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Appreciation for South Dakota Newspapers
A column by Gov. Dennis Daugaard:

The week of Oct. 1 is National Newspaper Week, an opportunity to recognize the important role newspapers play in our country. In South Dakota alone, there are 126 newspapers, some of which have been published for more than a century. Those newspapers employ hardworking reporters and others who work long hours to bring the news to our doorsteps.

In 21^st Century America we can sometimes forget that a free press is priceless thing, often not present in other countries. We don’t think about the many places around the world where people cannot freely assemble, nor express their beliefs, where there is no freedom of the press and where journalists can be jailed for publishing something about those in government.

We are fortunate America is not one of those places. Here we recognize that a free society requires a free and independent press. We know in order to keep government at all levels in check, we need reporters who ask tough questions, find the facts, present them objectively, and present different sides of a policy issue.

As President John F. Kennedy said in his 1961 speech to the American Newspaper Publishers Association, “Without debate, without criticism, no administration and no country can survive. . . And that is why our press was protected by the First Amendment – the only business in America specifically protected by the Constitution . . .”

Today, technology has changed the way some of us get our news. Some prefer reading online news, versus picking up the morning paper. Some are getting their news from social media, blogs and internet sites.

Whatever the medium of delivery, good news reporting must include fact-checking. Many online sources have failed to do this, but good newspapers have historically been more reliable.  We are seeing newspapers adapt to the changing times, by posting stories online.  Many offer e-edition subscription options for those who prefer to read their news on a screen. We even have some reporters on social media sharing their stories, posting photos and videos, and live-tweeting events. Newspaper organizations are often much more credible than other kinds of online sources. Newspapers, and particularly the papers in South Dakota, are also closer to the people who read them.

Newspaper Week is an occasion to thank those who put in long hours in the news room. Don’t let them hear from you only when you are dissatisfied. When you are happy with something, take a few minutes to send them an email or pick up the phone. Thank your local reporter for covering the event you organized. Tell them you appreciate their work to cover your local sports team. Express gratitude when they sit through the whole city council meeting. After all, they’re not just putting ink on a page; they’re preserving our way of life.

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I’d preface this by noting that I had to ban this specific commenter from this website for stepping over the line a few too many times for being abusive.

But at the website sponsored by Cory Heidelberger, the Aberdeen Democrat State Senate candidate defeated by Al Novstrup, this is what apparently what passes for debate and discussion among hard left Democrats:

Read that racist bigotry here.

Did I say that’s a discussion among hard left Democrats? It might be a conversation heard in a KKK meeting.  And if you can’t tell the difference, there might be a problem.

Congratulations to Senator Jordan Youngberg, who was married today.

In the “naked call for attention” department, I received this note this afternoon:

Are we at that point in the cycle where Kurt Evans tries seeking attention by running for office?  I’m not sure that anyone cares at this point.  “Breaking” the story on this is like breaking a story on paint drying.

This election’s Evans candidacy is all pretty neatly summed up by what I wrote about Evans running for office back in 2016:

First up, as confessed by himself, Kurt Evans admitted that he’s changing parties again From Indy, to libertarian, to democrat…. and now to Constitution Party, where’s he’s going to run, and presumably drop out for US Senate at a later date:

Read that here.

If you recall, Evans has been active in social media using anti-Catholic rhetoric on occasion, and has faced questions over accusations of stalking a woman on the SDSU Campus, as well as other controversies. He was widely viewed as a spoiler candidate in John Thune’s race against Tim Johnson for the US Senate in 2002, and has announced for US Senate on more than one occasion since, and dropping out about as often.

Meh about that here.

I think I’m only posting this because it’s raining out, there’s nothing else going on today, and I can’t help but do posts on “the midway carnival acts” of the South Dakota political scene.

So far, I think this might be the first fundraising letter I’ve received for the Attorney General Candidates, and Lance’s team got this out literally on the same day they made their announcement. (My announcement went to an e-mail account that I don’t monitor for political stuff, but I have that resolved and posted now.)

RussellforAG Fundraiser by Pat Powers on Scribd

S.D. State Senator Lance Russell Seeks Attorney General Position

HOT SPRINGS, S.D. (Sep. 20, 2017) – South Dakota State Senator Lance Russell announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for South Dakota Attorney General today.

“If elected Attorney General, I will support stronger laws and enforcement of those laws to ensure open government and safer communities,” Senator Russell said in his candidacy announcement for Attorney General. “Violent crime has recently been on the rise in South Dakota, and my number one priority will be to halt the upward trend in violent crime.”

