Johnson remarks target of petition

03/17/2006

DFLer offered assurances about marriage law

BY RACHEL E. STASSEN-BERGER
Pioneer Press

Comments Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson made in a January pastors’ forum about gay marriage have become part of some advocates’ campaign to pass a constitutional amendment defining marriage.

According to a recorded excerpt from the meeting, the Willmar DFLer told the group that Minnesota Supreme Court justices were not going to “touch” the current Minnesota law that defines marriage only as the union of one man and one woman. Those backing a constitutional amendment say that 1997 law is vulnerable to court challenge and therefore the state needs a marriage definition in the constitution.

“Members of the Supreme Court, I know all of them, I’ve had a number of conversations with them about our law,” Johnson said, on the excerpt available on the Minnesota for Marriage Web site. On the tape, which has dishes clanking in the background, Johnson said their message has been, “Dean, we’re not going to do this.”

His comments first appeared in the Minnesota Family Council’s Pro-Family News a few weeks ago. They re-appeared in the St. Paul Pioneer Press’ editorial page Wednesday.

As a result, another group, Minnesota Citizens in Defense of Marriage, started a petition drive calling for Johnson’s resignation. Republican Party chairman Ron Carey issued a statement Wednesday saying the incident “raises deeply troubling questions about Dean Johnson’s judgment.’’

In a statement, Johnson said his comments were “misconstrued,” “poorly worded” and “loosely worded.” Johnson was in Mississippi on Wednesday, visiting Minnesota troops preparing to ship overseas, and was not available for comment.
Chuck Darrell, spokesman for Minnesota for Marriage, said he’s heard Johnson proclaim that he has received assurances from court justices at least twice. In November 2005, Darrell said he personally heard similar remarks at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Minneapolis.

“This isn’t the first time he’s made these comments,” Darrell said.

Johnson, in his statement, said he was sorry if his comments did any damage to the integrity of the Supreme Court.

“I have, at no time, ever received any promises or commitments regarding any potential judicial cases from any member of the state Supreme Court,” Johnson said.

A statement from John Kostouros, director of communications for the Minnesota Judicial Branch, reiterated that.
“Minnesota Supreme Court justices do not discuss current cases or cases that might come before them. Any suggestion that a justice made a commitment to vote a certain way on a case or issue if it came before them would be a serious ethical breach. We can assure the citizens of Minnesota that no such promise or commitment was made,” Kostouros said.

One former Supreme Court justice named specifically by Johnson as saying the court would not consider the issue was Kathleen Blatz, who stepped down as chief justice in January. She said such statements would be highly unethical.

“It never happened,’’ she said in a statement released Wednesday.

The chief legislative backer of a constitutional amendment to define marriage, Sen. Michele Bachmann, said she didn’t plan to focus on Johnson’s comments or file an ethics complaint against the majority leader because of them.

“My goal, at this point, is to secure the passage of the constitutional amendment,” said Bachmann.