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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 19, 2006
Contact: David Strom
Ph: (763) 249-5952
Senate DFL to State: It is OK to Lie
Supreme Court: Johnson didn’t “embellish” because no conversation took place
PLYMOUTH—The Senate DFL unanimously voted to express their confidence in the leadership of Majority Leader Dean Johnson, despite mounting evidence that he has been lying about conversations he had with members of the Minnesota Supreme Court.
Johnson, who started the controversy by claiming that he had assurances from members of the Supreme Court that they would never overturnMinnesota’s Defense of Marriage Act, has subsequently admitted that he “embellished” a casual conversation he had with members of the Supreme Court. Johnson still maintains that his original conversation with a member of the Court on DOMA took place.
Chief Justice Russell Anderson spoke with reporters today and flatly denied that any such conversations ever took place. Not even ones that could possibly be “embellished” into suggesting what Johnson claimed. "I have talked with every member of my court, including the former chief justice and we have not had conversations with Sen. Johnson about DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) or how we might decide any matter relating to it. This just never happened. It [the alleged conversation] never occurred," said Anderson. Anderson was “incredulous” when he heard Johnson’s claims.
“The Senate DFL, by giving its unanimous vote of confidence in Dean Johnson, has said that it is OK to lie in order to get their way. Dean Johnson has called into question the credibility of the Supreme Court, the Minnesota Senate, and our entire political system, and the response of the Senate DFL is to give him an enthusiastic vote of approval,” said David Strom, President of the Taxpayers League of Minnesota.
“Dean Johnson lied, and apparently that’s just fine with the Senate DFL. Perhaps now we ought to ask each member of the Senate whether their arguments are based upon ‘embellishments,’ or perhaps ‘different recollections of the facts’ before we take anything they say at face value. They have made very clear what they think of the need to tell the truth,” said Strom.
“I am surprised and disturbed to see that the DFL wants to be known as the political party that says it’s OK to lie,” Strom concluded.
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