Просмотр кода страницы Английская Википедия:Dan Johnson (Kentucky politician)

{{Английская Википедия/Панель перехода}}
{{short description|American religious leader and politician (1960–2017)}}
{{distinguish|text=Dan Johnson, [[list of members of the Louisville Metro Council|Louisville Metro Councilmember from 2003&ndash;2016]]}}
{{use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Dan Johnson
| image              = Bastrop High School (Louisiana) yearbook, "The Ram 1978", page 170 (cropped to Dan Johnson).jpg
| alt                = Monochrome bust photo of a blond-haired white teen wearing an open-collared shirt; he is smiling and looking into the camera.
| caption            = Johnson in his 1978 high-school yearbook
| birth_name         = Danny Ray Johnson
| birth_date         = {{birth date|1960|10|18}}
| birth_place        = [[Bastrop, Louisiana]], US
| death_date         = {{death-date and age|Dec 13, 2017|1960-10-18}}
| death_place        = [[Mount Washington, Kentucky|Mount Washington,<br />Kentucky]], US
| death_cause        = [[Suicide by gunshot]]
| resting_place      = Mount Washington,<br />Kentucky, US
| occupation         = {{hlist|Preacher|politician}}
| party              = [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| spouse             = {{unbulleted list|{{marriage|Tylia Harris|||end=divorced}}|{{marriage|Rebecca Wilson|February 14, 1987}} }}
| children           = 5
| module2            = {{Infobox state representative |embed=yes
 | state_house        =  Kentucky
 | district           =  49th
 | term_start         =  {{start date|2017|01|01}}
 | predecessor        =  [[Linda H. Belcher]] 
 | term_end           =  {{end date|2017|12|13}}
 | successor          =  Linda H. Belcher
 }}
| module             = {{Infobox clergy |child=yes
 | years_active       = 1977&ndash;2017
 | religion           = [[Nondenominational Christianity|Nondenominational<br />Christianity]]
 | church             = [[#Heart of Fire Church|Heart of Fire]]
 }}
| signature          = signature of Dan Johnson.png
| signature_alt      = Bishop Dan Johnson
}}

'''Danny Ray Johnson''' (October 18, 1960{{spaced en dash}}December 13, 2017) was an American religious leader and politician whose many extravagant biographical claims were refuted in an [[exposé (journalism)|exposé]] released two days before his suicide.  Married twice with five children, Johnson was originally from [[Louisiana]], but had settled in Kentucky's [[Louisville metropolitan area]] by the 1980s.  Throughout his life, Johnson claimed to have been involved with many prominent Americans and in many important US events; however, evidence would later come to light disputing most of these claims.

After becoming involved with [[Christianity]] in his youth, Johnson traveled with [[missionary|missionaries]] in [[Tennessee]] and [[South America]] before founding a controversial Louisville-area [[church (congregation)|church]] in the late 1970s—Heart of Fire Church.  With Johnson as its [[bishop]], Heart of Fire eschewed the trappings of traditional Christian churches, and instead at times featured [[toplessness]], [[cigarette]] smoking, [[list of alcohol laws of the United States#Idaho–Massachusetts|underage drinking]], [[Islamophobia|anti-Islamism]], and a [[tattoo parlor]].  Following [[arson]] in 2000, the church was rebuilt after Johnson was sued by his insurance provider.

In the 2010s, Johnson became politically active, and despite a controversial campaign that included his own party leadership requesting his withdrawal, he was elected as a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] to the [[Kentucky House of Representatives]] from the 49th District.  After eleven months and nine days in office, an exposé by the [[Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting]] was publicly released; it included many refutations of Johnson's self-described biography, as well as details of a 2013 [[child sexual abuse]] allegation.  After denying the accusations of his alleged victim, Johnson [[suicide by gun|fatally shot himself]] on December 13, 2017.

==Personal life==
On October 18, 1960, Danny Ray Johnson was born to Jerry J. and Charlene Blocker Johnson in [[Bastrop, Louisiana]]; he was the [[birth order|middle child]] between sisters Teresa (older) and Rita (younger).<ref name="2000-08-03 Min-U-Script" />  Johnson graduated from [[Bastrop High School (Louisiana)|Bastrop High School]] in 1979,<ref name="2017-12-11 KyCIR" /> and left home when 17 years old.<ref name="2000-08-03 Min-U-Script" />

By his early 20s, Johnson had fathered a child, [[divorce]]d his first wife&mdash;Tylia Harris, and filed for [[bankruptcy in the United States|bankruptcy]] in [[Louisiana]].<ref name="2000-08-03 Min-U-Script" />  Per his 1985 [[Jefferson County Police Department]] arrest record, Johnson was {{convert|6|ft|1|in}} tall and weighed {{convert|170|lbs}}.<ref name="1985 JCPD" />

Johnson married his second wife, Rebecca Wilson (born {{birth date|1961|08|17}}), in [[Jefferson County, Kentucky]] on February 14, 1987.<ref name="2000-08-03 Min-U-Script" />  By 2017, Johnson resided in [[Mount Washington, Kentucky]],<ref name="2017-01-20 Statement of Financial Disclosure" /> and had five children.  Johnson was known for his [[hate speech]], [[Facebook]] posts, "and general derision for [[African Americans|African-Americans]] and [[Muslims]]".<ref name="2017-12-11 KyCIR" />

