Kansas' Dem AG Resigned 6 Months Ago In Sex Scandal: Ohio Native Gov. Kathleen Sebelius Helped Push Him Out

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- The Democratic attorney general of Kansas, Paul Morrison, resigned last December after a female aide with whom he had an extramarital romantic relationship filed federal sexual harassment charges. The Ohio angle: Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, a Cincinnati native and potential Obama vice presidential running mate, wanted the AG out. Sebelius is the daughter of former Ohio Gov. John Gilligan. A Kansas source who was "very close to the story" wrote The Daily Bellwether and said the attorney general resigned when Sebelius "essentially kicked him to the curb . . ." The source added there were "some fascinating parallels" between the Kansas and Ohio scandals.

And while the events that unfolded in the Sunflower State a half year ago aren't quite the same as the uproar now enveloping Ohio Atty. Gen. Marc Dann, there are similarities. Especially Morrison's insistence at first that he would not resign, which sounds like Dann's vow to stay despite increasing pressure to step aside.

Sebelius took a dim view of Morrison's consensual sexual affair with one of his subordinates, and called for his resignation if the allegations were true. Morrison was married with three kids. The attorney general admitted the relationship, which took place while he was a county district attorney -- an office he held before switching from the Republican Party to run statewide as a Democrat. "Certainly, if any of the allegations turn out to be true, I think yes," Sebelius said about a resignation at the time. "One deals with his conduct as an attorney in the DA's office. The other is as an employer. I think either one should trigger a resignation."

There is more background about the Kansas AG scandal in this MSNBC.com report.

Ohio's Ex-Gov. Gilligan: Just Sit Right Back And You'll Hear A Tale

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Former Democratic Gov. John Gilligan, who served a single term in the 1970s and then came out of retirement to claim a seat on the Cincinnati School Board until this year, is the proud papa of Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius. She's making news today for delivering the Dems' response to W's final State of the Union -- and her impending endorsement of Barack Obama's presidential bid. Also in the headlines is Gilligan's grandson, John, who is peddling a $34.99 board game called "Don't Drop The Soap" out of the Kansas governor's mansion.

The game is about prison. The name is taken from an expression that means it is not a good idea to bend over and pick up the soap while naked in a penitentiary shower. The expression capsules the notion that male inmates are sexually deprived, there are no women, testosterone is flowing and a bare rump is a target of opportunity. Or something like that. In other words, the game is adult-themed and a promotion on the Web site marketing the game says:

"Fight you way through 6 different exciting locations in hopes of being granted parole, Escape prison riots in The Yard, slip glass into a mob boss' lasagna in the Cafeteria, steal painkillers from the nurse's desk in the infirmary, avoid being cornered by the Aryans in the Shower Room, fight off Latin Kings in Gang War, and try not to smoke your entire stash in the hole."

Kansas reporter Tim Hrenchir has the story in the Topeka Capital-Journal. The Associated Press is giving it a good ride nationally. Tokens to play the game include a bag of cocaine, a handgun and three humanoids.