Topeka ? In a stunning development in the scandal surrounding Kansas Attorney General Paul Morrison, Johnson County District Attorney Phill Kline will get to hire a special prosecutor in the case. Last year, Morrison trounced Kline in the attorney general election.

On Thursday, Johnson County Commissioners gave permission to Kline to select a special prosecutor to investigate what he called blackmail and telephone harassment.

Kline told the commission some witnesses could be from his staff. He declined to say who was the target of the probe.

A county official with knowledge of the situation who asked not to be named said Morrison is the target of the investigation, The Associated Press reported.

Morrison has been rocked by revelations that he had a two-year extra-marital affair with Linda Carter, who served as director of administration for Morrison when he was Johnson County district attorney.

Carter has filed a complaint with the federal Equal Empoyment Opportunity Commission, and accused Morrison of sexual harassment, according to the Topeka Capital-Journal. Morrison has admitted to the affair.

But Carter has also accused Morrison of unsuccessfully trying to persuade her to write letters on behalf of eight former employees fired by Kline. The newspaper said she also claimed Morrison sought sensitive information about Kline’s activities as district attorney. Morrison has denied these accusations.

Morrison was Johnson County prosecutor when, as a Democrat, he defeated Kline, a Republican, who then was named as Morrison’s replacement by party members in Johnson County.