Hildygate keeps gaining attention. Woster has an exclusive with Chad himself. And the AP picks it up.
Kevin Woster had another story on Hildygate today that I missed as part of his regular column in the Rapid City Journal:
Chad Schuldt didn’t have much to say Saturday morning.
Yes, he was in treatment for a gambling addiction. No, he couldn’t talk on the record about the missing money, or the friends he stands accused of stealing it from.
Speaking in a soft, broken voice from his home in Sioux Falls, as a child chattered happily in the background, Chad Schuldt sounded like anything but the astute, chronically self-righteous political operative and Internet blog commentator known for his tendency to bludgeon his foes with words.
Rather, he seemed every bit the human being he is, a man who has lived a lie in at least a substantial portion of his recent life and now faces family trauma, public humiliation and possibly a trip to prison.
But where is he today, really? Well, in the world of addiction, I think they call it “the bottom.” It’s a place where hopelessness and hope converge, where one road ends and another begins, for those smart and strong and lucky enough to find it.
and…
“We’ve had an accountant, CPA and two lawyers helping us navigate through all this,” Hildebrand said. “It’s all so difficult. And to have it involve a friend like this, makes it all the more difficult.”
These days, Hildebrand alternates between sadness and rage. But some of his anger is directed at video lottery, a business that generates more than $100 million a year for the state budget and also destroys the lives of a certain number of players.
and…“Unfortunately, in our state gambling is very accessible because of video lottery,” Hildebrand said. “And he was drawn into it and couldn’t get out of it and was in casinos all over town, spending my money.”
As someone who’s family was directly impacted by the exact same thing, I have a different viewpoint on the matter. Yes, my family’s thief was a trusted friend who spent it on video lottery as well. While we were mourning our mom’s passing, she was putting thousands into the machines while we were distracted.
And I’ll be the first to tell you that the theft certainly put a damper on my interest in it as an entertaining diversion.
But I don’t blame video lottery for the loss. It was the person who committed the crime, and not the institution. It’s like blaming gun manufacturers for crime, or liquor stores for alcoholism. Ultimately, I think you have to be responsible for your own actions.
This last weekend, I was out with my wife for about an hour, and I had a beer. And while I sipped that icy beverage at Ray’s Corner, I put $5 in a video lottery machine and walked away after I lost it. I only blame myself for being silly enough to do it, because ultimately, I’m the ony one who should be called on the carpet for it.
Whether the money is lost through a compulsion or illness - or not - it’s still gone, and in Hildygate, it was a bad act by a person - not an institution.
If Chad is sick, I do hope he gets the help he needs. And I hope Steve H. gets his money, and justice. But at the end of the day, the responsibility belongs to a person, not society.
–
Speaking of Kevin Woster, I see his front page story on Hildygate which names names has made the Associated Press Wire. Maybe the Argus will deem it newsworthy now.
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
Comments
So Roll Call, the Rapid City Journal, and the Associated Press has covered Schuldt and Hildygate but the Argus Leader has NOT? That shows where their sympathies lie.
“We’ve had an accountant, CPA and two lawyers helping us navigate through all this,” Hildebrand said.
So where are the authorities? If a crime was broken, the state’s attorney is supposed to investigate and then prosecute if there’s evidence of a crime. Are we a nation of laws?
Correct me if I am wrong but I believe Hidebrand is out more than $100,000.
The reporting (sans the Argus) indicates the missing money was intended as payment of payroll taxes to the IRS. As I understand the process, the IRS still needs to be paid those taxes. So if I am correct Hildebrand Tewes is out $100,000 and still owes another $100,000 to the IRS.
A net loss of $200,000? Ouch!
This is why nobody trusts the Argus Leader to give the full story, just like in the Dan Scott matter. If you want the news don’t expect it from the Argus Leader. Expect the Democratic Party’s press releases and that’s about it.
this why Argus Leader subscriptions are declining when they should be increasing.
there is no reason they can’t do a story on this
Is this really MSM news? I doubt it. It is a story for a political junkies that like to read blogs. However, it is not a MSM media story.
9. thanks Chad.
Anyway, why does everyone in the journalistic world think this is a story but the Argus does NOT?
anybody remember Hildy chasing people around the Augustana campus looking for sodomy bumper stickers? that was weird
No wonder I don’t see you around Brookings…Jims and Rays. If you haven’t tried the courtyard at Skinners you have yet to live.
Well, we can finally agree on one thing PP — Jim’s Tap is an outstanding bar. We’ll have to meet for a drink.
Alas, when nobody is pregnant, and the children have adequate supervision, I get out of the house about once every 6 months.
PP– Would you pleeese stop comparing the acts of the Un-clean Cut Kid with your families problems. No one cares about some insignificant South Dakota backwater business. Schuldt ripped off the Federal Government! It’s a FEDERAL case.
May he rest in Peace.
Woster’s soft story sounds more like what someone hinted at yesterday, that this would not be prosecuted because in reality poor little CCK is a victim. I don’t buy it. I agree with PP. A person is responsible for his actions. I go to Deadwood or Flandreau probably twice a year. I play the nickel machines for the most part, starting out with about $5. When that is gone, I’m done. Besides, by that time I’m bored. I do agree that it is tempting to think that just one more play and I’ll win, but I know that’s not true. Don’t blame the machines or the lottery, blame the person for any money lost.
If this had been a Republican blogger or political person, the Argus would have been all over it, demanding to know all the facts and ripping into the person, in their eternal quest for open records etc. Guess open records and journalistic investigation only applies when it involves Republicans, right Randell, Kranz, Lalley, et al?
Speaking of all this, would this situation be the thing that ends up killing Video Lottery? And how soon do you think it will be before we see Hildebrand or Chad Schuldt join the next campaign to end Video Lottery?
21: are you kidding? Video Lottery, love it or hate it, is here to stay. I don’t think we’ll see Chad joining much of any campaigns in the foreseeable future.
Here’s a website you may find useful. http://www.addicted.com is a site for friends, families, and those who suffer from various addictions.
PP,
Where did you see it on the AP? Could you post a link? I looked on the AP RSS feeds and didn’t see it yet.