Author: @SoDakCampaigns

Governor Noem Accepting Applications for Fall and Spring Interns

PIERRE, S.D. – Governor Kristi Noem is now accepting applications for the Governor’s Office fall 2021 and Spring 2022 internship programs.

Student interns will work with staff on various projects depending on interests and strengths. Additional duties include aiding the governor’s general counsel, constituent services, and communications team; conducting policy research; preparing policy briefings; and staffing events. Internships provide students with first-hand knowledge of the state government and the functions of a governor’s office.

College students who would like to be considered for an internship should submit a resume, cover letter, and letter of recommendation to megan.goltz@state.sd.us. Applications for fall interns should be submitted by Friday, August 27, 2021. Applications for spring interns should be submitted by Friday, November 26, 2021.

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They Come to Sturgis (and South Dakota) for Freedom

By: Governor Kristi Noem
August 13, 2021

The Sturgis Rally is one of the biggest gatherings for motorcycle enthusiasts in the world. While the rally has always promoted an independent spirit, these past two years have taken on a new meaning of freedom.

The Sturgis Rally is about hopping on your bike and exploring this great country through our open roads. Bikers come here because they want to be here. And we love to see them!

Outside of the Fourth of July, the Sturgis Rally must be one of the most iconic celebrations of freedom in the country. And where better to celebrate than in South Dakota, the freest state in the nation?

While the rally has yet to end – the last day is August 15^th – the numbers have already shown that we are on pace to far surpass our 2020 attendance. This is on the heels of what has been the best tourism season ever for South Dakota. Record numbers of Americans are flocking to the Mount Rushmore state, seeking small towns, state parks, and national monuments as their chosen destination.

Many of the visitors to whom I’ve spoken say they’re coming to South Dakota specifically because it reminds them of the America they grew up in. Free. Independent. Unburdened by the constraints and headaches that big cities and liberal ideology force upon them.

Mount Rushmore is certainly one of the most recognized symbols in America. But few know our state’s motto: Under God the People Rule. That’s an easy standard to live and serve under. The rights of individuals are what birthed this nation, and that independent spirit is what drove America to become the leader of not just the free world, but the whole world.

And it’s that same spirit that is driving South Dakota tourism and business growth, making us the number one state in the nation for GDP growth. At the same time, we currently have some of the lowest COVID case numbers in the country. We have also worked hard with counselors to provide services for substance abusers, leading the nation in decreasing the number of deaths from overdose by 15.9 percent.

These are all signs that what we are doing in South Dakota is working and helping our citizens.

And yet, bureaucrats in Washington, D.C. and the media cast aspersions on the Sturgis Rally while ignoring concertgoers, lavish birthday parties, and the continuing crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border. It’s a double standard that gives a free pass to so-called elites to do as they please and mandate others to do as they say. It’s a failure in leadership on their part and why more and more Americans are fleeing big cities and blue states for places like South Dakota.

As South Dakota’s governor, I have remained within the bounds of my authority and empowered citizens and businesses to make decisions for themselves. Rather than mandating they do as I say, I have chosen to let people take personal responsibility for decisions the government has no authority to make. There’s a risk associated with everything that we do in life. Bikers like those attending the Rally this year get that better than anyone.

It’s no surprise that when I rode my horse through downtown Deadwood at the start of the Legends Ride on Monday, I was greeted with cheers for freedom and for the American flag I carried. At that same event, we auctioned off a painting and that flag I carried for a total of $80,000 to support the Treasured Lives charity, which helps victims of human trafficking.

This trip to Sturgis and the Rally was one to remember. When the auction was over, I hopped on a motorcycle and helped lead 300 bikers on a ride from Deadwood to the Buffalo Chip in Sturgis, where the celebration of freedom continued.

Under God, the people rule – and ride free on the open roads of South Dakota!

This column originally appeared as an op-ed on FoxNews.com

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From facebook comes a sighting of our Governor at the Buffalo Chip Campground during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. But we also get a quick peek at Beth Hollatz behind the curtain:

If you’re not familiar, Deputy Chief of Staff Beth Hollatz has been with Governor Noem since she was Congresswoman Noem. Beth is arguably her right hand and closest confidant, as well as being one of the nicest people you’d meet.

Rounds Submits Comment Opposing NCBA’s Attempt to Eliminate “Product of USA” Label

Invites Public to Submit Comments Before August 17

WASHINGTON –U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) submitted a comment in opposition of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Center for Public Policy (NCBA) petition which called for the elimination of the “Product of USA” label and the creation of a new “Processed in USA” label. Full text of this comment can be found below.

“If FSIS adopts NCBA’s proposal, consumers would have to sacrifice knowing where their beef comes from only to merely know where their beef is processed,” Rounds said. “Consumers deserve greater transparency. FSIS should strive to apply a more accurate definition to the current “Product of USA” label. Constituents frequently contact our office expressing frustration with the gaping loophole that is allowed under the current standard for a product to bear the “Product of USA” label. The most accurate way to describe “Product of USA” would be to allow its use only if the product is born, raised and processed in the United States.”

