This week’s LL column has doozy of a quote from almost Ward 7 D.C. Council candidate Ron Moten about the pleasure he receives from helping others.

“What I get erections from is helping my people,” Moten said, when he and LL were hanging out with some residents of Benning Terrace last week and the topic of Moten’s public service came up, err, was discussed. Moten is the co-founder of Peacoholics, an anti-youth violence organization that very active during the administration of former Mayor Adrian Fenty.

Moten sent a text message to LL today saying that LL took that quote out of context.

“I wasn’t saying like a physical erection,” Moten said when LL called to follow up. Moten said his erection line was just meant to show that he gets a thrill out of helping others, similar to the “ultimate high” athletes get when working out.

LL said he thought readers understood Moten’s meaning, and it was clear that he didn’t literally get erections from helping people. It was a metaphor, if a fairly amusing one.

Not so, said Moten, who adds that he’s been beseiged by calls this morning from people asking if he does, in fact, become aroused when doing good deeds.

“I’m dead serious,” said Moten, when LL expressed disbelief. Moten sounded slightly annoyed that so many people have taken his quote literally.

“That doesn’t help me,” Moten says of his campaign to unseat Councilmember Yvette Alexander.

It sure doesn’t. So, to be clear: in no time during any conversation that LL has had with Moten has he indicated that he actually gets erections from helping his people.

And now you know.

Photo by Darrow Montgomery