==Refuted claims==
On October 18, 1985, police in [[Louisville, Kentucky]] found two people about to set fire to Johnson's [[Cadillac de Ville series#Fifth generation (1977–1984)|1982 Cadillac Coupe de Ville]].  The suspects told police that Johnson had paid them over {{US$|200|1985|round=0|about=yes}} to burn the car.  Johnson initially signed a [[police report]] saying the vehicle [[motor vehicle theft|was stolen]], but later admitted to the [[insurance fraud]] scheme—he owed over {{US$|10000|1985|long=no|round=-3|about=yes}} on the vehicle, which also needed thousands in repairs.  [[Felony]] and [[misdemeanor]] charges were dismissed in February 1987 after Johnson completed a six-month [[diversion program]].  In later years, Johnson said: "When the car came up missing, I didn't know what happened to the car. It was vandalized."<ref name="2017-12-11 KyCIR" />

To Johnson's claim of having been the "White House Chaplain" to Presidents [[George H. W. Bush]], [[Bill Clinton]], and [[George W. Bush]], an expert in the field confirmed that no such position exists; all three [[presidential library system|presidential libraries]] also confirmed "find[ing] no connection between Johnson and the [[White House]]".  The Rev. Dr. [[Cecil Murray]] of the [[First African Methodist Episcopal Church of Los Angeles]] refuted Johnson's claim of setting up safe zones in that city during the [[1992 Los Angeles riots]], not only by virtue of not having seen the "golden-haired preacher from Kentucky" among the rioting [[person of color|people of color]], but also because there were no "safe zones" during the six-day incident.<ref name="2017-12-11 KyCIR" />

Johnson regularly told of how he rushed to [[World Trade Center site|Ground Zero]] after the [[September 11 attacks]], created an impromptu [[morgue]], and administered [[last rites]] to victims for two weeks.  Storm Swain, a professor of [[theology]] at [[Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia]] who authored a book on [[chaplain]]s at Ground Zero, invalidated every aspect of Johnson's September 11 claims.  In 2017, the [[Office of Chief Medical Examiner of the City of New York]] knew nobody who remembered Johnson.<ref name="2017-12-11 KyCIR" />  Johnson's 2016 and 2017 [[financial disclosure of public servants|financial disclosures]] listed [[New York (state)|New York]] state [[workers' compensation]] as his only source of income.<ref name="2016-09-12 Statement of Financial Disclosure" /><ref name="2017-01-20 Statement of Financial Disclosure" /><!-- citations ordered the same as the text sourcing -->

Johnson had claimed, at times [[oath#Modern law|under oath]], to hold a [[Doctor of Theology]], a [[Doctor of Philosophy]],<ref name="House District 49" /> and a [[Doctor of Divinity]], the last of these from [[Kingsway University and Theological Seminary]] in [[Des Moines, Iowa]]; Kingsway confirmed that Johnson studied there, but said he did not graduate.  In his 2016 election campaign, Johnson claimed that [[Ted Nugent]] had endorsed his election during a rally at [[Bowman Field (Kentucky)|Bowman Field]]; spokeswomen for the musician and airport both said they had no record of this.<ref name="2017-12-11 KyCIR" />

==Religion==
Johnson pointed to a childhood miracle as the incident that spurred his religiosity: he said a childhood [[BB gun]] accident left him blinded in one or both of his eyes, his parents took him to a physician, and that he was seven years old when his blindness was miraculously cured.  During his adolescence, Johnson attended the Swartz First Assembly of God Church in [[Monroe, Louisiana]]; Pastor Gerald Lewis recalls that Johnson, to whom he was a [[father figure]] and [[mentorship|mentor]], stopped attending church without warning or explanation.<ref name="2017-12-11 KyCIR" />  After graduating high school at age 17, Johnson left Bastrop to work with the McKeithens—a [[Christian mission]]s group based out of [[Nashville, Tennessee]]—for two years.<ref name="2000-08-03 Min-U-Script" />

When Dr. David Fischer was [[pastor]] of the Living Waters Church in [[Pasadena, California]], he wrote a letter supporting alleged miracles performed by Johnson while Johnson was on a [[short-term mission]] to South America.  Fischer said in his June 1991 correspondence that Johnson had cured a Venezuelan man of deafness and [[resurrection|resurrected]] a Colombian man: "He spoke to death and commanded it to leave."<ref name="2017-12-11 KyCIR" />

===Heart of Fire Church===
{{Infobox church
| name                   = Heart of Fire Church
| location               = 657 Bogard Lane<br />[[Mount Washington, Kentucky]]
| country                = United States
| denomination           = [[Nondenominational Christianity|Non-denominational]]
| website                = {{official website|https://web.archive.org/web/20190531191442/http://www.heartoffirepopeshouse.com/}}<br />([[Wayback Machine|Archived]] on May 31, 2019)
| founded date           = {{start date|1977|df=y}}
| pastor                 = Rebecca Johnson
| past bishop            = Dan Johnson
}}
According to the church's website, Johnson founded Heart of Fire Church in 1977,<ref name="Heart of Fire: About" /> at 5101 [[Bardstown Road]],<ref name="2018-03-20 WDRB" /> with himself as its [[bishop]].<ref name="Heart of Fire: About" />

Over its lifetime, Heart of Fire has drawn criticism from members of the local community and law-enforcement figures.  Johnson frequently proselytized for political candidates (e.g. [[Donald Trump]]) from his pulpit, violating the conditions of Heart of Fire's [[tax exemption#Charitable and religious organizations|tax-exempt status]].  Racism, toplessness, [[cigarette]] smoking, [[list of alcohol laws of the United States#Idaho–Massachusetts|underage drinking]], [[Islamophobia]], and a [[tattoo parlor]] were all reported phenomena at Johnson's Heart of Fire Church throughout the years.  Thrice in six years, the church was [[summons#Citation/claim (legal term)|cited]] for selling alcoholic drinks without a [[liquor license#United States|liquor license]]; after a 2009 raid by the [[Kentucky Office of Alcoholic Beverage Control]] (ABC), Johnson was fined {{US$|250|2009|long=no}} despite attempting to convince Judge Sheila Collins that the beer that had been hidden from ABC agents was for [[communion rite]]s.<ref name="2017-12-11 KyCIR" />

