Friday, March 24, 2006

Minnesota Senate Majority Leader's Lie Caught on Tape

Minnesota’s Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson (D) has been caught on tape in an outright lie, per the AP:


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Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson was recorded assuring a group of pastors that several state Supreme Court justices had told him they would not legalize gay marriage…….
Speaking in January to a group of rural pastors, Johnson said he had spoken with at least three current or former Supreme Court justices, who told him the high court would never overturn the state's Defense of Marriage law. In other words, a state law banning same-sex marriage was safe, so why amend the constitution?................
Supreme Court Justice Russell Anderson, who called a news conference to deny that any justices spoke with Johnson about the issue. Anderson criticized the senator for "attacks on the integrity of court members and this institution."………………

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Johnson is admitting that what he told the group of pastors is not true but is using descriptions like “sanding off the truth” and “embellishing” not telling a lie.

Sorry Senator Johnson, but you told an outright lie and it was taped. The voters of Minnesota I’m sure will consider that going forward on whether your being straight with them on the Matters of State.

There is a web-site that has been established to track Johnson and his dealings with this issue: sandingoffthetruth.com
The Republican Party of Minnesota launched the web-site and state that Johnson has a “pattern of deception”……………………………..

A politician caught on tape telling a lie is pretty damaging. When it’s the Majority Leader it’s equally damaging to their party. Getting caught in such a lie is pretty negative but could the audience have been any worse? A group of “rural pastors” and the politician himself is a pastor…………………I don’t know that it could be a much worse scenario……………………