Johnson says he told truth about gay marriage talk with judges
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(AP) Two weeks after he lost his bid for re-election, state Sen. Dean Johnson says a Supreme Court justice lied about discussions Johnson claims he had about the state's ban on same-sex marriage.
Johnson told the Star Tribune that Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Russell Anderson told "an outright fabrication" in denying that any justices had talked to Johnson about the Defense of Marriage Act.
Johnson also said he spoke about the ban with Justice Paul Anderson.
A controversy surrounding the alleged discussions began in March after Johnson, a Lutheran pastor, was secretly tape-recorded telling clergy members that several justices had assured him the court would not challenge the Defense of Marriage Act. Therefore, Johnson said, a proposed constitutional ban on same-sex marriage was not needed.
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Days after the tape was released, Russell Anderson denied that any justice had discussed the Defense of Marriage Act with Johnson, a DFLer from Willmar. Johnson later apologized for having "embellished the truth," and his opponents in his rural district used the issue against him in his re-election campaign.
In an interview with the newspaper Tuesday, however, Johnson said that while no justice told him what action the high court would take regarding the Marriage Act, discussions with the judges indeed took place.
"I told myself before I got to my grave, it would be nice to have the court 'fess up to what actually happened," he said.
Supreme Court spokesman John Kostouros said the justices had no comment. He said the state Board on Judicial Standards ruled in June that there was no evidence the discussions Johnson described took place.
After the tape revelation, Russell Anderson told reporters that he had spoken to former Chief Justice Kathleen Blatz and every sitting justice. He said conversations with Johnson about the Defense of Marriage Act never happened.
On Tuesday, Johnson said he had talked with Blatz in his office about a variety of topics, including the Marriage Act. Johnson said he later had a conversation with Paul Anderson in which the Marriage Act came up.
He said his former chief of staff, Cristine Almeida, was present on both occasions and that depositions by her and former executive assistant John Kavanaugh corroborate that.
The majority leader said he has "lost a great deal of respect for the court system at the highest level in Minnesota."
Regarding his comments on tape, Johnson admitted he took "impressions" from his talks with Blatz and Paul Anderson and jumped to incorrect conclusions.
But, he added, "I'll put my hand on the Bible - there were meetings in the Senate majority leader's office that included gay marriage and DOMA. I have no reason to lie. I'm not trying to get even with anyone. I'm just telling the truth of what happened. The judges can deny it, but at some point in time they will have to confess to their makers about the truth."
