Republican state House candidate says lying on MLive’s Voter Guide questionnaire was “unfortunate”, a “distraction”

Republican Brandt Iden who is running for office in Michigan’s 61st House district was sent a questionnaire by MLive for their 2014 Voters Guide. In the questionnaire were these two questions:

1. Have you ever been arrested? (Please detail date, location)
2. Ever been convicted of or pleaded no contest to a crime?

Iden answered “no” to both questions.

Problem is he was lying:

The Republican candidate running for the 61st District seat in the Michigan House of Representatives acknowledged Thursday that he lied on his MLive Voter Guide questionnaire when he was asked if he had ever been arrested or convicted of a crime.

Brandt Iden, who is currently a Kalamazoo County commissioner, was convicted in 2010 of misdemeanor operating while intoxicated. He was sentenced to 180 days of probation, state records show.

The MLive Voter Guide asks candidates if they have ever been arrested and also if they have ever been convicted of or pleaded no contest to a crime. Iden answered “no” to both questions.

“Not owning up to my mistake from many years ago with MLive is unfortunate,” Iden said when asked Thursday about his response to the questionnaire. “My motivation for not mentioning it was nothing more than to avoid embarrassment for myself and my family.” […]

“My larger concern now is that the focus in this election not be on personal attacks and distractions, but instead on the issues that truly matter,” he said. “These other things merely add distractions to the real issues of the campaign.”

Yeah, I get that you’re embarrassed. The problem is that voters have a right to know a bit about your history. That’s why these sorts of questions show up on questionnaires like this. You don’t get to just sweep your past under the rug if it’s embarrassing.

And, let’s face it, this is less about it being embarrassing to your family than it is about being embarrassed to YOU, Mr. Iden. Let’s just be clear about that.

Now, instead of judging you, in part, for a transgression that happened four years ago, voters will now judge you for what you have proven yourself to be NOW:

A liar.

[Hat tip to Elizabeth B for sending this my way.]