ST. PAUL -- A controversy over the Minnesota Senate majority leader's claim that he and a Supreme Court justice discussed a proposed anti-gay marriage amendment has come down to who to believe -- the senator or the state's chief justice.
"This just never happened," Chief Justice Russell Anderson said Monday. "This never occurred."
The alleged conversation Anderson discussed was a brief one Johnson said he had with a justice - whom he would not name - in the Capital rotunda.
In a Monday conference telephone call with reporters, Anderson said he called a meeting of the state's justices -- and separately talked to former Chief Justice Kathleen Blatz -- and all said they had no such conversation.
Anderson, on an out-of-country vacation, said he was "incredulous" when he first heard about Johnson's comments.
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The chief justice said Johnson's Friday apology was appreciated. However, he said he could not comment directly on the alleged Johnson-justice conversation because, "I just can't speculate about a conversation the content of which seems to have changed from day to day."
The dispute arose Wednesday when a conservative group that supports a proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriages released a tape recording of comments Johnson made to the New London-Spicer Ministerial Association on Jan. 19.
On the tape, Johnson appears to say he received assurances from at least three justices that they would not overturn current state law that bans gay marriages. Supporters of the amendment say they need it in the Constitution to prevent judges from overturning the law and allowing gays to marry.
Last week, Johnson's story changed until Friday, when he apologized. He said he only had an incidental meeting with one justice. He admitted to "sanding off" the truth in his January comments.
On Monday, Johnson said he stands by the comments he made Friday.
Democratic senators told Johnson they stand behind him.
A long-serving Democrat, Sen. Keith Langseth of Glyndon, said it was "interesting" that Johnson was recorded at a meeting of pastors in January but that same-sex marriage opponents didn't call him on it until last week.
"It's obvious the whole thing is orchestrated in a timely fashion," Langseth said.
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Langseth said that while he opposes gay marriage, he does not think the prohibition belongs in the Constitution.
He blamed the White House for pushing the issue nationwide.
Johnson said he has received plenty of support in recent days, including four standing ovations at two county Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party conventions during the weekend and two more in DFL senators' meetings Monday.
Members of the Willmar church where he pastors also were more supportive than ever, he said, adding that the controversy has made him stronger.
"It gives you a real emotional lift," he added.
-- Capitol Correspondent Scott Wente contributed to this article.
