Freedumb Caucus members upset that someone was charged with law they sponsored.

@SoDakCampaigns

The “Free-dumb Caucus” strikes again.  I know I’m dumber for having read it, but it did generate mirth this afternoon.

So, I was sent the semi-anonymous release from the Free-Dumb Caucus this afternoon, whining about the Austin Goss charges, and how he pled them down to disorderly conduct.

State Representative Tina Mulally’s name is the point of contact on the release, but no one would apparently lay claim to actually saying the words, as the statement lays out it’s anonymous griping about the whole situation. It reads in part..

The South Dakota Freedom Caucus issued a statement after former reporter Austin Goss pled guilty to a charge of disorderly conduct, for a private, prank call made to Republican party Chairman Dan Lederman last year.

…

South Dakota investigative journalist Austin Goss was forced to plead down to a Class 2 misdemeanor of disorderly conduct for a private, prank phone call to former Republican party Chairman Dan Lederman last year, after numerous investigative reports into the Noem administration, the Republican party and other powerful players in the state.

and yadda, yadda, yadda.

Now, here’s the part that’s completely laughable.

First off, it’s very courageous how they bravely brought up the rear. But they probably should have given it a bit more thought.

The part where they complain that Goss was charged with violating a law, which was pled down to disorderly conduct? Two of the three members of the Free-dumb caucus were sponsors of the bill that created the crime.

As always, don’t take my word for it. Read for yourself..

Under sponsors of the measure, we have Tina Mulally and Tony Randolph who signed their name to the bill as sponsors prohibiting forms of caller identification manipulation, and imposing a penalty therefor.

So, they were against people spoofing caller id, and now they’re for it?

Because that’s what they’re complaining about.  Unless it’s the selective enforcement of laws that they’re looking for.

Hopefully they’ll figure that out before they’re inflicted on the legislature this next session.

If they don’t like the law, repeal it. If they don’t like who was charged, create a “friends of Tina & Tony” criminal exemption.

Absent that, they might want to think the next time they decide to chirp about a law they themselves sponsored as being unjust.

19 thoughts on “Freedumb Caucus members upset that someone was charged with law they sponsored.”

  1. Whew, you had me worried for a minute. I almost thought you were suggesting that they were the authors of the bill instead of merely sponsoring it.

  3. Goss dined nearly every night with the freedom caucus in Pierre during session.

    1. I’ve heard rumors he intends to run for the legislature against Mortenson.

      2. That assumes he hasn’t done anything else stupid.

        That’s probably a bad thing to assume.

  4. The problem with all of this is Goss isn’t sorry for anything. He shouldn’t have pranked the governor. Simple as that.

    Goss’ biggest problem now is that he craves the attention and spotlight and he’s lost his platform. No media company will hire him and let him use his name on their platform again.

    The law is over the top but he was an idiot and shouldn’t have been doing that.

  5. Aylward is one of the most ineffective legislators in Pierre. He killed American Exceptionalism.

  6. Love the logo Pat!

    Amazing those that claim they follow and adhere to the constitution are the ones who frequently violate it and know little about it. I guess it sounds good though!

    1. It’s clear Goss wants attention more than he has regret for his actions. His column in the dakota scout proves that. No one wanted to see a column from him that was written like a person who thinks they are running for political office.

      “If you love SD it will love you back”

      I’ve heard this line before and it was cheesy then and it’s even cheesier now.

      Grow up and self reflect.

      1. I believe it’s also in the cap journal.

        I thought this was being played off as the equivalent of a traffic violation? Not a lot of people who get careless driving tickets go on an apology tour.

        1. Goss is an attention seeker. He’s one of those tik tok kids who does stupid things to get attention. Most legislators and people in politics won’t give him the time of day now that he’s not a reporter. He’s arrogant and not as smart as he thinks he is.

          There is no way he was good enough friends with lederman to be impersonating the governor when he called him. That’s not funny. It’s stupid. Is he hanging out with Dan for lunch or at Dan’s house? No. He has Dan’s number because he’s a member of the media and Dan was the chair of the gop. Dan probably put up with him and wished he didn’t have to.

          I’m guessing that is the case for many individuals who don’t share Goss’ disdain for the governor.

        2. The Goss apology tour that’s funny. How long does he keep this going? I bet he has a float in the 4th of July Parade in Stanley county.

  7. To all of you repeatedly using the term “prank call”… You are, de facto, attempting to minimize Mr. Goss’ significant (and illegal) political faux pas. His “prank call” to Dan Lederman was nothing more or less than an intentional political “perpetration.” Here’s a working definition of the word perpetration: to bring about or carry out (something, such as a crime or deception). Mr. Goss was, without question at minimum, intending to deceive and harass Mr. Lederman and, perhaps unwittingly, committed a crime in the process. Mr. Goss is around 30 years of age and no longer a high schooler. Further, he’s been padding around the hallways of state power as a credentialed journalist in Pierre for how long now? It ALL goes to motive in the end. If, as has been asserted here by many “Anonymous” commenters, Mr. Goss was merely attempting an ill-informed “prank call”, it certainly demonstrates his underlying ineptitude (perhaps contempt) regarding the bedrock tenet/standard of “intellectual honesty” that should be foundational if one earns one’s living as a full-time journalist. THAT’S THE POINT HERE THAT EVERYONE IS BLATANTLY IGNORING, STEPPING OVER, OR MAKING EXCUSES FOR.

    1. Sam, perhaps we would all have more sympathy for our dear Governor and Mr Lederman as victims, if this very crime didn’t happen to the general public daily. I get multiple spoofed number calls claiming that I won something, that my auto warranty has expired, or that I’ve been selected for something. I have to just hang up, even though I know they are calling me and it is political. We all wish we had a bucket of endless tax dollars to track these offenders down and really highlight how much of a victim we are, but we can’t spend those dollars, only send them in. THAT’S THE POINT HERE, WHY DOES EVERYONE WANT TO BE A VICTIM SO BADLY, NOT EVERYTHING THAT ANNOYS YOU SHOULD BE A CRIME.

      1. Mr. Goss was a credentialed and official journalist… not some dumbass troll on internet blog sites. My point is not about the crime of violating a statute (which he admittedly did), it’s about his inherent “intellectual dishonesty” in doing so. Do you not understand the importance of a journalist holding themselves to a high standard of intellectual honesty? And, if so, was Mr. Goss’ phone call in keeping with that standard? A simple Yes or No will suffice without a lot of other apologetic shadings.

  8. In the Free-Dumb and Dumbers quest to help, they staked out an indefensible position and perpetuated a story that should have already gone away. Not helpful on any front.

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