Lawmakers Cited in Park Pressed to Apologize to Officer

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Two Minnesota lawmakers are being urged to apologize to a Dakota County sheriff's deputy whom they accused of lying about an encounter that led to nuisance citations.

Democratic Rep. Dan Schoen, a police officer himself, sought the apologies Friday from Republican Reps. Tim Kelly and Tara Mack for questioning the deputy's credibility. In a letter to House Speaker Kurt Daudt, Schoen says their decisions to pay fines rather than fight the charge constitutes admissions of guilt.

Kelly and Mack were cited in late August after a deputy observed them in an intimate encounter in a public park. When the citations became public, the lawmakers accused the deputy of lying and threatened a formal complaint against him.

Neither Mack nor Kelly immediately responded to requests for comment. Nor did Daudt's office.