Lake Elmo Mayor Caught Stealing Campaign Literature

Again, more theft of campaign materials. And again I say this should be a felony to really prevent this stuff. In this story it is the mayor of Lake Elmo taking the materials from a door left by a council member. He was caught red-handed by the council member.

On Oct. 12, city councilwoman Anne Smith said she saw Johnston taking one of her campaign cards out of a door of a townhome. She said he put it into a container in his motor scooter.

Johnston said he was putting his own campaign literature in the door, noticed Smith's card and removed it to take it home and read it.

When confronted by Smith in the driveway, Johnston returned the card to the door.

Sure, take it home to read it. We believe you.

The real down side of this is that Lake Elmo is not going to charge him. If I were the council member I would press all the charges I could...regardless of party or whose side he is on.

A letter from a law firm advised Lake Elmo why the case should not be charged.

The letter from Kelley & Lemmons P.A. said success in a trial would be unlikely because Johnston has no criminal record, showed no sign of taking anything other than the single card and returned the card quickly to the door.

It questioned whether the "benefit to justice" outweighed the cost of bringing the matter to trial.

Smith said Wednesday, Oct. 31, that she plans to take the matter to the state Office of Administrative Hearings, which handles disputes about fair campaign practices.

I hope he get penalized in the most severe manner allowable.