On June 17, NCBA submitted a petition requesting the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to “eliminate broadly application Product of USA labeling claims but continue to allow for more appropriately descriptive generic claims such as “Processed in the USA”. Interested parties can submit their comments on this petition here.

Full text of his comment:

I write in opposition to the petition (assigned #21-02) submitted by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Center for Public Policy (NCBA) on June 10, 2021. Specifically, NCBA’s petition requests the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to eliminate the currently misleading “Product of USA” label and replace it with an equally ineffective “Processed in the USA” label.

In support of their request, NCBA claims that, “such an update to the regulatory scheme will serve to eliminate potentially misleading, ambiguous source of origin labeling practices, ensure that the consumer is accurately informed, and facilitate marketing innovation throughout the beef industry.”

We agree with NCBA that the current “Product of USA” label is misleading and that an update would make certain the consumer is accurately informed. Today, the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) allowance that foreign beef may use a “Product of USA” label simply because it is processed in the United States defies logic and I urge USDA to use this opportunity to make a meaningful change for American consumers and producers. At the same time, NCBA’s proposal to eliminate the “Product of USA” label and replace it with “Processed in the USA” woefully undermines the purpose of the label in the first place.  This proposed change is disingenuous by suggesting to the consumer in a misleading way, that the beef is truly from the United States, when it is not. If a processor does not think that the “Product of USA” label is important, they do not need to use this voluntary label. By virtue of NCBA’s petition and processors’ continued use of the current label, we know they do understand the importance of using a label. However, they fail to recognize that the value of this voluntary label is driven by consumer demand to know where the product originates from and it is critically important that we restore integrity to the “Product of USA” label.

Since the 1930s, U.S. tariff law has required almost all imports to carry labels so that the “ultimate purchaser,” usually the retail consumer, can determine the country of origin of the product they are purchasing. Even though meat products were originally exempt from this requirement, the eventual “Product of USA” label was born out of the need and desire for the consumer to know the origin of the meat. This country of origin knowledge allows the consumer to make a safe and informed decision about the product they purchase and consume.

The value in more comprehensive beef labeling stems from the consumer’s ability to understand the origin of the product, the culture and practices associated with raising the product and the ultimate quality and safety of the final meat product. All of these factors are relevant to the value of a geographic label and FSIS should not adopt a labeling scheme that is narrowly focused on where the meat is processed. While we do believe consumers care about where their meat is processed, we strongly believe consumers care more about where their meat originates.

Recently, USDA has publicly recognized that the “Product of USA” label is misleading due to the fact that muscle cuts and ground beef processed or repackaged in the U.S. may carry a label saying “Product of USA” even if the meat is from animals raised and/or harvested in other countries. The current practice (allowed by USDA) is a significant misrepresentation and deviation from the purpose of the label. Even though NCBA’s proposal for FSIS to adopt a “Processed in USA” label allows for slightly more truthfulness in the label, it would undoubtedly undermine the standard, value and purpose of the label. Furthermore, the adoption of the NCBA petition would do nothing to differentiate foreign beef from high-quality, American-raised beef. If FSIS adopts NCBA’s proposal, consumers would have to sacrifice knowing where their beef comes from only to merely know where their beef is processed. Consumers deserve greater transparency.

FSIS should strive to apply a more accurate definition to the current “Product of USA” label. Constituents frequently contact our office expressing frustration with the gaping loophole that is allowed under the current standard for a product to bear the “Product of USA” label. The most accurate way to describe “Product of USA” would be to allow its use only if the product is born, raised and processed in the United States.

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This information from reporter @AnnalisaPesek at Thursday’s #MikeLindellCyberSymposium She was told this is a self-formed group of politicians who claim they want to oversee elections. pic.twitter.com/Wwg8zJhoLG

— Beth Warden (@bethwarden) August 12, 2021

South Dakota State Senator Jim Stalzer of Sioux Falls was one of several legislators in attendance at the Mike Lindell’s (the MyPillow Guy) Cyber Symposium. An event which participants thought would put former President Donald Trump Back in office after proving massive election fraud. Instead, the only thing massive was the manner in which it fell flat on its face, after the event’s own expert admitted they couldn’t prove anything.

However, what has come of the ‘cyber symposium’ is that there is a group of State Legislators who attended the event who are expressing that they intend to oversee elections. As noted in the picture tweeted above from Dakota News Now’s Beth Warden, this group includes South Dakota State Senator Jim Stalzer.

Now, I don’t think it’s a bad thing at all to want integrity in our elections. But, I don’t believe the sh*tshow in Sioux Falls was the way to go about it.

In fact, I don’t know of a county auditor in South Dakota who doesn’t want integrity in our elections. And certainly South Dakota’s Secretary of State Steve Barnett is concerned about it as well.

If Senator Stalzer is concerned about election integrity in our state, hopefully he will work directly with those parties who are actually in charge of the elections on how South Dakota can improve our election process.

And no more Cyber Symposiums, please. That was just embarrassing.

The Cory Countdown is getting down to a matter of hours before Dakota Free Press author, and ridiculously liberal former legislative candidate Cory Heidelberger is likely to be based outside of South Dakota. If you’ve forgotten, his wife has taken a job in another state, his house is on the market, and he’s unusually tight-lipped about the whole thing, leaving your informative friends here at SDWC to make sure you’re in the know.

