Tuesday, December 12, 2017

The Pope Of Kentucky

If you haven't heard the name Dan Johnson, you'd be forgiven.  But around Kentucky, the long-time preacher, self-promoter, political activist, avowed racist and now State Representative is in a lot of trouble.

Disavowed from the state GOP last year after making comically racist Facebook campaign posts, the people of Bullitt County south of Louisville elected him to the General Assembly anyway from the 49th state House district.  Johnson immediately filed legislation to outlaw abortion in the state and recently a bill to require pornography filters for all internet capable devices in the state that would require a $20 state fee to deactivate.  He's been a giant pain in the ass on the state since the word go.

But now Johnson is facing calls from both parties to resign after a new bombshell story that he molested a 17-year-old girl in 2012.

The Republican Party of Kentucky is calling on a GOP member of the Kentucky House of Representatives to resign from office following a news report Monday that revealed he was accused of molesting a 17-year-old girl in 2012. 
“Last October, after local media reports about reprehensible and racist posts on his Facebook page, we asked then-candidate Dan Johnson to drop out of the race for State Representative,” said Mac Brown, the chairman of the Republican Party of Kentucky. “Following today’s extensively sourced and documented story from the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting, we once again find ourselves in a position where we must call for him to resign, this time, from the Kentucky General Assembly.” 
The Kentucky Democratic Party also called on Johnson to resign, saying “Kentucky families deserve better.” 
“Given the seriousness of these allegations, Rep. Johnson should step down immediately,” said Mary Nishimuta, executive director for the Kentucky Democratic Party. “This is indicative of a corrupt culture in Frankfort that the Republican party continues to accept.”
On New Year’s Eve in 2012, Dan Johnson, who was elected to the state House in 2016, allegedly forcibly kissed and digitally penetrated then 17-year-old Maranda Richmond, despite her asking him to stop, according to a report by the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting
Johnson, who goes by the nickname “Pope,” is the “bishop” of the Heart of Fire Baptist Church in Louisville. He now represents the 49th House District in a portion of Bullitt County. 
Richmond, who belonged to the church at the time, told the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting that she saw Johnson as a “second Dad.” 
Richmond went to police about the allegations in April 2013, according to KyCIR. After Richmond and her father Cliff failed to get Johnson to confess on tape, the Louisville Metro Police Department closed its case without ever interviewing Johnson, KyCIR reported. 
The LMPD has since reopened the case, according to KyCIR. 
Richmond and Johnson could not be immediately reached Monday for comment.

Considering sexual misconduct allegations have already cost the Kentucky GOP the job of former House Speaker Jeff Hoover just a few weeks ago, I can't imagine how Johnson survives this.  Racism is acceptable here in Kentucky.  Assaulting a 17-year-old girl, not so much.

By the way that Kentucky Center for Investigating Reporting story on Johnson is one of the most impressive pieces of journalism that I've read in a long time.  It's also very graphic, and Dan Johnson is extremely repugnant as a human being, so you've been warned.

Johnson said earlier today that he has no intention of resigning and plans on running for re-election in 2018, and that only God can judge him or something, so good luck with your pet racist pedophile there, Kentucky GOP.

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