Minnesota has its own version of Michigan's Todd Courser
and Cindy Gamrat, they are Tim Kelly and Tara Mack.
A newly released police report and Sheriff’s email is
shedding more light on what may have transpired during a park rendezvous
between Minnesota State Representatives Tim Kelly (R-Red Wing) and Tara Mack
(R-Apple Valley).
According to the police report, written by Dakota County
Park Ranger Jordan Moses, he was on routine patrol August 25 through the
Lebanon Hills Visitors Center in Apple Valley, and noticed two cars parked
remotely in the north parking lot. Young children were playing in the
south parking lot.
“When I was roughly 20 yards away,” Ranger Moses writes, “I
noticed both parties were leaned in towards the center of the car engaging in
intimate behavior.”
When the trooper was approximately four feet away from the
car he asked them what they were doing there. “Nothing, is there a problem?”
Kelly responded.
The trooper writes that Mack’s pants and belt were pulled
down to mid-thigh, and she was wearing blue/teal underwear. Ranger Moses
writes that he asked, “Why the female’s pants were pulled down. They both gave
no response to the question and the female tried to cover herself up by repositioning
in her seat and folding her hands above the exposed area.”
When Mack returned to her car to get her drivers license,
“She stepped out of the car and pulled her pants up as she walked towards (the
car). As she was walking, I could distinctly hear the sound of her belt
as she fastened it back into place,” Ranger Moses writes.
The trooper writes he told them they were committing an act
that constitutes a nuisance and issued them both citations.
Soon after the incident, Dakota County Sheriff Tim Leslie
writes in an email that he called Rep. Mack as a professional courtesy.
He said he was sorry it happened, and explained she can pay a fine or dispute
the charge.
“She said she was glad the deputy came along to save her
from an uncomfortable situation,” Sheriff Leslie writes. “She referred to
it as divine intervention. She said she was grateful.”
But Sheriff Leslie writes, she called back and had “changed
her tune,” after hearing there were written details regarding the
citation. Sheriff Leslie informed her that in essence the report said she
was in a car with her pants down and unzipped.
“She did not comment other than to say this is very
salacious and she is married to a minister and her career could be ruined,”
Sheriff Leslie writes.
Sheriff Leslie said he responded, “I said I understood that
but if you are choosing to say that the park ranger lied or is not telling the
truth than I have a big problem.”
Sheriff Leslie writes that Mack then asked if the ranger was
wearing a body camera. “I said no,” Sheriff Leslie writes. “His
word against yours.”
Mack said the ranger told them to “get a hotel.”
When the incident was disclosed last week by the Pioneer
Press, Mack and Kelly insisted they were simply exchanging documents in the
park, strongly denying any romantic encounter. They accused the ranger of lying
in his report and said they would file a complaint with the Dakota County
Sheriff’s Office. Days later, citing family concerns, they said they
would not fight the citation and pay the nuisance fines.
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