Olathe ? Johnson County commissioners have decided not to cut off funding for District Attorney Phill Kline’s investigation of former Attorney General Paul Morrison.

Before voting Thursday, the commissioners had a long discussion about whether to still let Kline have the $25,000. Some reiterated earlier concerns about the county using emergency money to help fund an investigation that some don’t think will be impartial enough.

They ended up rejecting, by a 4-3 vote, a proposal that would have taken the money back from Kline.

Kline asked commissioners for the funds in December to help him initiate the investigation into Morrison, a political opponent of Kline’s. Prosecutors are trying to determine whether Morrison broke any laws during an extramarital affair when he served as Johnson County district attorney before Kline took the job.

Although Kline asked for the $25,000 to be set aside for emergency purposes, it wasn’t until last month that he appointed two special prosecutors to investigate Morrison. Kline has been criticized for his choice of prosecutors, especially Timothy Keck, who once worked in the district attorney’s office under Kline.

“I cannot spend $25,000 of taxpayers’ money for something I can’t see as independent, and that I believe the vast majority of the public will never see as having an independent result,” said commission chairwoman Annabeth Surbaugh, who voted to take back the funds. “It’s wasted money.”

Commissioner John Segale, who voted against the proposal to take back the money, said he doesn’t agree with Kline’s handling of the investigation, either. But he said it would look like a political move if commissioners took back funds they already promised.

“I do not support the motion because all we’re doing is lowering ourselves into this little political trap, so all these people on both sides can beat us up,” Segale said.

Segale said he would like to see current Attorney General Stephen Six take on the investigation.

But Ashley Anstaett, spokeswoman for the attorney general, said Six is not interested in having a role in the probe.

“We believe it would be inappropriate for the attorney general’s office to be directly involved in the investigation,” she said.

Kline declined comment Thursday. But Keck said that he and Robert Arnold III – the other special prosecutor appointed by Kline – are professionals and will be unbiased in their investigation.

“We both have a set of ethics and beliefs that will allow us to conduct a fair investigation,” Keck said. “That’s what we’ve been charged to do, and that’s what we’re going to do. Ultimately, if something is filed, it will have to be meted out in the court of law. … We’re a long way from that point.”

Morrison has denied any professional wrongdoing and said he has never violated the law. His affair began while he was Johnson County district attorney and involved a subordinate in that office. The woman, Linda Carter, said the relationship continued while Morrison ran for attorney general in 2006 and after he took office in January 2007.

Morrison acknowledged the affair in December and resigned as attorney general Jan. 31. He has since accused Kline of orchestrating a campaign against him.

Kline was Morrison’s predecessor as attorney general. Morrison switched parties to run as a Democrat to defeat Kline.

Republicans then named Kline to fill Morrison’s old job in Johnson County.