Author: @SoDakCampaigns

Gov. Noem and Colleagues Oppose Biden’s Amendments to the National Forest System

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Kristi Noem and five of her fellow Republican governors sent a letter to President Biden and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack opposing the amendment of all land management plans for units of the National Forest System. You can read the letter here.

“We have watched this effort unfold over the course of nearly two years. During this time, USDA and USFS leadership have failed to engage with us as leaders of our states to address any of the challenges and flaws we have identified with this old–growth forest policy,” wrote Governor Noem and the other governors. “We cannot have confidence that this policy is sound and supported by science… The USFS should abandon this effort or at the very least, begin this process again.”

The governors in their letter explain that the existing old-growth forest definitions are sound and sufficient for informing decisionmakers.

“We are witnessing a concerning theme across federal land management agencies where decision-making is being elevated to the Washington Office and the expertise of the field is being ignored,” continued Governor Noem and her colleagues. “USDA and USFS should be focusing on where the need truly is – removing administrative bottlenecks and working with partners to increase the pace and scale of forest management projects in order to meaningfully address our forest and wildfire health crisis.”

South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources State Forester Markus Warnke also sent a letter on this subject to the director of the Ecosystem Management Coordination Staff. You can read that letter here.

Governor Noem was joined by the following Republican governors in issuing the statement:

Montana Governor Greg Gianforte, Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon, Idaho Governor Brad Little, Utah Governor Spencer Cox, and Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo.

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*Update*. I thought a new graphic would be more appropriate. 

Hadn’t paid much attention to the actual press release that went out this morning for Toby Doeden announcing that he’s going to back out of challenging Congressman Dusty Johnson in the race for US House.

But as I went and re-read it, a name not unknown popped up..

Apparently Doeden is working with disgruntled former Noem staffer Caroline Woods, who spent a chunk of the last election attacking Governor Kristi Noem as not being conservative enough, despite Noem being the – if not one of the – most conservative Governors in the nation.

Woods is married to Family Heritage Alliance/Family Voice director Norman Woods, who has also come under fire for his attacks against the Governor, which came to the point where the Governor declared in late 2022 that the Governor’s office “will no longer work with the Alliance until and unless its executive director chooses to act professionally” after his attacks against the state’s top Republican leader.

Takeaways? Well, #1, I call bullsh*t that they’re going to raise anything approaching a million dollars. And #2 – We have yet to see a committee filing any public disclosure on anything that Doeden has spent in his failed effort.  Coming after his effort crashed and burned after about a month, it seems like a lot of false bravado trying to claim all these things Toby and his hired flak Caroline are going to do unless and until we actually see a committee and they file a finance report, which remains to be seen.

But considering the players and all the attacking both do against the leading Republicans in the state, it may provide some explanation why they never used the word “Republican” in any of their efforts.

Flags at Half-Staff Statewide in Honor of Chief Deputy Ken Prorok

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Kristi Noem ordered that flags be flown at half-staff statewide from sunrise until sunset on Thursday February 8, 2024, in honor of Moody County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Ken Prorok, who was killed in the line of duty on February 2.

“We are grateful for the life and service of Chief Deputy Prorok – he is a true hero,” said Governor Noem. “My prayers are with Chief Deputy Prorok’s family, friends, and the entire community.”

Visitation for Chief Deputy Prorok will be from 5:00-8:00pm CT on Wednesday February 7 at the Chester Area High School Gymnasium (101 2^nd Ave, Chester, SD, 57016). Funeral services will be held at 1:00pm CT on Thursday February 8 at Dakota Prairie Playhouse (1205 Washing Ave N, Madison, SD, 57042).

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I’ve been keeping an eye on the campaign finance reports filed with the Seretary of State’s office in their reporting system. And it appears that the SOS office is listing some noteworthy reports that seem to be missing that were supposed to be filed on on JANUARY 26, 2024 for the Year End reports that were due.

According to information on the Secretary of State’s website, Statewide candidates owed the SOS the 2023 Year-end report, as well as statewide political parties (not county parties), Statewide PAC’s, and Statewide Ballot Question committees.  All should have had their reports in by now.. and their website list a few that they say have not met that benchmark.  So, who ended up on Secretary of State Monae’s Johnson’s naughty list as of this morning as not having submitted their reports yet?

Former Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg has a double hit of being on the list. Once for his PAC $99 for Freedom, and once for his Statewide Candidate Committee Jason for South Dakota. Dude.. get your reports in. You seriously don’t need more bad press.