After Dan Johnson died in 2017, his wife Rebecca took over as pastor of the church.<ref name="2018-03-21 KyCIR" />  {{As of|2023|12}}, she was still president of Danny Johnson Heart of Fire Ministries, Inc.&mdash;[[doing business as]] Heart of Fire Church.  The non-profit was still active and registered with the [[Secretary of State of Kentucky]] (ID number 0219846) at 657 Bogard Lane in [[Mount Washington, Kentucky]].<ref name="KY Secretary of State" />

====Arson====
In mid-2000, [[Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company]] showed the [[nondenominational Christianity|non-denominational]] Heart of Fire Church was bankrupt: loans far exceeded the property's value, any potential sale, and the church's potential to ever settle.  The church and Johnsons were also in financial straits with "dozens of [[dishonoured cheque|bounced checks]] and [[credit card debt]]s".  Heart of Fire secretary and parishioner Michelle Cook explained how Johnson committed [[insurance fraud]] against Brotherhood Mutual to make money for himself.<ref name="2017-12-11 KyCIR" />

On June 12, 2000, the church was set afire.  When a witness saw a "white, late-model Cadillac pulling out from behind the church with no lights on [whose] driver was a white guy who might have had blond hair", the blond, 1995-white-Cadillac-owning Johnson instead blamed the [[Ku Klux Klan]], saying the hate group had threatened the church.  No charges were ever filed in the [[church arson]].<ref name="2017-12-11 KyCIR" />  The losses were estimated at $1–1.75{{spaces}}million (equivalent to about ${{inflation|US|1|2000|r=2}}–{{inflation|US|1.75|2000|r=2}}M in {{inflation/year|US}}).<ref name="2000-06-16 LCPD" />  Brotherhood Mutual sued Heart of Fire, saying that the church had been negligent in light of the alleged threats; both parties [[settlement (litigation)|settled]] and the church was rebuilt.<ref name="2017-12-11 KyCIR" />

====Foreclosure====
{{multiple image
 | direction         = vertical
 | total_width       = 230
 | image1            = Heart of Fire Church northwestern building.jpg
 | width1            = 4032
 | height1           = 1714
 | alt1              = 
 | image2            = Heart of Fire Church southeastern building.jpg
 | width2            = 2448
 | height2           = 1017
 | alt2              = 
 | footer            = Buildings at the former Heart of Fire Church property in September 2021
}}
In the 1990s, the [[presidency of Bill Clinton|Clinton administration]]'s [[United States Department of Housing and Urban Development|Department of Housing and Urban Development]] (HUD) began offering loan guarantees to rebuild [[black church]]es that were victims of [[church arson|arson]].  In 2003, Heart of Fire received the third-largest of these federal loans for {{US$|1.5 million|long=no}} (equivalent to about ${{inflation|US|1.5|2003}}M in {{inflation/year|US}}); the church used the money to buy the [[chancel]] it was leasing, and build a new [[fellowship hall]]-cum-[[bar (establishment)|bar]].  In 2019, Clinton-era HUD secretary [[Henry Cisneros]] described Heart of Fire's purchase and construction as not "meet[ing] the criteria that we originally had set".  Less than a month after securing the guaranteed loan, and for the next 14 years, Johnson failed to have the loan forgiven.  In 2009, the [[federal government of the United States|US federal government]] obtained the mortgage for Heart of Fire.  In February 2018, HUD secured a [[court order]] of sale for the church&mdash;valued at {{US$|634000|2019|long=no|round=-3|about=yes}}<ref name="2018-03-21 KyCIR" />&mdash;as the non-profit was more than {{US$|2.4M|long=no}} (equivalent to about ${{inflation|US|2.4|2018|r=1}}M in {{inflation/year|US}}) in debt to the federal government.  Heart of Fire was scheduled to hold a May 20, 2018 auction ("antiques, appliances, furniture, [[Harley-Davidson|Harley Davidson]] parts and commercial kitchen equipment"), the purpose of which was described to [[WDRB]] by Pastor Rebecca Johnson as:<ref name="2018-05-18 WDRB" />{{blockquote|text={{sic|In 2000 our church was arsoned. It was considered a" hate crime". In 2001We started the process of filing under the Law passed by Pres Bill Clinton to restore arsoned churches. We received our first correspondence on Sept 5, 2001 from Hudd. […] Our church took up the restoration project in 2003 […]. We were initially supposed to get Grant as all other churches that filed did. They ran out of Grant money and said do it as a gaurnteed loan, Hud official in DC said we will get other funding. That never happened. This has been in court for years trying to get funds promised. Things were looking good till Dan died. They said he was dead on paper so none of the testimony counts from Dan or DC Hudd. So I ve signed with a Realtor and we're selling the property to pay the debt and relocate. […] We have an auction Sunday for items not needed in order to pay off part of construction loan  put on my home.}} }}

==Rape allegation==
At age eight, Maranda Richmond first attended Heart of Fire Church in 2004 with her father.  She became friends with the Johnson children and considered Dan Johnson "a second dad".  Richmond attended parties and [[sleepover]]s that were held at the church building as well as the Johnsons' house; occasionally [[alcoholic beverage]]s were provided to the children by Johnson and other adults.<ref name="2017-12-11 KyCIR" />  Richmond told the [[Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting]] (KyCIR) that she was [[child sexual abuse|raped]] by Johnson 15 days after her 17th birthday (the night of [[New Year's Eve|December 31]], 2012);<ref name="2013-04-24 LMPD" /> she had been staying with his daughter in the [[apartment]] under the [[fellowship hall]].  The following day, the two exchanged messages over [[Facebook]]:<ref name="2017-12-11 KyCIR" />

