The Truth, The Whole Truth, And Nothing But the Truth
As you know, I've been all over Dean Johnson's self-created fiasco from Day 1. It seems that Katherine Kersten, the talented Strib columnist,
is asking much the same questions
that I raised yesterday. Now I've got one last set of questions:
If Johnson actually talked with one or more Supreme Court justices, who initiated the conversation?
This is important to know because I can't imagine the justices seeking this type of conversation. Further, I can't imagine that it happened but if it did, this issue needs to be addressed.
If Johnson initiated the conversations, why did he initiate them?
Did he not know that this might cause the justices to violate their ethics? This isn't a small consideration.
UPDATE: Here's the link to the Willmar newspaper that says it's time to move on. Here's a glimpse into the article:
Just because Johnson sounded contrite doesn't eliminate his claims. If, as the paper suggests, a conversation really did happen, then an entirely different investigation must find out who initiated it & what was said by the various participants.
To not get these & other questions answered is a whitewash of the situation. It's shoddy reporting. Johnson's attorney shouldn't get away with making such accusations without proving them. The newspaper's lack of curiosity shouldn't be excused, either.
UPDATE II: Now some pastors have started blaming the pastor who blew the whistle for this entire fiasco. Here's a glimpse of their letter to the West Central Tribune:
Their words show that they're more worried about a liberal agenda than they're worried about the truth. These pastors should be ashamed of that. That they care more about "poverty, health care, education, gambling" than about the truth shows their liberal bias.
Posted Thursday, March 30, 2006 5:37 PM
No comments.
If Johnson actually talked with one or more Supreme Court justices, who initiated the conversation?
This is important to know because I can't imagine the justices seeking this type of conversation. Further, I can't imagine that it happened but if it did, this issue needs to be addressed.
If Johnson initiated the conversations, why did he initiate them?
Did he not know that this might cause the justices to violate their ethics? This isn't a small consideration.
UPDATE: Here's the link to the Willmar newspaper that says it's time to move on. Here's a glimpse into the article:
Many of Johnson's critics, both locally and around the state, who are claiming he lied are giving little consideration to the possibility that some type of discussion with a justice actually did occur. Certainly, politics has played a role in some of the criticism of Johnson. That does not excuse Johnson's "embellishment." But the fact that discussion of the gay marriage issue with a justice occurred is a possibility that should be considered as it could have happened. After all, judges are only human.This is clearly a puff piece from a sympathetic newspaper. It shows a disregard for how government must work. If this newspaper cared about it, they'd see that Katherine Kersten & I have asked legitimate questions that can't be ignored.
Just because Johnson sounded contrite doesn't eliminate his claims. If, as the paper suggests, a conversation really did happen, then an entirely different investigation must find out who initiated it & what was said by the various participants.
To not get these & other questions answered is a whitewash of the situation. It's shoddy reporting. Johnson's attorney shouldn't get away with making such accusations without proving them. The newspaper's lack of curiosity shouldn't be excused, either.
UPDATE II: Now some pastors have started blaming the pastor who blew the whistle for this entire fiasco. Here's a glimpse of their letter to the West Central Tribune:
In their letter, the pastors said they appreciate Johnson's apology and urged lawmakers to move past debates about banning gay marriage and on to "poverty, health care, education, gambling" and other important issues.Can you believe these pastors? They're more worried that Pastor Waldemarsen didn't play nice than they're concerned about the truth.
Much of their letter was reserved for castigating the Rev. Brent Waldemarsen, of Willmar's Harvest Community Church, who recorded the meeting and later released the tape to marriage amendment advocates. The pastors said they were disappointed in Waldemarsen and that he has "much to apologize for."
"We wait with bated breath for your apology as we attempt to rebuild trust in our community and among our colleagues," wrote the pastors, the Revs. Simon Fensom and Matthew Peterson of Faith Lutheran Church in Spicer and the Rev. Kathy Hartley of Peace Lutheran Church in New London.
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In their letter, the pastors said they appreciate Johnson's apology and urged lawmakers to move past debates about banning gay marriage and on to "poverty, health care, education, gambling" and other important issues.
Their words show that they're more worried about a liberal agenda than they're worried about the truth. These pastors should be ashamed of that. That they care more about "poverty, health care, education, gambling" than about the truth shows their liberal bias.
Posted Thursday, March 30, 2006 5:37 PM
No comments.
