Author: @SoDakCampaigns

Freedom Caucus demanding immediate action on election oversight issues… that they won’t identify.

@SoDakCampaigns

Got one of the dumbest press releases this afternoon that I think I’ve seen in a while.  The leaders of the SD Freedom Caucus are raising the alarm about time-sensitive election issues and demanding not just action but immediate action from the Governor and Attorney General on a voter integrity issue…

…except, they won’t tell us what the issue is.

Freedom Caucus Calls for Election Integrity

Just weeks before the 2022 general election begins, the South Dakota Freedom Caucus called on the Governor and fellow legislators to join them in taking immediate action in light of election integrity findings the caucus says they have recently become aware of.

The caucus has not disclosed the specific details regarding their findings, but stated that some of the issues are time sensitive and affect the oversight of the election process.

and.

The Freedom Caucus stated that they will be speaking with the Governor and Acting Attorney General Mark Vargo in the next following days to seek immediate action due to the time sensitive nature of the issue. The caucus said that they will provide further details of their findings at that time.

Maybe they should wait until they can tell us what these time-sensitive election integrity issues actually are?

Rounds Introduces Legislation to Blacklist China from Buying American Farm Land and Agriculture Businesses

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Rounds Introduces Legislation to Blacklist China from Buying American Farm Land and Agriculture Businesses

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) introduced legislation that would blacklist China, Russia, Iran and North Korea from investing in, purchasing or otherwise acquiring land or businesses involved in agriculture.

“Protecting American farmland is critical to maintaining our national security,” said Rounds. “As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I was alarmed when a Chinese company recently purchased farmland near an Air Force base in North Dakota. This acquisition could threaten our national security by allowing the Chinese Communist Party to closely monitor the operations and communications at a very important military facility.

“In my travels around South Dakota, I’ve heard from many farmers and ranchers who are concerned about foreign adversaries owning American farmland. It’s time to put a stop to this and take action. This legislation makes certain American interests are protected by blacklisting foreign adversaries from purchasing land or businesses involved in agriculture.”

On July 1, 2022, Representative Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) introduced the House version of the PASS Act. Rounds’ legislation retains key provisions of the House version and adds additional language related to foreign investments, agricultural land acquisition and reporting by the Secretary of Agriculture. The new provisions are outlined below:

  • Blacklists China, Russia, Iran and North Korea from purchasing or investing in agriculture land and companies.
  • Requires reporting from the Secretary of Agriculture on the risk to the American agriculture sector of foreign takeovers and/or investments in agriculture companies or land used for agricultural purposes.
  • Allows the President, after reporting to Congress on why doing so is vital to the national security interests of the United States, to waive the requirement prohibiting a transaction on a case-by-case basis.

The full text of this legislation can be found HERE.

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In case you missed it – Farm Bureau Carbon Pipeline Forum at Dakotafest is available to watch

@SoDakCampaigns

For those of you following the carbon pipeline which will connect state ethanol plants with solutions for Carbon Dioxide, as well as provide hundreds of jobs and millions in tax revenues for South Dakota, Farm Bureau just held a forum at Dakotafest for Carbon Pipelines which is also available to watch on-line.  The Summit Pipeline currently has 7 ethanol plants signed up in South Dakota.

Moderated by Scott VanderWal with South Dakota Farm Bureau, the panel also included representatives of Glacial Lakes Energy, Summit Carbon Solutions (who advertises on the right), and staff from the Public Utilities Commission.

Carbon Pipeline Forum from American Farm Bureau on Vimeo.

 

Convention of States funding in South Dakota’s primary battles featured in recent Associated Press article

@SoDakCampaigns

An Associated Press article is up on the Argus Leader’s website from a few days ago, pointing out how the Convention of States dumped hundreds of thousands of dollars into state legislative contests, and managed to narrowly eke out one race in South Dakota, which isn’t really attributable to their efforts:

The fliers piled up in mailboxes in central South Dakota like snow during a high-plains blizzard: “Transgender Sex Education in Schools?” one asked. “Vote Against Sex Ed Radical Mary Duvall for State Senate.”

The mailers were part of a $58,000 campaign against the five-term Republican lawmaker, an enormous sum of money in a place where the cost of running for a statehouse seat is typically in the low five figures. Despite the subject of the attack ads, Duvall was targeted not for her stance on sex education but for her opposition to a longshot bid by some conservatives to force a convention to amend the U.S. Constitution.

and..

The track record of the convention group’s spending is spotty. In South Dakota, where the group and its affiliates spent more than $200,000 targeting four state Senate seats, Duvall was the only one of its targets to lose. And the challenger who beat her, Jim Mehlhaff, said in an interview that he thinks the group’s intervention hurt him.

