Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline, on the record as saying he'd like to see Roe vs. Wade overturned, says two abortion clinics should hand over confidential patient information so he can keep fighting crime. In a brief submitted to the Kansas Supreme Court, state attorneys argue that the clinics' medical documents can contain "critical evidence of child rape" and of illegal abortions, and that "the only privacy interest that is, in fact, threatened is that of the child rapist."

The clinics say they already comply with state laws requiring notification of child abuse, and that the patients' files Kline wants contain information on birth control practices, medical history, and history of mental illness and illegal drug use.

"The logical and natural progression of this action could well be a knock on the door of a woman who exercised her constitutional right to privacy," clinic lawyers argue.

It so happens that George Tiller, the director of one of the clinics, donated $150,000 (U.S.) to Kline's attorney general campaign opponent in 2002.

» Patrick Lejtenyi