{| class="wikitable" style="width: 100%;"
|-
|{{blockquote|text=[Johnson's daughter] Sarah said I was mean to Bo You and Her by telling you all to go to bed so sorry don’t remember I was told we all got drugged at TK’s anyway so sorry if I sounded mean, you know you are one of my favorites, love you sorry! Boaz did Great Sunday ! Your future Husband !|author=Johnson}}
|{{blockquote|text=What you did was beyond mean, it was evil. Drugged or not, I think you know what happened that night and that’s why you’re sending this message. I never thought something like that would happen to me, especially by someone like you. I looked at you as a Dad, but now I sincerely hope I don’t see you again, but I might try to maintain a relationship with your kids. And there is no point in responding to this message either because I don’t want to talk about it ever again.|author=Richmond}}
|}

Richmond and her parents went to the police in April 2013, but after failing to secretly record a confession from Johnson, the case was closed with no charges filed.  Richmond saw a [[mental health professional]] the summer of 2013, and presented her "[[psychosociology|psychosocial]] assessment, notes and progress reports" to the KyCIR in 2017; the onetime [[honors student]] and [[drum major (marching band)|drum major]] at [[Louisville Male High School]] had exhibited symptoms of [[post-traumatic stress disorder]].  After the KyCIR began investigating Johnson, the [[Louisville Metro Police Department]] reached out to Richmond and reopened the case at her request, but had made no actions as of five months later.<ref name="2017-12-11 KyCIR" />

==Politics==
In the 2010s, Johnson began to zealously express [[right-wing politics|right-wing]] and [[libertarianism|libertarian]] political sentiments.<ref name="2017-12-11 KyCIR" />

===2016 elections===
<!-- primary -->Johnson ran in the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]]'s [[primary elections in the United States|primary]] for the 49th District's seat (representing part of [[Bullitt County, Kentucky]]) in the [[Kentucky House of Representatives]]; his [[political campaign]] mirrored his personal ideals of "supporting guns, [[liberty]] and [[anti-abortion movements|pro-life]] causes".  During a [[political demonstration|political rally]] at Heart of Fire, the church's billboard read, "Pray To [[Make America Great Again]]".  Jennifer Stepp (a former Heart of Fire congregant) originally won the Republican primary, but was found by a judge to have been ineligible to run.  The Bullitt County Republican Party executive committee held a [[secret ballot]] and selected Johnson as their replacement candidate.<ref name="2017-12-11 KyCIR" />

<!-- general -->In [[2016 United States elections#Legislative elections|the general election]] for the 49th District's seat, Johnson faced the incumbent [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]], [[Linda H. Belcher]] (born {{birth based on age as of date|69|2017|12|11|mos=1|noage=1}}).  Belcher had held the 49th seat for three terms after replacing her husband in 2008.  Johnson eschewed their [[public debate]] in favor of making online accusations against Belcher, alleging that she ("lyin' Linda") had—among other accusations—instigated [[death threat]]s and [[bomb threat]]s, [[doxing|doxxed]] the Johnsons, and colluded with [[Barack Obama]] ("the Islam’crat") and [[Hillary Clinton]] to send "Chicago thugs" after Johnson's family.  Belcher refuted Johnson's claims, but otherwise ran a subdued campaign, focusing instead on her record as representative.  Also during his campaign, Johnson made several [[Facebook]] posts that [[racism|racially-targeted]] the [[family of Barack Obama]], and then refused to withdraw from the race even at the request of the [[Republican Party of Kentucky]].<ref name="2017-12-11 KyCIR" />

On [[Election Day (United States)|Election Day]] 2016, Republican [[Donald Trump]] received almost 75% of Bullitt County's votes for [[president of the United States|president]], while Johnson defeated Belcher by 156 votes.<ref name="2016-11-18 Lexington Herald-Leader" />

{{election box begin no change|title=2016, general, Kentucky state representative, 49th District<ref name="2016-11-18 Lexington Herald-Leader" />}}
{{election box winning candidate with party link no change |party=Republican Party (United States) |candidate=Dan Johnson |votes=9342 |percentage=50.42}}
{{election box candidate with party link no change |party=Democratic Party (United States) |candidate=Linda H. Belcher |votes=9186 |percentage=49.58}}
{{election box end}}

===Representative===
While Johnson's constitutional tenure in the Kentucky House began on January 1, 2017,<ref name="1979-11-06 KY constitution" /> legislators didn't begin work until January 3, 2017.<ref name="2017-01-03 Northern Kentucky Tribune" /><ref name="KY Legislature calendar" />  According to his House of Representatives profile, he was a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] and a [[Kentucky Colonel]].<ref name="House District 49" />

Despite its [[constitutionality|unconstitutionality]], Johnson filed a [[bill (law)|bill]] (Abolition of Abortion in Kentucky Act) to make [[abortion]]s performed in Kentucky illegal.  Physicians who performed abortions under the proposed law could be charged with "fetal homicide—a [[felony]] that can be charged as a capital offense but isn't eligible for the [[capital punishment in the United States|death penalty]]".<ref name="2017-10-09 WFPL" />  Johnson also filed bills concerning [[freedom of speech]].  One such proposal would have forced [[public university#United States|public universities]] to allow the promulgation of speech that is "offensive, unwise, immoral, indecent, disagreeable, conservative, liberal, traditional, radical, or wrongheaded".  The other would require all internet-accessible computers sold in Kentucky to come pre-installed with software to block "[[obscenity]], [[child pornography]], [[revenge porn]]ography, and [[prostitution]]".<ref name="2017-12-09 WFPL" />  He successfully co-sponsored a bill allowing Kentucky schools to offer bible-literacy classes.<ref name="2017-12-11 Lexington Herald-Leader" />

