SDGOP Release: Out-of-State, Dark Money Attacking South Dakota Public Officials

Pat Powers

Out-of-State, Dark Money Attacking South Dakota Public Officials

Pierre, SD – January 11, 2017 – South Dakota Republican Party Executive Director Ryan Budmayr called on Represent.us to stop slandering respected public servants. 

“Represent.us lied to South Dakotans and put IM22 on the ballot knowing it was unconstitutional.  Rather than helping the legislature fix their flawed measure, this Massachusetts group is spending thousands more in out-of-state money to attack South Dakota’s public servants.” said Executive Director Budmayr.

Represent.us spent nearly one million dollars during the 2016 election to pass IM22.  The sponsors of the bill were told by the Legislative Research Council, a nonpartisan public body, that the bill was unconstitutional.  Rather than fixing the flaws, Represent.us carried out a misleading ad campaign about the contents of the bill, a 17,000 word, 64 section, measure.

In December of 2016, a South Dakota Judge enjoined IM 22, openly and intensely questioning its constitutionality.

“Many legislators make a commitment to our state at the cost of their professions, and time with families. These public servants do not deserve to be drug into the mud and lied about publicly by a dark money, out-of-state group”, Budmayr said. 

Represent.us is a dark money 501(c)(4) organization that is not required to report its donors. Of the nearly $1 million dollars spent in the 2016 election, 98% was donated from outside the state. Represent.us provided the vast majority of these out-of-state funds.

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6 thoughts on “SDGOP Release: Out-of-State, Dark Money Attacking South Dakota Public Officials”

  1. Crony capitalism under attack, tax dollars could saved from corruption and yet the entrenched GOP decides to overrule voters and back a political under an ethical cloud for doing business with the state while serving in office… Wow… A wake up call is on its way to Pierre.

    2. If IM 22 wouldn’t have disregarded LRC then I would give them a leg to stand on. Now they are just backing an unconstitutional law.

      The only one I see with a real proposal as an alternative is the Secretary of State.

      Pass her bill and tell Slick Rick to be quiet.

  2. Will any of this money help Rick w.s boy run for mayor? He’s running as an I. Take it back!

  4. Conservatives need to stop slamming so-called dark money and supporting limits on campaign spending, even if it comes from out-of-state groups. Anonymous speech was one of the pillars of the American founding, and limiting campaign spending limits speech. Just because we disagree with the Progressives’ agenda does not mean that we undermine our own fundamental values.

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