic and otherwise.
Agnostick agnostick@excite.com
texburgh 6 years, 8 months ago
"Get me in their pulpits!" says Kline.
"Must rework Joe Wright and Terry Fox." (Fred Phelps without placards).
Phill Kline - the Kansas Taliban - in the Attorney General's office. Really strikes terror in the hearts of those who value our freedoms.
dizzy_from_your_spin 6 years, 8 months ago
Uh, doesn't Morrison have the endorsement of Rev. Fred Phelps?
Agnostick 6 years, 8 months ago
Did you arrange that, dizzy?
Do you have control over whom the Westboro Bigot Cult chooses to endorse?
Did you recommend that to Fred when you attended services last Sunday?
Agnostick agnostick@excite.com
xenophonschild 6 years, 8 months ago
Thank you, all. Laughter is wonderful, and reading your posts is a great way to start the day.
I want to be careful how I say this, for it can be construed and misconstrued in different ways, but I am shocked that Phelps is still breathing air. What he does is profound sacrilege. The depth of animosity he engenders is enough to dissolve the often tenuous ties of civilization and let loose more basic responses to familial dishonor. I'm surprised that someone from the many families he and his tribe of ignoramuses have insulted hasn't ended his shuffle on this mortal coil.
That is the most polite, semi-convoluted way I could phrase it.
Kline is a professional politician; he's interested in hanging onto his job as AG only somuch as it will provide him the foundation to pursue Pat Robert's Senate seat when that reformed bungler/panderer decides to retire.
SeaFox 6 years, 8 months ago
I know conservativeman's misspellings are intentional, but I can't help but notice that neither him or Kline can spell. Maybe it's time for neocons to take their noses out of the Bible and stick them into a schoolbook for awhile... and learn English!
This from a group that complains about immigrants speaking Spanish over here. All I have to say to that is - be "quite"!
ksmoderate 6 years, 8 months ago
C-man. Enough already? I mean, we all get a morbid kick out of your spewings from the Lunatic Fringe, but now it's becoming a broken record.
jonas 6 years, 8 months ago
Someone from a different thread the other day said that conservativeman was a poster of "satire," and not to be taken seriously. Pretty bad satire, if true, as it's mostly just offensive, but we should probably all keep that in the back of our minds.
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