As of November 14, 2017, he was a member of the House's committees on: State Government; Tourism, Small Business, and Information Technology; Transportation; Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Protection; Elections, Constitutional Amendments, and Intergovernmental Affairs; and Tourism and Outdoor Recreation.<ref name="House District 49" />

==Exposé and suicide==
On December 11, 2017, the [[Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting]] (KyCIR) released an [[exposé (journalism)|exposé]] on Johnson ("The Pope's Long Con"), the culmination of over seven months of investigations and more than 100 interviews.  Both Democrats and Republicans called for his resignation from the [[Kentucky General Assembly]].  The Republican [[governor of Kentucky]], [[Matt Bevin]], called Johnson "an embarrassment", while the Democratic [[list of mayors of Louisville, Kentucky|mayor of Louisville Metro]] initiated a review of Richmond's 2013 allegations.<ref name="2017-12-11 KyCIR" />

{{multiple image
| total_width       = 230
| direction         = vertical
| image1            = Greenwell Ford Road north of the Salt River bridge in Shepherdsville, Kentucky (20 April 2023, S view).tif
| width1            = 8064
| height1           = 6048
| alt1              = A two-lane asphalt road, bordered by guardrails and surrounded by grasses and trees, bends onto a concrete bridge
| caption1          = The north end of the [[Salt River (Kentucky)|Salt River]] bridge carrying Greenwell Ford Road
| image2            = Danny Ray Johnson headstone in Mount Washington, Kentucky (20 April 2023, W view).tif
| width2            = 8064
| height2           = 5270
| alt2              = A glossy, dark-colored, and marbled headstone sits in a grassy cemetery, accompanied by a concrete bench engraved with a fleur-de-lis
| caption2          = Johnson's gravestone and accompanying bench in [[Mount Washington, Kentucky]]
}}
Johnson held a [[press conference]] two days later at Heart of Fire Church where he denied the accusations of sexual assault,<ref name="2017-12-14 HuffPo" /> instead saying that Richmond's claims stemmed from their political differences.<ref name="2017-12-12 Courier-Journal" />  That afternoon at {{nowrap|4:59 p.m.}}, Johnson posted a rambling missive to [[Facebook]].<ref name="2017-12-13 NYT" />  After [[mobile phone tracking|pinging]] the assemblyman's phone, police found his body on the north [[bank (geography)|bank]] of the [[Salt River (Kentucky)|Salt River]] in [[Mount Washington, Kentucky]]; standing by his car at the nearby bridge, he had [[suicide by gun|shot himself in the head]]<ref name="2017-12-13 WDRB" /> with a [[10 mm caliber|.40-caliber]] [[pistol]].<ref name="2018-01-04 Columbia Journalism Review" />  The time of death was recorded as 8:20{{spaces}}p.m.  The next day, Rebecca Johnson told reporters, "These high-tech lynchings based on lies and half-truths can’t be allowed to win the day"; on [[Today (American TV program)|''Today'']], she blamed the KyCIR ("that little greasy reporter") for her husband's death.<ref name="2017-12-11 KyCIR" />  Dan Johnson was interred in a Mount Washington cemetery on December 18, 2017.<ref name="2017-12-19 KyCIR" />

Nominated by the Bullitt County Republican Party, Rebecca Johnson sought election to her husband's position as state representative from the 49th District.<ref name="2017-12-28 KyCIR" />  Of the 4947 votes cast in the February 20, 2018 [[by-election|special election]], Democrat Linda H. Belcher received 68.45 percent;<ref name="2018-02-27 KYSBE" /> Johnson blamed [[electoral fraud]] for her loss.  By February 2018, both women were registered for [[2018 United States elections#Legislative elections|the 2018 general election]],<ref name="2018-02-20 WFPL" /> though Johnson withdrew the following month, saying, "I feel my time can be best served with my family and my ministry".<ref name="2018-03-21 KyCIR" />

{{election box begin no change|title=2018, special, Kentucky state representative, 49th District<ref name="2018-02-27 KYSBE" />}}
{{election box winning candidate with party link no change |party=Democratic Party (United States) |candidate=Linda H. Belcher |votes=3386 |percentage=68.45}}
{{election box candidate with party link no change |party=Republican Party (United States) |candidate=Rebecca Johnson |votes=1561 |percentage=31.55}}
{{election box end}}

==See also==
* {{annotated link|2017–18 United States political sexual scandals}}
* [[Douglas R. Stringfellow]], one-term Utah congressman known for having lied extensively about his past

==References==
{{reflist |refs=

<!-- dates sources sorted chronologically -->

<ref name="1979-11-06 KY constitution">{{cite web |title=Section 30: Term of office of Senators and Representatives |url=https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/Law/Constitution/Constitution/ViewConstitution?rsn=34 |url-status=live |publisher=[[Kentucky Legislature]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231002134629/https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/Law/Constitution/Constitution/ViewConstitution?rsn=34 |archive-date=2023-10-02 |access-date=2024-01-25}}</ref><!-- exhausted -->

<ref name="1985 JCPD">{{cite web |url=http://longcon.kycir.org/resources/police-documents-car-arson/ |title=Jefferson Co. Police documents re: 1985 alleged car arson |last=Skaggs |first=K. |last2=Baker |first2=William R. |date=1985-10-21 |publisher=[[Jefferson County Police Department]] |pages=1–36 |language=en |type=[[Form (document)|Form]] |access-date=2023-12-13 |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180624090252/http://longcon.kycir.org/resources/police-documents-car-arson/ |archive-date=2018-06-24 |via=[[Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting]]}}</ref><!-- exhausted; see page eleven for Johnson's height and weight -->

