Told you so…. Charges against Senator Jerstad confirmed
From the Argus Leader:
According to Hughes County Clerk of Court records, Jerstad, a Democrat, has been charged with failing to stop after an accident with an unattended vehicle and failure to stop after an accident causing property damage. The charges were filed with the Clerk of Courts Thursday afternoon.
The offense is somewhat trivial – but her conduct in the matter is going to have to be taken up by the Senate at some point.
BY THE WAY – it only takes 2 legislators to complain to kick the process kick off. Any takers? We have these *new magical ethics* rules that legislators are supposed to follow, don’t we?
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Comments
She’ll pay a fine and it will done. Sound and fury signifying nothing.
Todd Epp
SD Watch http://www.southdakotawatch.net
I don’t know any of the people involved in this. But I’m just wondering. Why would someone leave the scene of such a supposedly trivial event? Why not just hang around and deal with it?
If the ethics committee takes up this matter, it will show how petty and stupid it is. The lady will pay a fine and move on with her life.
If the ethics committee takes up this matter, it better take up the matter of every legislator getting any kind of traffic violation. This charge is a traffic violation.
[redacted by pp - guys - unless you know it for a fact, please don't state it. that way - editor pp]
Mike and Bob – it’s less the offense than her conduct.
1B-1. Maintenance of ethical standards. The people of South Dakota require that their legislators maintain the highest of moral and ethical standards as such standards are essential to assure the trust, respect and confidence of our citizens. Legislators have a solemn responsibility to avoid improper behavior and refrain from conduct that is unbecoming to the Legislature or that is inconsistent with the Legislature’s ability to maintain the respect and trust of the people it serves. While it is not possible to write rules to cover every circumstance, each legislator must do everything in his or her power to deal honorably with the public and with his or her colleagues and must promote an atmosphere in which ethical behavior is readily recognized as a priority and is practiced continually, without fail.
1B-4. Action in event of violation. Failure to observe the highest standards of public conduct will subject a legislator to appropriate action, pursuant to the rules of the Chamber and Mason’s Manual of Legislative Procedure.
She clearly didn’t act with honor in driving off. Either the ethics code means something, or it’s all bullsh*t.
I have always contended it’s the latter, and I look forward to being proven right.
PP I love these redactions. It makes the mind spin on the possibilities of what was written. It’s like SD’s version of Richard Pryor tryouts. For instance: “I can’t believe that [redacted by pp] went to the [redacted by pp]and told [redacted by pp] to go [redacted by pp] herself. The cops show up and beat the [redacted by pp] out of her horse.
Idea: T-shirt with a picture of Jerstad with [redacted by pp] underneath.
Off topic?? [redacted by pp]
Hey PP…..the genie is out of the bottle.
You let the whack jobs make up their own facts the first day you fell deeply in love with this story.
They went to town and spun their own (and possibly your ) fantasies.
So you can redact ’til your falls off.
It’s out there floating around the Internets.
Know a good lawyer? Oh yeah…Mr. Epp…who might be representing .
I hope I get this right,
IF she pays the fine, is she admitting guilt?
Doesn’t she have the right to defend herself and face her accuser?
If the ethics board, committee or whatever does decide to review her actions will it be for this one incident or will it be a summery of all her actions, the video of her yelling in the porno store, the alleged hit and run, the alleged heated phone call(s)?
Mike – payment of fine in lieu of court appearance serves as a conviction. Like when you pay speeding tickets rather than fight em. Many alleged offenses require an appearance, as will this one on March 16. (PP, do I have to go to the Argus to get my news?).
Pat, your gonna need a ride to Pierre so you can live blog the thing, and so someone can console you when all she gets is a fine. Call Daschle to drive, as it appears neither of you are that busy right now. Think of the sweet blog you could come up with burying the hatchet and cruising down the road with Tom in his 70’s Duster or Dart, or whatever that was before he went “all limo” on us. Probably should get DL or CCK to drive as they appear equally available. Or DUH could drive, as he used to do fine job of driving Kirby around, and tending to his general butler duties.
Epp, Pat’s gonna need some help removing from the bench whichever judge doesn’t give her 30 days. Who is the magistrate out there anyway. Thank God Barnett’s a circuit judge, because just think how uncomfortable that would be if PP had Barnett removed from the bench.
PP maybe you’d be allowed to speak at sentencing. Tell em you represent the bumper, and bumpers everywhere. Remind the court this is a pattern of behavior, as countless foul balls dinged cars and went unreported during her days with the Augie women. Oh, the humanity…
Yet another situation Jerstad was not able to VIBRATE out of . . .