I enjoyed reading today this analysis of a whopper of a lie Sen. Paul has been telling for years, both in speeches and in a full chapter of one of his books. It's a story about how an old man supposedly went to federal prison for ten years merely for putting dirt on his land.
Very little of the story Sen. Paul tells is true. In truth, the man was illegally filling wetlands in order to sell cheap mobile home plots with illegal sewage systems to unsuspecting low-income folks. Unsurprisingly, when the wetlands flooded, their homes filled with floodwaters and sewage and were ruined.
Federal prosecutors accused Lucas, his daughter (who sold real estate) and the engineer of 41 counts of conspiracy to defraud, environmental violations and mail fraud (over the delivery of payments for the properties by mail). Prosecutors said Lucas, his daughter and the engineer knowingly sold properties with illegal and malfunctioning septic systems, and built and filled federally protected wetlands despite numerous warnings.
. . .
The jury . . . found the trio guilty on all counts. They were sentenced to prison and ordered to pay hefty fines and costs.
I don't expect Sen. Paul's supporters to say they are proud of Sen. Paul for telling this terrible lie. I do, however, expect them to try to change the subject.