Travis Ismay, sponsor of the “An Initiated Measure Repealing South Dakota’s Medical Marijuana Program,” – the measure that the SOS may have screwed up in approving the petition, obviously hasn’t counted his lucky stars, because his ballot question committee has yet to file their ballot question committee campaign finance statement.

Former legislative candidate, and now chair of SD Gun Owners Michael Boyle seems to be missing the latest SDSOS Campaign Finance report.  Which, you would think should bar a group from sending out flourescent postcards in the next primary if they can’t file their campaign report. There ought to be a law…

Gideon Oakes over at the Libertarian Party should know better, but his party group is listed as not having their report in.  Libertarians must believe as much in not filing reports as they do in not winning elections.

South Dakota State Representative Jon Hansen counts among his various soapboxes the Life Defense Fund, but running an organization must not be his strong suit, as this ballot question committee is on Monae Johnson’s naughty list under the “not submitted” status.

Joe Kirby and De Knudson might want Open Primaries, but they don’t seem to have opened their books for their ballot committee on a timely basis, as the SOS also has them on the tardy list for not filing their report by January 26. 

State Rep. Peri Pourier didn’t file her Strengthening Common Ground PAC.  And while State Rep. Liz May might claim to have conservative principles, filing a timely report for her Conservative Principles PAC would not seem to be included among them.

And finally, the Adam Broin/Dave Roetman group Ripple Effect had been on the “didn’t file your PAC” list at about the time of the deadline, but then mysteriously disappeared. A review of their organizational landing page on the Secretary of State’s website seems to show no record for a report having been filed.  So… are they tardy, or aren’t they a week-and-a-half after the deadline?

We’ll keep watching the report filings.

 

(Update)

Jon Hansen sends a note this afternoon indicating that the report for the Life Defense Fund has actually been filed. Which if that’s the case, makes you wonder what’s going on with the records being provided to the public by the SOS, since this is 11 days past the filing deadline?

Now we’ll really keep watching.

Bah. The entertainment ends all too soon.

For all his bluster about how people were liberals and RINO’s, it didn’t take much for Aberdeen based congressional explorer Toby Doeden to duck out of a race against Congressman Dusty Johnson.  According to a fairly quiet story out this AM on the Dakota Scout website…

Toby Doeden’s consideration of a bid for Congress will not materialize to an official run for the office in 2024.

The Aberdeen native confirmed to The Dakota Scout Tuesday that he has decided against doing so after having formed an exploratory committee in January.

Instead, Doeden says, he intends to get more involved in politics on the other side of things — campaigning and fundraising for more candidates with “conservative values.”

Read the story here.

I notice he STILL doesn’t talk about being Republican, because as evidenced from earlier posts here at the SDWC, we poked holes in that pretty quickly by showing that he hasn’t voted in a Republican Primary over the past 20 years.

I’m a little surprised that the hot air balloon that was this campaign deflated so quickly after this public record poked a hole in it.

But so it goes.

Darn it. I didn’t even have a chance to use some of the other material I’d gathered.  And what am I going to do with those buttons?

Moving on…

(I meant to get this posted this weekend, but unfortunately, a bad gas-station sandwich along the route left me a bit under the weather when I returned to Brookings from Spearfish Sunday night. – pp)

State Representative Mike Derby has opened an official re-election headquarters for his race to return representing District 34 in the State Legislature. You can find it at 520 Kansas City Street in Rapid City. Check it out!

From the Argus Leader, a new legislative measure – House Bill 1198 – to move three of the races being selected at political party conventions to a statewide ballot moved forward on the testimony of legislators and former candidates for office arguing that nominating for some of the offices was bigger than just who could be convinced to go to the convention, according to the Argus Leader:

“I also believe that these positions are still too important to just let a couple hundred people decide and looking at our state motto that ‘under God, people rule,’ should guide us in this decision,” Tordsen said.

Former Attorney General Mark Barnett said while he had benefited from the convention nomination process, he felt that the fairest election was the one he lost when he ran in a primary against Mike Rounds in 2002 for governor.

“The reason I say it was the fairest was because it was a primary and it was all voting Republicans, not just a sum of the Republicans that I could convince to run for delegate,” he said.

Read the entire story here.

