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Sheriff: Lawmaker Cited For Making Out 'Changed Her Tune'

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP/WCCO)— A Minnesota lawmaker cited for making out in a public park with a fellow legislator "changed her tune" between the date of the incident and when details started to trickle out, according to an email from the sheriff whose office handled the case.

On Thursday, WCCO obtained an incident report through open records request. It detailed the specifics surrounding the citation of Reps. Tara Mack and Tim Kelly for causing a public nuisance on Aug. 25.

A Dakota County ranger said he found the pair in a car making out — and wrote in his notes that Mack's pants were unzipped and pulled down.

The information in the report says the deputy, who during the incident told the two to "get a hotel," was asked by Mack if he was wearing a body camera.

Following initial reports of the citation, Kelly and Mack, who are married to other people, called the officer's account an "absolute lie" and vowed to lodge a complaint with the county.

Dakota County Sheriff Tim Leslie wrote that Mack had initially "said she was glad the deputy came along to save her from an uncomfortable situation," but that within a few days, she "changed her tune, she had heard from a lobbyist that there was info that was in the notes."

She said that she was worried that the information from the incident report could ruin her career.

"She did not comment other than to say this is very salacious and that she is married to a minister and her career could be ruined," Leslie wrote. "I said I understood that but if you are choosing to say that the park ranger lied ... I have a big problem."

Mack and Kelly are committee chairs in the state House, where they've served since 2009. Kelly lives in Red Wing. Mack is from Apple Valley.

They have both paid $260 fines.

(TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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