Idioms - part 5

Red herring 
 
1) The topic of all the innovations in the company is a red herring that comes up whenever I try to talk to my boss about my salary.

it means
 
Every time I try to talk to my boss about my salary he keeps changing the subject and talk about all the innovations he is going to make in the company.
 

2) I think that for politicians the topic of abortion is like a red herring. They don't have to get down to work on other urgent matters like the budget.
 
it means

I think that the politicians keep talking about abortions so they don't have to get down to work on other urgent matters like the budget.

CHECK

A snake in the grass 

1) Don't believe James when he says that you can trust him. He's known to be a snake in the grass.

it means

Don't believe James when he says that you can trust him. He's known to have been deceitful.

2) I have trusted Peter and that's why I told him about that breach of contract. He turned out to be a snake in the grass.

it means

I have trusted Peter and that's why I told him about a breach of that contract. Then he betrayed me.

 CHECK