Reality Check: Who Is Deputy Dave?

An update to a Reality Check from Monday about a MN Forward ad featuring "Deputy Dave" complaining about DFL gubernatorial candidate Mark Dayton's tax hikes.

The deputy did not want to be identified but Pat Kessler found out the identity of "Deputy Dave" and the ad is still misleading.

Deputy Dave Schultz is a bona fide Hennepin County Deputy Sheriff. He's even featured on the sheriff's office website.

It's what Schultz said about Dayton's tax plan that should be ticketed for exaggeration.

"I've been a police officer for 20 years," said Schultz in the ad. "My wife is a nurse. Mark Dayton says we're rich and we should pay higher taxes. He's wrong."

That's MISLEADING.

According to county records, "Deputy Dave" made $73,989 last year.

If his wife is a nurse, she'd have to make $120,000 before the two of them are touched by Dayton's tax hike.

Here's why:

Dayton wants to raise income taxes on the top 10 percent of wage earners. It kicks in when couples earn $193,000 or more in gross income.

After taxes and deductions, "Deputy Dave" and his wife could pay a higher tax rate but only on the amount of their take home pay above $173,000.

That's NOT THE WHOLE STORY.

"Deputy Dave" is not the only law enforcement officer in a political ad this year. There are three separate Dayton TV ads using cops as props.

That's Reality Check.

To check the resources for Pat Kessler's Reality Check, click on the links below.

MN Forward: "Trick or Treat" Ad
Hennepin County Sheriff's Office
Minnesota Public Salaries Search
Mark Dayton for Governor