OLATHE, Kan. -- Explain yourself or else.

That was the clear message Johnson County commissioners gave district attorney Phill Kline when some questionable practices came up in his investigation of the former attorney general Paul Morrison.

Some of the board members clearly did not like the fact that Kline didn't show up Thursday regarding money he asked for.

At issue is what to do with the $25,000 Kline requested for an independent investigation of alleged wrongdoing by Morrison and who should conduct that investigation.

In December, Kline asked the board for emergency funding to hire a special prosecutor to investigate after Morrison resigned amid an affair with a woman who briefly worked under Kline.

The woman, Linda Carter, claims Morrison sexually harassed her and used the relationship to influence activities in Kline's office. Morrison denies those accusations. Board members are concerned that one of the special prosecutors Kline hired worked with Kline, something board members said was a conflict of interest.

"The bottom line is this is clearly a blatant attempt to undermine the investigation, and it's pandering to certain political interests, and it's ill advised, and one day it will come back and bite you," said commissioner Doug Wood.

Chairwoman Annabeth Surbaugh said she was afraid that the public would not accept the outcome of the investigation, "because they will not believe that it was done without conflicts and prejudice no matter was the outcome comes out to be."

The board said in their meeting Thursday that Kline did not show up to answer questions because he didn't want to turn the meeting into a media circus.

The board is divided on the issue. Half of them want to take back the $25,000. The other half agree to let him go on with the attorneys he hired and finish the investigation.

The commissioners couldn't come to an agreement and decided to table the issue for further review.