Oct 13, 6:19 PM (ET)
HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) - 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:
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