2006 WorldNetDaily.com

Kansas State Rep. Vaughn Flora

A lawmaker in Kansas is facing a date with the law himself after being accused of battery on Operation Rescue President Troy Newman in a confrontation at a political debate in Hutchinson.

The Class B misdemeanor that state Rep. Vaughn Flora, D-Topeka, is facing carries a fine of up to $1,000 and up to 12 months in jail, and a pre-trial hearing before Reno County District Magistrate Judge Joe McCarville has been scheduled for Nov. 21.

The 61-year-old Flora, who is running unopposed in the November election, is facing the count after a Sept. 9 confrontation at the Kansas State Fair where Newman and another man dressed in cockroach costumes to draw attention to Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' opposition to regulations for abortion businesses.

Sebelius was debating her Republican challenger, Sen. Jim Barnett, at the time.

The cockroach theme was derived from the conditions Operation Rescue found at the building that used to house Central Women's Services, an abortion business that used to operate in Wichita before OR purchased the building and shut it down.

The pro-life organization documented mold and roach infestations in the building when it took over, and a separate website called AbortionCockroach.com was set up for the roach campaign.

Newman, in an interview with WND, said "if it was just an anger management problem," for Flora, that's one issue.

Operation Rescue's 'cockroaches' protesting against Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' abortion support

"However, if this is part of a broader philosophy within the Kathleen Sebelius campaign, it's extremely disturbing," he said, noting Flora was working on Sebelius' campaign at the time of the attack and had traveled to the event with her.

"We're very concerned that this is representative of the policies of her administration," Newman said. "This is the sort of thing that comes out of Hugo Chavez' country, to silence the opposition."

He said elected officials need to be held to a higher standard, and he hopes that it happens.

Operation Rescue has been critical of the fact Sebelius has accepted campaign donations from abortionists such as George Tiller, and at the same time has blocked minimum standards and inspections for abortion businesses.

While Newman and another man were dancing through a crowd of about 2,000 and doing skits of political satire, Flora, wearing a Sebelius T-shirt, approached Newman and tore his mask off, causing a laceration on Newman's head.

The complaint filed by the Reno County District Attorney's office said Flora intentionally and unlawfully caused physical contact with Newman "in a rude, insulting or angry manner."

"As Christians, we pray for the repentance and salvation of Mr. Flora. I harbor no ill will against him, although his actions have made me question whether he is qualified to hold a position in our state's government. We just want to see him get his personal problems worked out so he doesn't attack anyone else."

Flora serves on the Agriculture and Natural Resources, Environment, and Pensions, Investments and Benefits committees in the legislature.

OR spokeswoman Cheryl Sullenger said the stunt was done to attract attention to the abortion issue, and it did.

"Horrific filthy and unsafe conditions do exist, not only in Kansas but in abortion mills across the nation. These conditions reflect the industry’s gross disregard for human life and dignity. Spotlighting this with satire helps the public consider things in a different light, and tears the phony mask of respectability off a sleazy, predatory industry that profits from innocent blood and human misery," said Sullenger.

Operation Rescue is one of the leading pro-life Christian organizations in the country, and it takes "direct action to restore legal personhood to the preborn and stop abortion in obedience to biblical mandates."

In a Sept. 27 interview, Flora, a real estate manager, said he didn't really expect any charges.

The legislature starts its work on Jan. 8, but because this is a criminal case, the state does not allow Flora to require a court to delay any action in the situation, said Jeff Russell of the Legislature's administration.

SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1110AP_Legislator_Scuffle.html

Friday, October 13, 2006 Last updated 12:06 p.m. PT

Kan. lawmaker charged in 'roach' scuffle

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

HUTCHINSON, Kan. -- A legislator was charged with scuffling with the cockroach-costumed president of an anti-abortion group at a gubernatorial debate last month.

Democratic state Rep. Vaughn Flora, 61, turned himself in Wednesday on a battery charge filed Sept. 27 in the dustup during the debate at the Kansas State Fair.

Troy Newman, president of Operation Rescue, and another man attended the Sept. 9 event while wearing cockroach costumes and masks bearing photos of Democratic Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, who was debating Republican challenger Jim Barnett.

The costumes referred to Operation Rescue's criticism that under Sebelius, the state has allowed substandard conditions in clinics that perform abortions.

In their criminal complaint, prosecutors allege that Flora, who was also in the audience, made physical contact with Newman "in a rude, insulting or angry manner." Operation Rescue alleges on its Web site that Flora gave Newman a cut to the head as he tore off Newman's mask.

"I think Mr. Flora may need to take some anger management classes," Newman said in a statement Friday.

