Dan Maes's latest explanation for being fired as a Kansas cop: Evildoers (and girlfriends) beware!

Categories: News, Politics

Thumbnail image for dan maes photo cropped.JPG
Dan Maes.
It's hard to pick a favorite claim by GOP gubernatorial hopeful Dan Maes. His accounts of himself, from "I did so drive 80,000 miles" to his denunciation of Denver's bike program as a UN plot to his boasts of undercover police work invite us into a realm hitherto unknown, at least this side of a rabbit hole.

But Maes' latest jaw-dropper, concerning why he was fired as cop in Liberal, Kansas, is in a class by itself.

According to this interview with the Associated Press, Maes now says that he lost his police job after he initiated an investigation of a gambling ring that apparently involved members of his then-girlfriend's family. While visiting her parents' home in 1985, he explained, he saw "ledgers and recording equipment" that suggested an illegal bookmaking operation.

Yes, you read that right. Maes snitched on his gal-pal's people. And got canned for his trouble.

Or so he says. But what kind of doofus would admit such a thing if it wasn't true?

Maes told the AP his superiors dismissed his concern as "trivial" and didn't do anything with his information. But the Kansas Bureau of Investigation set up a suspenseful meeting with him in a motel room a few weeks later; he compares the tension to the movie Serpico. (KBI officials have denied Maes worked in an undercover capacity for them.)

Not long after that, the chief of police told Maes he was "being dismissed because I was associating with people of bad character." It's not clear from the interview if Maes means his association with the girlfriend or the state agents was the problem.

Probably both. The story simply can't end there. Surely there's more to come. When you're in a "spiritual battle" for the soul of the state, as Maes says he is, no good deed goes unpunished.

Like this Story?

Sign up for the Weekly Newsletter: Our weekly feature stories, movie reviews, calendar picks and more - minus the newsprint and sent directly to your inbox.

Privacy Policy
Sign up for free stuff, news info & more!

Tools

Browse Voice Nation
  • Voice Places

    Voice Places

    Discover restaurants, nightlife, travel, shopping...

  • VOICE Daily Deals

    VOICE Daily Deals

    Get 50 to 90% off every day on restaurants, movies, massages...

  • Best Of

    Best Of...

    More than 10,000 of the BEST things to eat, drink, and experience

  • My Voice Nation

    My Voice Nation

    Join the Village Voice community and get exclusive deals and info

  • Happy Hour

    Happy Hour

    Your local Happy Hour guide at your fingertips

or

Log in or Sign up

Social Connect:

Use your favorite account to access My Voice Nation.


Use your My Voice Nation account to log in:





Forgot password?
or

Sign Up or Log in

Social Connect:

Sign up for My Voice Nation with your preferred network.


Sign up for a My Voice Nation account:



Privacy policy