<ref name="2000-06-16 LCPD">{{cite web |url=http://longcon.kycir.org/resources/dan-johnson-police-report-church-fire/ |title=Jefferson County Police investigative report on 2000 arson at Heart of Fire Church |last=Richardson |first=J. |date=2000-06-16 |publisher=[[Jefferson County Police Department]] |pages=1–10 |language=en |type=[[Form (document)|Form]] |access-date=2023-12-13 |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180624170022/http://longcon.kycir.org/resources/dan-johnson-police-report-church-fire/ |archive-date=2018-06-24 |via=[[Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting]]}}</ref><!-- exhausted -->

<ref name="2000-08-03 Min-U-Script">{{cite interview |last=Johnson |first=Dan |interviewer=Bernard Leachman |title=Danny Johnson sworn statement - 8/3/2000 - in church fire insurance suit |date=2000-08-03 |publisher=Briditte Benedetti |location=[[Louisville, Kentucky]] |pages=1–167 |url=http://longcon.kycir.org/resources/sworn-statement-church-fire-insurance-suit/ |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181024040757/http://longcon.kycir.org/resources/sworn-statement-church-fire-insurance-suit/ |archive-date=2018-10-24 |access-date=2023-12-13 |via=[[Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting]]}}</ref><!-- exhausted -->

<ref name="2013-04-24 LMPD">{{cite web |url=http://longcon.kycir.org/resources/dan-johnson-sexual-assault-police-case-files/ |title=Incident/Information Report: Crimes Against Children Unit |date=2013-04-24 |publisher=[[Louisville Metro Police Department]] |pages=10–11 |language=en |type=[[Form (document)|Form]] |access-date=2023-12-13 |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531214749/http://longcon.kycir.org/resources/dan-johnson-sexual-assault-police-case-files/ |archive-date=2019-05-31 |via=[[Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting]]}}</ref><!-- exhausted -->

<ref name="2016-09-12 Statement of Financial Disclosure">{{cite web |url=https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4311358-Rep-Dan-Johnson-2016-statement-of-financial.html |title=Statement of Financial Disclosure (KRS 6.787) |last=Johnson |first=Dan |publication-date=2016-09-12 |date=2016-09-10 |publisher=Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission |pages=1–4 |language=en |type=[[Form (document)|Form]] |access-date=2023-12-13 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190601175237/https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4311358-Rep-Dan-Johnson-2016-statement-of-financial.html |archive-date=2019-06-01}}</ref><!-- exhausted -->

<ref name="2016-11-18 Lexington Herald-Leader">{{cite news |last1=Cheves |first1=John |date=2016-11-18 |title=How did a candidate disowned by his own party for racism end up winning? |url=https://www.kentucky.com/news/politics-government/article115696453.html |url-status=dead |work=[[Lexington Herald-Leader]] |language=en |location=[[Shepherdsville, Kentucky]] |issn=0745-4260 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180428015703/https://www.kentucky.com/news/politics-government/article115696453.html |archive-date=2018-04-28 |access-date=2023-12-13}}</ref><!-- exhausted -->

<ref name="2017-01-03 Northern Kentucky Tribune">{{cite news |date=2017-01-03 |title=Osborne sworn in as KY House Speaker Pro-Tem; other Republicans assume majority leadership roles |url=https://nkytribune.com/2017/01/osborne-sworn-in-as-ky-house-speaker-pro-tem-other-republicans-assume-majority-leadership-roles/ |url-status=live |work=[[Northern Kentucky Tribune]] |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230130182429/https://nkytribune.com/2017/01/osborne-sworn-in-as-ky-house-speaker-pro-tem-other-republicans-assume-majority-leadership-roles/ |archive-date=2023-01-30 |access-date=2024-01-24}}</ref><!-- exhausted -->

<ref name="2017-01-20 Statement of Financial Disclosure">{{cite web |last=Johnson |first=Dan |publication-date=2017-01-20 |date=2017-01-09 |title=Statement of Financial Disclosure (KRS 6.787) |type=[[Form (document)|Form]] |publisher=Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission |language=en |pages=1–4 |url=https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4257145-Rep-Dan-Johnson-2017-Filing-With-State-Ethics.html |access-date=2024-01-24 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190601180523/https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4257145-Rep-Dan-Johnson-2017-Filing-With-State-Ethics.html |archivedate=2019-06-01 |url-status=live}}</ref><!-- exhausted -->

<ref name="2017-10-09 WFPL">{{cite news |last1=Barton |first1=Ryland |date=2017-10-09 |title=Lawmaker Proposes Bill To Ban Abortion In Kentucky |url=https://wfpl.org/lawmaker-proposes-bill-ban-abortion-kentucky/ |url-status=live |language=en |publisher=[[WFPL]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180510043556/https://wfpl.org/lawmaker-proposes-bill-ban-abortion-kentucky/ |archive-date=2018-05-10 |access-date=2024-01-24}}</ref><!-- exhausted -->

<ref name="2017-12-09 WFPL">{{cite news |last1=Barton |first1=Ryland |date=2017-12-09 |title=Lawmaker Wants Porn Blockers On All Computers Sold In Kentucky |url=https://wfpl.org/lawmaker-wants-porn-blockers-computers-sold-kentucky/ |url-status=live |language=en |publisher=[[WFPL]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190530230227/https://wfpl.org/lawmaker-wants-porn-blockers-computers-sold-kentucky/ |archive-date=2019-05-30 |access-date=2024-01-24}}</ref><!-- exhausted -->