“I didn’t appreciate the negative tone of their mailers. It probably cost me some votes,” said Mehlhaff, a former member of Pierre’s city commission who had his own base of support in the district before the intervention of Convention of States. “This is South Dakota. People don’t like negative campaigns.”

Mehlhaff was baffled at the notion that a possible constitutional convention factored so heavily in his race: “Convention of states is not my issue at all,” he said.

Read the entire story here.

As I noted in a previous article on the topic, Convention of States didn’t get the results they were looking for in the primary election. And in fact, their scorched earth campaign is going to have a negative effect for their issue.

Watch for calls for more disclosure in campaign finance for out-of-state groups pouring money into the state, as a result of this group trying to buy their way to the legislature they wanted.  And as a result of their tactics Convention of States legislation will be utterly and completely DOA in South Dakota for the forseeable future. As one legislator quipped to me, they almost feel sorry for whoever is unfortunate enough to be hired to lobby for them.

Kristi for Governor Launches Two New Ads

@SoDakCampaigns

Kristi for Governor Launches Two New Ads

PIERRE, SOUTH DAKOTA – Today, the Kristi for Governor campaign launched a multi-week, six-figure ad buy featuring two new commercials. “C’mon Man” compares Rep. Jamie Smith’s liberal voting record to President Joe Biden. “On All Fronts” features Lt. Gov. Larry Rhoden recalling how he and Governor Noem stood up to defend the freedoms of South Dakotans.

“He’s South Dakota’s version of President Joe Biden,” the “C’mon Man” ad states. It notifies viewers of Rep. Smith’s “F” rating from the NRA and his vote to allow boys to play in girls’ sports. The ad directs viewers to JamieandJoe.com, a website that shows how closely Representative Jamie Smith aligns with President Joe Biden and how out of touch he is with South Dakota values.

“Governor Noem and I will never stop defending our state and your Freedoms,” Lt. Gov. Larry Rhoden promises in the “On All Fronts ad. “When they tried to shut down small businesses, we stayed open, and our economy thrived. When they tried to put boys in girls’ sports, we passed the strongest law in the nation to stop it. And when they came after our kids with Critical Race Theory, we blocked their propaganda.”

Under Governor Noem’s unwavering conservative leadership, South Dakota is thriving. Because of the Governor’s refusal to accept one-size-fits-all, big government overreach, South Dakota has the number one economy in the nation, leads the nation in personal income growth, ranks number for new housing development, and our schoolchildren lead the nation in educational outcomes.

“South Dakotans deserve strong, principled leadership like Governor Noem and Lt. Gov. Larry Rhoden,” said Ian Fury, Communications Director at Kristi for Governor. “Jamie Smith is lying about his record because it doesn’t match the values of South Dakotans. Governor Noem will always shoot straight with voters and be clear about what she believes.”

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Gov. Noem Releases Report from Department of Education on Critical Race Theory and Divisive Concepts

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Gov. Noem Releases Report from Department of Education on Critical Race Theory and Divisive Concepts

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Kristi Noem released a report from the Department of Education (DOE) detailing examples of Critical Race Theory and other divisive concepts in DOE policies, guidance, websites, trainings, content standards, or other materials.

“We are proactively removing Critical Race Theory before it has any opportunity to take hold in our schools,” said Governor Kristi Noem. “We are taking action to promote America’s true and honest history, including the history and culture of our Native American tribes, without any influence of Critical Race Theory or other divisive concepts.”

The report does not extend to the policies, materials, and resources of local schools. This report was prepared pursuant to Section 6 of Executive Order 2022-02. You can find the DOE report here.

“Out of the thousands of items reviewed, a very small number were deemed to be out of alignment with Governor Noem’s executive order,” said Tiffany Sanderson, Secretary of the Department of Education. “The department is taking action to modify or discontinue those items. I am proud of the department’s work, and we will continue working to ensure that South Dakota students have the opportunity to receive a robust and honest social studies education.”

Earlier this year, Governor Noem also signed HB 1012, which bans mandatory college trainings and orientations based on Critical Race Theory and other divisive concepts.

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Jamie Smith? C’Mon Man! New Noem Commercial hits Jamie Smith voting record hard.

@SoDakCampaigns

From Twitter, the Kristi Noem campaign hits back at Jamie Smith’s voting record, and likens him to Joe Biden.

Joe Sneve & Jon Ellis announce new Dakota Scout newspaper venture releasing September 1

@SoDakCampaigns

Joe Sneve and Jonathan Ellis announced this morning that they will be launching their new venture “The Dakota Scout” on September 1st, noting it to be “South Dakota’s leading alternative, independent and locally-owned newspaper, with a focus on state and local government and politics in Sioux Falls and at the South Dakota Capitol.”

Congratulations to Joe & Jon on the effort. It might be nice to have something that’s related to what area residents actually want to read about.  You can sign up to hear about their publication here.