During Senator Russell’s time as Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, he focused on issues of government transparency, accountability and protecting Constitutional Rights, which according to Senator Russell was a significant factor in his decision to run. For his Legislative efforts, Senator Russell has earned 100 percent and A ratings from South Dakota Right to Life, the National Rifle Association and the National Association for Gun Rights.

Senator Russell is an active member of the South Dakota Republican Party. He previously served as the Executive Director for both the South Dakota Republican Party and Pennington County Republican Party. He also has served as Party Chairman in his home county of Fall River.

Senator Russell continues to work at his 17-year private practice as an attorney in Fall River County, where he served two terms as the Fall River and Shannon County State’s Attorney from 2001 to 2008.  For the past nine years, Russell has served in the South Dakota Legislature as both a Representative and Senator, for a total of seventeen years in public service.

“My life as a public servant has been about fighting for victims, property owners, open government, and quality of life issues for our communities,” Senator Russell said. “Taking these positions to a state-wide platform as our state’s next Attorney General gives a new administration a fresh look at conducting the people’s business in the open to protect the taxpayers of this state.”

The Republican party will announce their nomination at the 2018 Republican State Convention next year in June.

###

About Lance Russell

Lance Russell is the current State Senator from District 30 and serves as Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee. He is a candidate seeking the Republican nomination for Attorney General.

Russell has over 17 years in public service, formerly serving as the District 30 Representative and as Fall River County and Shannon County State’s Attorney. Russell runs his own private practice as an attorney in Hot Springs, South Dakota, where he and his wife Starla are raising their four children, Julia, Madison, Warren and Grant. He is a prominent Republican Party member, previously serving as the Executive Director of the South Dakota State Party, and for the Pennington County Party before that, and has served as the Chairman of the Fall River County Party.

Russell earned a Juris Doctor Degree from the University of South Dakota School of Law and a Master of Laws Degree in Natural Resources and Environmental Law from the University of Denver College of Law. He represents Grassland Grazing Associations and is City Attorney for several municipalities in the southern Black Hills.

Democrats announced a while back that they’re bringing a speaker to Rapid City on Friday Night:

The South Dakota Democratic Party today announced that Jason Kander, former Missouri Secretary of State and chair of the Democratic National Committee’s Commission to Protect American Democracy will speak at its third annual Democratic Round-Up Banquet Dinner, set to begin at 7 p.m. on Saturday, September 23 at the Ramkota Convention Center in Rapid City.

“We are excited to welcome Jason Kander to South Dakota for the Democratic Round-Up. He is a strong advocate of the voting rights of every American citizen, and has an impressive history of electoral success as a Democrat in a ‘red’ state,” said SDDP Chair Ann Tornberg.

Read that here.

And what’s so awesome about Kander that they felt that had to bring him here?  Probably this message:

Good luck with that message in Rapid City, Democrats!

*sigh*  As if they’ve ever stopped, I note the Argus Leader is out pushing fake news to attack Republicans again.

Today, in relation to the Lynn DiSanto Facebook meme story they’ve been trumpeting since yesterday, the Argus has posted a new story trying to draw criticism to the Republican party by blaring a BS headline “South Dakota GOP won’t punish lawmaker for controversial Facebook post.”

Pray tell Argus Leader editors who wrote this silliness…… How exactly would “the South Dakota GOP” punish Representative DiSanto?   It’s not like there’s a mechanism for the Party to kick her out. I would point out that she was elected by a vote of her constituents. And anything in relation to her party whip position would be up to the legislative caucus, which isn’t set to meet until January.

It would be like me asking the reporter, “What exactly are you going to do about an Alien invasion?” And then blaring that she’s going to just stand by when the martians invade.

They did note a statement from the State Party Chairman, Dan Lederman which pretty much lays out what the party’s role in the whole thing is:

The GOP’s state chair said in a statement that it does not tell members what is appropriate when it comes to what they post on social media.

“Each candidate and officeholder is individually responsible for their own social media, and it’s up to each of them to determine what’s appropriate,” Dan Lederman said.

If they could do anything otherwise, I’m sure there’s a whole lot of crazy on Lora Hubbel’s Facebook page that would never see the light of day.

I’m not sure what the Argus is demanding with all their moral outrage. Is the GOP supposed to sentence her to 40 lashes with a wet noodle?  Or make her stand on Main Street in Rapid City with a sandwich board sign saying that she posts memes on Facebook?

Obviously, the state’s largest newspaper is just giving up on silly little things like facts, or objectivity. Because if they hadn’t, we probably wouldn’t read such utter ridiculousness in print.