<ref name="2017-12-11 KyCIR">{{citation |last1=Dunlop |first1=R. G. |author-link1=R. G. Dunlop |last2=Ryan |first2=Jacob |date=2017-12-11 |title=The Pope's Long Con |url=http://longcon.kycir.org/ |url-status=live |language=en |publisher=[[Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190526232404/http://longcon.kycir.org/ |archive-date=2019-05-26 |access-date=2019-05-30 |quote=A Kentucky preacher-turned-politician's web of lies}}</ref><!-- exhausted -->

<ref name="2017-12-11 Lexington Herald-Leader">{{cite news |last1=Desrochers |first1=Daniel |date=2017-12-11 |title=Kentucky Republicans call for resignation of GOP lawmaker accused of molesting girl |url=https://www.kentucky.com/news/politics-government/article189162364.html |url-status=live |work=[[Lexington Herald-Leader]] |language=en |issn=0745-4260 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190330192201/https://www.kentucky.com/news/politics-government/article189162364.html |archive-date=2019-03-30 |access-date=2019-06-03 |url-access=subscription}}</ref><!-- exhausted -->

<ref name="2017-12-12 Courier-Journal">{{cite news |last1=Bailey |first1=Phillip M. |last2=Novelly |first2=Thomas |date=2017-12-12 |title=Kentucky Rep. Dan Johnson won't resign, says sexual abuse allegations are politically motivated |url=https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/2017/12/12/dan-johnson-sexual-abuse-allegations-kentucky-legislator/942339001/ |work=[[The Courier-Journal]] |language=en |access-date=2024-01-24 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/zkM5B |archive-date=2024-01-24}}</ref><!-- exhausted -->

<ref name="2017-12-13 NYT">{{cite news |last1=Astor |first1=Maggie |date=2017-12-13 |title=Kentucky Lawmaker Kills Himself Amid Sexual Assault Allegations, Officials Say |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/13/us/dan-johnson-kentucky-suicide.html |url-status=live |work=[[The New York Times]] |language=en  |issn=1553-8095 |oclc=1645522 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180208184258/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/13/us/dan-johnson-kentucky-suicide.html |archive-date=2018-02-08 |access-date=2024-01-24}}</ref><!-- exhausted -->

<ref name="2017-12-13 WDRB">{{cite news |date=2017-12-13 |title=Kentucky State Rep. Dan Johnson dies of self-inflicted gunshot wound in Mt. Washington |url=https://www.wdrb.com/news/kentucky-state-rep-dan-johnson-dies-of-self-inflicted-gunshot/article_fafeb844-09a3-5839-902a-da85dfa3d7e9.html |url-status=live |language=en |location=[[Louisville, Kentucky]] |publisher=[[WDRB]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190529174123/https://www.wdrb.com/news/kentucky-state-rep-dan-johnson-dies-of-self-inflicted-gunshot/article_fafeb844-09a3-5839-902a-da85dfa3d7e9.html |archive-date=2019-05-29 |access-date=2024-01-24}}</ref><!-- exhausted -->

<ref name="2017-12-14 HuffPo">{{cite news |last1=Mosbergen |first1=Dominique |date=2017-12-14 |title=Kentucky Lawmaker And Self-Styled 'Pope' Kills Himself Amid Sexual Assault Investigation |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/dan-johnson-kentucky-suicide_n_5a31e98be4b07ff75b003089 |url-status=live |work=[[HuffPost]] |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190604182504/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/dan-johnson-kentucky-suicide_n_5a31e98be4b07ff75b003089 |archive-date=2019-06-04 |access-date=2024-01-24 |quote=Rep. Dan Johnson had been accused of sexually abusing a 17-year-old friend of his daughter in 2012.}}</ref><!-- exhausted -->

<ref name="2017-12-19 KyCIR">{{cite news |last1=Barton |first1=Ryland |date=2017-12-19 |title=Family, Friends Gather At Heart Of Fire Church To Remember Rep. Dan Johnson |url=https://kycir.org/2017/12/19/family-friends-gather-at-heart-of-fire-church-to-remember-rep-dan-johnson/ |url-status=live |language=en |publisher=[[Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180810141504/https://kycir.org/2017/12/19/family-friends-gather-at-heart-of-fire-church-to-remember-rep-dan-johnson/ |archive-date=2018-08-10 |access-date=2019-07-06}}</ref><!-- exhausted -->

<ref name="2017-12-28 KyCIR">{{cite news |last1=Ryan |first1=Jacob |date=2017-12-28 |title=Bullitt County GOP Picks Rebecca Johnson To Run For House Seat |url=https://kycir.org/2017/12/28/bullitt-county-gop-picks-rebecca-johnson-to-run-for-house-seat/ |url-status=live |language=en |publisher=[[Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180825220625/https://kycir.org/2017/12/28/bullitt-county-gop-picks-rebecca-johnson-to-run-for-house-seat/ |archive-date=2018-08-25 |access-date=2019-06-04}}</ref><!-- exhausted -->

<ref name="2018-01-04 Columbia Journalism Review">{{cite news |last1=Dalton |first1=Meg |date=2018-01-04 |title='Any journalist's nightmare': ''The Pope's Long Con'' unraveled a web of lies, with tragic consequences |journal=[[Columbia Journalism Review]] |url=https://www.cjr.org/local_news/kycir-popes-long-con.php |url-status=live |language=en |issn=0010-194X |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181223201424/https://www.cjr.org/local_news/kycir-popes-long-con.php |archive-date=2018-12-23 |access-date=2024-01-24}}</ref><!-- exhausted -->