Flora, of Topeka, has described the protesters' behavior as "outrageous." He did not return a telephone message left Friday at his home. His attorney, state Rep. Jim Ward, D-Wichita, did not return a call to his office.

A pretrial hearing was set for Nov. 21. If convicted, Flora could face up to a year in prison and a fine of less than $1,000.

Flora, a real estate asset manager and developer, has served in the Legislature since 1995 and is running unopposed this year.

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On the Net:

http://www.kslegislature.org

Kansas Lawmaker Charged With Attacking Pro-Life Advocate at Rally

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
October 13, 2006

Lawmaker accused of battering protester

The Associated Press

Saturday, October 14, 2006

Hutchinson — A legislator has been charged with scuffling with a protester dressed as a cockroach during a gubernatorial debate last month.

Rep. Vaughn Flora, D-Topeka, faces a single count of battery stemming from his alleged contact with an anti-abortion protester during a political debate between Gov. Kathleen Sebelius and her Republican challenger, Sen. Jim Barnett. A pretrial hearing is set for Nov. 21 in Reno County District Court.

If convicted, Flora could face up to a year in prison and a fine of less than $1,000.

Troy Newman, president of the anti-abortion group Operation Rescue, and another man attended the Sept. 9 debate at the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson wearing cockroach costumes and masks bearing photos of Sebelius. The costumes were a reference to the group’s criticism that under Sebelius, the state has allowed substandard conditions in clinics. Operation Rescue claims to have found cockroaches at a former abortion clinic.

Flora also was in the audience, with Democratic backers of Sebelius occasionally booing the protesters.

A complaint, filed by Assistant Reno County Dist. Atty. Karen Smart, alleges Flora intentionally and unlawfully caused physical contact with Newman “in a rude, insulting or angry manner.” At some point during the alleged altercation, Newman’s mask came off, tearing skin on his head.

“I think Mr. Flora may need to take some anger management classes to help him get his temper under control,” Newman said in a written statement Friday. “If he has no problem attacking a stranger in front of a crowd of 2,000 people, it makes me concerned for the safety of his family.”

Flora did not return a telephone message left Friday at his home by The Associated Press, and his attorney, Rep. Jim Ward, D-Wichita, did not return a call to his office.

Flora told The Hutchinson News last month that he doubted any charges would be filed because he had not heard from authorities in Reno County. He also said he thought the behavior of two men dressed as cockroaches was “outrageous.”

Flora, a real estate asset manager and developer, has served on the Legislature since 1995 and is running unopposed this year.

Flora faces battery charge after 'cockroach' incident

By Mary Clarkin

The Hutchinson News

mclarkin@hutchnews.com

State Rep. Vaughn Flora, D-Topeka, faces a single count of battery stemming from his alleged contact during a Sept. 9 political debate in Hutchinson with a protester masquerading as a cockroach.

The Class B misdemeanor could bring a jail sentence of up to 12 months and a fine of less than $1,000, Reno County Courthouse staff said. The pre-trial hearing before Reno County District Magistrate Judge Joe McCarville is set for Nov. 21 at the courthouse.

Flora, 61, entered the Legislature in 1995 and is running unopposed this year. The general election will be exactly two weeks before the hearing in Hutchinson.

Flora's attorney is House Assistant Minority Leader James Ward, D-Wichita, involved in his own re-election bid against a Republican and a Libertarian.

Operation Rescue abortion opponent Troy Newman said his antics during the open-air debate between Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, a Democrat, and Republican gubernatorial nominee Sen. Jim Barnett, Emporia, was political satire. He and another man wore cockroach costumes and masks bearing a picture of Sebelius.

Flora was in the audience, with Democratic backers of Sebelius occasionally booing the "cockroaches." During the incident, Newman's mask shifted, tearing skin on his head. The Kansas Highway Patrol talked to Flora and Newman after the incident and submitted reports to the Reno County District Attorney.

"As an elected official, his behavior is more than reprehensible. I am shocked at his actions," Newman, of Towanda, said in an e-mail Thursday.

"The more I think about what he did ... the more I feel that he has a serious problem with controlling his anger," Newman said.

The News was unable to reach Flora on Thursday. In a Sept. 27 interview, Flora, a real estate asset manager/developer, said he doubted any charges would be filed because he had not heard from authorities in Reno County.

The complaint, filed by Assistant Reno County District Attorney Karen Smart, charges Flora with intentionally and unlawfully causing physical contact with Newman "in a rude, insulting or angry manner."

The Kansas Legislature convenes Jan. 8. Because this is a criminal, not a civil, case, the Kansas Constitution does not afford Flora legislative immunity in terms of delaying a trial, according to Jeff Russell, director of Legislative Administrative Services.