The couple, caught in a tryst, have now apologized. Not to the County ranger they originally accused of lying about their own lewd behavior of course, but to law enforcement generally.

Mack and Kelly, both state Republicans seen as rising stars, are of course married to other people and, until yesterday, were on the powerful House Ethics Committee.

This is the second such sex scandal involving marrital infidelity and lying in as many weeks from Republican Lawmakers. Must be something in the water up there...

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Two Republican lawmakers whom a park ranger cited for making out in a public park apologized Monday for accusing that ranger of lying and stepped down from a Minnesota House ethics panel in an apparent effort to head off a complaint from Democrats.

In separate statements, Reps. Tara Mack and Tim Kelly made little reference to the Aug. 25 incident in which a Dakota County park ranger said he found the pair making out in a car. The ranger wrote in his notes that Mack's pants were unzipped and pulled down.

Mack and Kelly — who are married to other people — originally called the officer's account "an absolute lie," insisting they met in Lebanon Hills Regional Park in Eagan to swap documents relating to a health insurance company. They vowed to lodge a formal complaint against the ranger.

They later backed down from that promised complaint and each paid $260
misdemeanor fines — actions the House Democrats said amounted to admissions of guilt.

After speaking with Republican House Speaker Kurt Daudt over the weekend, Mack and Kelly issued carefully parsed apologies Monday — not directed toward the park ranger who cited them, but to law enforcement in general.

"After serious reflection on the last two weeks, I can say that I am disappointed in myself for the way I handled my disagreement with a park ranger," said Kelly, who lives in Red Wing. "I apologize to my constituents, to the law enforcement community and to the state of Minnesota."