Report: Maryland Politician Lied About Playing For The Cowboys

According to a recent report in the Washington City Paper, Michael Vaughn, an incumbent running for the Maryland House of Delegates, posted a bio on his official campaign website which falsely states that he played for the Dallas Cowboys for three years.  Vaughn, a delegate from Prince George’s County, refuted the report in a statement, arguing that he was signed as an undrafted free agent in May of 1980 and remained with the team through August, but never played a down.

Neither the sports information department at Southern University or the Dallas Cowboys have any record of Vaughn playing professional football, according to the initial report. Southern compiled a list of 80 former football players who went on to play, not only in the NFL, but the CFL and Arena League, as well, and Vaughn was absent. The Dallas Cowboys, too, were unable to find any corroboration for Vaughn’s claims.

"We have no record of him playing for the Dallas Cowboys," Cowboys’ spokesman Jancy Briles told the Washington City Paper.

Vaughn’s statement cites an article from a 1980 edition of the Baton Rouge Advocate, which lists Vaughn as being among a group of Southern players hoping to catch on with an NFL team.

"Since the close of the draft,” the article says, “wide receiver Michael Vaughn and defensive back Jeff Allen have been given playing chances by the Dallas Cowboys.”

His response goes on to insist that he was with the Cowboys for some time in 1980, but admits that a mistake had been made, and addressed.

At any rate, if Vaughn is lying, this becomes a remarkably curious story.  Lies, after all, are traditionally used to get one out of trouble. So why would a politician in the heart of Redskins country ever (ever) want the electorate to think that he played for the hated Cowboys? Sure seems like political hari-kari to us.

Then, perhaps the real question is, for Vaughn--or any politician in Maryland, for that matter--what is a more damning political sin: being caught in a lie, or being a former Dallas Cowboy?

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