Lawmakers Deny They Were 'Making Out' At Eagan Park
ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) €-- Two high-ranking state lawmakers are denying charges that they created a public nuisance at a Twin Cities Regional Park last week.
The Republican state representatives were cited for "making out" in a parked car inside Lebanon Hills Regional Park in Eagan.
But Reps. Tara Mack, from Apple Valley, and Tim Kelly, from Red Wing, who are both married to other people, say the park ranger is lying.
Court documents say they were cited on Aug. 26 in the park for creating a public nuisance.
The park ranger wrote in a report that Kelly and Mack were "making out" in a parked car and "the female's pants were unzipped and pulled down."
It's a charge Kelly calls "an absolute lie," but the Dakota County Sheriff is standing by his deputy's account.
"I have no reason to doubt what my deputy is saying to me about what happened," Sheriff Tim Leslie said. "Though I haven't met with the deputy myself, everything that we are hearing is that these are the facts that he has, and what he witnessed."
Kelly and Mack are both vigorously disputing the charge.
Kelly says he met Mack at the park -- on his way home to Red Wing from the state capitol -- only to pick up some documents.
Told by the deputy he was double-parking, Kelly says he got out of the car and challenged the ranger. Kelly says the ranger was "visibly agitated" after he took a photograph of the car.
Kelly, who declined our request for an interview, gave this account of the incident in a written statement:
"I was driving down to Red Wing through Eagan last Tuesday and met Rep. Mack to pick up some documents regarding South Country Health Alliance. When we met, a park ranger approached my vehicle and told me I was double-parked. I disputed his characterization and got out of the car to take a picture. He became visibly agitated and returned to his own car. Approximately ten minutes later, he returned to my vehicle with a parking ticket citing a nuisance. When I asked what that meant, he responded, 'Whatever I want it to mean.'"
The parking lot where Mack and Kelly met is down the road and away from the larger, more public and more active visitor's center.
Mack also disputes the the charge of committing a public nuisance, calling it "completely false and inappropriate."
In a written statement, Mack said:
"Last week, I received a citation for a nuisance. Subsequently, I have been told the officer wrote in his notes -- information that I've requested, but has not yet been made public to me -- statements that are completely false and inappropriate (and apparently were illegally obtained). I will be filing a complaint with the sheriff's office regarding the officer's egregious and false statements."
Kelly said he is also filing a complaint with the Dakota County Sheriff's office.
"I've since learned the park ranger included false information in his notes that I understand have now been illegally obtained," he said. "What he wrote is an absolute lie and I intend on filing a complaint."
Leslie, the Dakota County sheriff, said neither lawmaker has yet filed a complaint, and said he's confident the citation for public nuisance is accurate.
"What he saw constituted a nuisance," Leslie said. "It wasn't like something he had to search hard for."