<ref name="2018-02-20 WFPL">{{cite news |date=2018-02-20 |title=Linda Belcher Reclaims Seat In Bullitt County Special Election |url=https://wfpl.org/bullitt-county-special-election-results/ |url-status=live |language=en |publisher=[[WFPL]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180226151758/https://wfpl.org/bullitt-county-special-election-results/ |archive-date=2018-02-26 |access-date=2024-01-24}}</ref><!-- exhausted -->

<ref name="2018-02-27 KYSBE">{{cite web |url=https://elect.ky.gov/results/SiteAssets/Pages/Special-Elections/Certified%20Election%20Results%20(SBE%20approved%202-27-2018).pdf |title=Certified Election Results (SBE approved 2-27-2018) |date=2018-02-27 |department=State Board of Elections |publisher=[[Kentucky]] |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190101175227/https://elect.ky.gov/results/SiteAssets/Pages/Special-Elections/Certified%20Election%20Results%20(SBE%20approved%202-27-2018).pdf |archive-date=2019-01-01 |url-status=live |access-date=2019-06-04}}</ref><!-- exhausted -->

<ref name="2018-03-20 WDRB">{{cite news |date=2018-03-20 |title=Church founded by late Rep. Dan Johnson fending off foreclosure |url=https://www.wdrb.com/news/church-founded-by-late-rep-dan-johnson-fending-off-foreclosure/article_d6e60a7e-80b1-52db-a15e-cfb13a08b559.html |url-status=live |language=en |location=[[Louisville, Kentucky]] |publisher=[[WDRB]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190706171534/https://www.wdrb.com/news/church-founded-by-late-rep-dan-johnson-fending-off-foreclosure/article_d6e60a7e-80b1-52db-a15e-cfb13a08b559.html |archive-date=2019-07-06 |access-date=2024-01-24}}</ref><!-- exhausted -->

<ref name="2018-03-21 KyCIR">{{cite news |last1=Dunlop |first1=R.G. |author-link1=R. G. Dunlop |last2=Ryan |first2=Jacob |date=2018-03-21 |title=The Government Rebuilt Dan Johnson's Church. Now It's Foreclosing On It |url=https://kycir.org/2018/03/21/dan-johnson-heart-of-fire-foreclosure/ |url-status=live |language=en |publisher=[[Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190604204142/https://kycir.org/2018/03/21/dan-johnson-heart-of-fire-foreclosure/ |archive-date=2019-06-04 |access-date=2019-07-05}}</ref><!-- exhausted -->

<ref name="2018-05-18 WDRB">{{cite news |date=2018-05-18 |title=Heart of Fire Church led by former Bullitt County lawmaker auctioning items |url=https://www.wdrb.com/news/heart-of-fire-church-led-by-former-bullitt-county-lawmaker/article_5cbfc4d9-295d-5f95-ae6e-fa6545b8b5e0.html |url-status=live |language=en |location=[[Louisville, Kentucky]] |publisher=[[WDRB]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190706165225/https://www.wdrb.com/news/heart-of-fire-church-led-by-former-bullitt-county-lawmaker/article_5cbfc4d9-295d-5f95-ae6e-fa6545b8b5e0.html |archive-date=2019-07-06 |access-date=2024-01-24}}</ref><!-- exhausted -->

<!-- undated sources sorted alphabetically -->

<ref name="Heart of Fire: About">{{cite web |url=http://www.heartoffirepopeshouse.com/about.htm |title=Who is Bishop Danny Johnson? |year=2008 |publisher=Heart of Fire Church |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331215507/http://www.heartoffirepopeshouse.com/about.htm |archive-date=2019-03-31 |url-status=dead |access-date=2019-06-01}}</ref><!-- exhausted -->

<ref name="House District 49">{{cite web |url=http://www.lrc.ky.gov/legislator/H049.htm |title=House District 49 |publisher=[[Kentucky House of Representatives]] |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171114181219/http://www.lrc.ky.gov/legislator/H049.htm |archive-date=2017-11-14 |url-status=dead |access-date=2019-05-30}}</ref><!-- exhausted -->

<ref name="KY Legislature calendar">{{cite web |title=2017 Regular Session Calendar |url=http://www.lrc.ky.gov/calendars/17RS_calendar.pdf |url-status=dead |publisher=[[Kentucky Legislature]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180205033513/http://www.lrc.ky.gov/calendars/17RS_calendar.pdf |archive-date=2018-02-05 |access-date=2024-01-24}}</ref><!-- exhausted -->

<ref name="KY Secretary of State">{{cite web |url=https://web.sos.ky.gov/bussearchnprofile/Profile/?ctr=1225404 |title=Danny Johnson Heart of Fire Ministries, Inc. |publisher=[[Secretary of State of Kentucky]] |language=en |access-date=2023-12-02 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231202200253/https://web.sos.ky.gov/bussearchnprofile/Profile/?ctr=1225404 |archive-date=2023-12-02}}</ref><!-- exhausted -->

}}

==External links==
* {{Commons category-inline|Dan Johnson}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Dan}}
[[Category:1960 births]]
[[Category:2017 suicides]]
[[Category:2017 deaths]]
[[Category:21st-century American bishops]]
[[Category:21st-century American legislators]]
[[Category:American people who fabricated academic degrees]]
[[Category:American politicians who died by suicide]]
[[Category:bishops in Kentucky]]
[[Category:burials in Kentucky]]
[[Category:Kentucky Republicans]]
[[Category:members of the Kentucky House of Representatives]]
[[Category:people from Bastrop, Louisiana]]
[[Category:people from Bullitt County, Kentucky]]
[[Category:suicides by firearm in Kentucky]]
{{Навигационная таблица/Портал/Английская Википедия}}
[[Категория:Английская Википедия]]
[[Категория:Википедия]]
[[Категория:Статья из Википедии]]
[[Категория:Статья из Английской Википедии]]