I just caught this story from a few days back over at SD Standard where it appears that the South Dakota Democrat Party has canceled Sheldon Osborn, one of their visible & long-time party activists for apparently having the temerity to speak his mind. Unfortunately for some Democrats, the fact that people listened to him was problematic enough that they felt the need to strip him of party office:

On Saturday, he was told his efforts were no longer needed. Osborn was recalled as Region 3 representative during a South Dakota Region 3 State Central Committee meeting on Saturday. Region 3 includes legislative districts 9, 10, 11, 14 and 15, covers Minnehaha County and includes Sioux Falls and a section of Hartford.

and..

In a notice of the Zoom meeting to decide his status, Region 3 officials said Osborn, a 76-year-old accountant and commercial property manager with a lengthy history of party activism, actually posed a risk.

“Our party, especially at a local level, faces many threats, but the continuous presence and undermining behavior of Sheldon Osborn is the most dangerous threat to the success of party efforts in our state’s largest county,” it states. “For these reasons and more, a majority of Region 3 SCC members seek an expeditious process to recall and replace Sheldon Osborn.”

and..

He said Erik Muckey, the chair of the Minnehaha County Democratic Party, was especially sensitive to any criticism. Muckey is the CEO of Lost&Found, which describes itself as “the region’s largest youth and young adult-focused (ages 10-34) suicide prevention and postvention nonprofit.”

In addition, he is the founder and managing partner of Pasq, a Sioux Falls consulting firm. Former SDDP Executive Director Berk Ehrmantraut is Pasq’s director of operations and Jessica Meyers, the former party vice chair, is a managing partner.

Muckey circulated a petition to recall Osborn. Among the signers were state Sen. Reynold Nesiba and 2020 Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jamie Smith, who is running to replace the term-limited Nesiba in the state Senate. Ehrmantraut notarized the petition.

Read the entire story here.

For quite a few years, Osborne’s regular commentary as part of his “Drinking Liberally” website was the only place to get an honest opinion on the inner happenings at the South Dakota Democrat party coming from a member of the rank & file. And from the sounds of it, there are those in the new woke leadership team who doesn’t really like those dissenting views.

I mean, writing this website, I get Sheldon’s dilemma. Do you consent to that with which you disagree by silence, or do you shine the light of day?  There have been plenty of occasions where a few past members of House legislative leadership would make backbiting efforts to try to cancel me with the Republican party. Thankfully, those that are elected to lead the Republican party are made of sterner stuff.

In a few written interactions I’ve had with Sheldon, and in reading his commentary about the innerworkings of the SDDP with interest, Sheldon never struck me as a person who sought to sow chaos as much as have a viewpoint that came with a different set of tools and experiences, such as when the Democrat Party managed to experience success in their goals.

If the house that State Democrats have built isn’t strong enough to withstand a few contrary words, they probably deserve what they have coming down the line.

I’m sure Sheldon will be happy having a beer on the patio, and I’m sure others will be happy to join as he watches.

SD Ag Alliance Applauds Legislative Leadership’s “Good Neighbor Policy” to Regulate Carbon Pipelines

(Pierre, SD) Senate Majority Leader Casey Crabtree and House Majority Leader Will Mortenson have announced a “Good Neighbor” legislative package that will establish protections for landowners and funding for counties.

“The SD Ag Alliance supports the legislative package because it creates significant protections for landowners,” said Rob Skjonsberg, founding member. “Like any significant proposal, details will continue to be worked out. Senator Crabtree and Representative Mortenson are to be commended for tackling such an important issue.”

“The legislative package is good for landowners and creates regulatory certainty for pipelines which is a win-win for South Dakota,” said Jason Glodt, founding member.

The legislative package is comprised of three bills (Senate Bill 201 and House Bills 1185 and 1186) and provides protections for landowners, funding for counties and regulatory certainty for businesses.

Protections for Landowners: The legislative package established protections for landowners, including 1) land survey reform; 2) liability protection; 3) minimum depth of carbon-capture pipelines of four feet; 4) lifetime repair of drain-tile, 5) release of dispersion models; and 6) additional compensation for landowners.

Funding for Counties and Townships: The legislative package also includes funding for counties and townships, including funds to maintain roads. The legislation will also create an extraordinary expenses fund which will be paid for by carbon pipelines. The state, counties, and townships will be able to access the funds to cover costs incurred for emergency response training and to purchase equipment.

Open for Business: In addition, the legislation will keep South Dakota open for business by creating legal and regulatory certainty for businesses.

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