Commentator Grudznik pointed out that Cory has been squelching people who ask about it, in the midst of declaring the sky is falling over COVID and attacking Governor Noem.

No one really knows why, unless he’s trying to convince us he’s actually not leaving South Dakota. In which case there are some who will be saying “aw shucks.”  But until that time, we’ll keep you up on the whole 411 as we discover it.

*Update* In addition to it being three days now, an observant commenter notes that Cory is no longer listed as an employee for Presentation College.

Apparently there’s someone new jumping into the race for Congress that I had missed up until today.

Daryl Root, who has been a candidate for the South Dakota State Legislature a time or two seems to be announcing via Facebook his intention to run for Congress in 2022:

Because Libertarians aren’t what anyone would consider a real political party in the mainstream sense, courts have said they can be on the ballot after being nominated in a convention process, so they don’t have to go out and meet people & convince them to sign petitions. They CAN run via petition, but they don’t have to, and it’s a rarity that they would.

So, it’s very likely that when Libertarians get together next year at Perkins, after the waitress comes with the bill, they will announce that Root will be their candidate for Congress.

What can we expect out of Daryl in his race against incumbent Dusty Johnson? Well if 2020 is any indication, it will be … interesting.

In 2020, Root was active on facebook for his race, advocating for making sure abortion was legal, as well as euthanasia.

And then there was this post:

In conjunction with his race, Root openly advocated for people to be able to legally do meth as long as it was in their own home. But don’t be selling to a mentally disabled person. (Glad he drew a line somewhere on methamphetamines.)

I’m sure this will make for an interesting topic in October of next year at the KELOland debate.

Reinforcing why Libertarians have a tough time being taken seriously when they run for office.

Johnson Calls for President Biden to End Unconstitutional Eviction Moratorium

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) along with 30 bicameral members of Congress called for President Biden to end the unconstitutional eviction moratorium.

“We strongly oppose the Biden administration’s latest eviction moratorium issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This latest action is plainly unconstitutional and will only serve to further distort the market and create a housing affordability crisis,” the lawmakers said. “Additionally, any further restrictions on evictions at this point are counterproductive. The economy is open, jobs and vaccines are abundant, and federal rental assistance is a reality.”

The eviction moratorium expired on July 31, 2021. Despite the recent Supreme Court case, Alabama Association of Realtors v. Department of Health and Human Services, where Justice Kavanaugh stated that “clear and specific congressional authorization (via new legislation) would be necessary for the CDC to extend the moratorium past July 31,” the Biden administration extended the moratorium in cities with “substantial” spread of COVID-19 until October 3, 2021.

“Instead of pursuing an unconstitutional moratorium, the Biden administration should be focused on distributing the nearly $50 billion in rental assistance that was appropriated through three separate stimulus packages.” the lawmakers said. “As long this moratorium remains in place, property owners will continue to struggle financially. These property owners must still pay mortgages, taxes, and maintenance for the dwelling. If this continues much longer, we will see a wave of bankruptcies, foreclosures, and blighted properties.”

Most states require the tenant to take the initiative when applying for rental assistance. A recent Treasury report found very little of the federal rental assistance money has been disbursed so far, and the new moratorium will act as an additional disincentive for tenants to apply for this aid, leaving property owners on the hook.

“We demand the Biden administration end this moratorium and allow the rental assistance funds to do what they were intended to do. This government overreach must end,” the lawmakers said. 

Read the full letter here.

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State Representative Tim Goodwin is writing in his legislative column in the Rapid City Journal that in the issue of organizations such as Sanford Health and others demanding their workers be vaccinated, they have the right to do that. And if employees don’t like it, they have the right to choose to work someplace else:

As far as making folks get the vaccine?  I do not believe in vaccine passports, mandatory vaccination, or any type of shutdowns.

Our Gov. Noem feels the same way.

The one big question that keeps being asked of me is, “Do employers have the right to make a person get vaccinated as a condition of employment?”  Thinking out loud here, I believe an employer in private sector business has rights as well.  Therefore, if he/she owns their business, and they decide that for you to work there, they want you vaccinated, I believe that they are within their right to do so.

The employee, on the other hand, does not have to get vaccinated, as they can choose not to work there.

Read the entire column here.

From Beth Warden at Dakota News Now comes a snapshot of several South Dakota state legislators at the Mike Lindell Cyber Symposium where they were going to prove voter fraud in the last election. Until they couldn’t.

I met several SD representatives at the Cyber Symposium & invited their statements to be included in my story. Haven’t heard back yet. #MikeLindellCyberSymposium #SouthDakota @govkristinoem @johnthune @RoundsforSenate and @RepDustyJohnson not attending. pic.twitter.com/Er0YDHfS8d

— Beth Warden (@bethwarden) August 12, 2021

That would be wannabe Congressional Candidate and State Rep. Taffy Howard standing with goofball State Rep. Julie Frye-Mueller, who took time away from telling parents to reject school handbooks to attend this crazy thing in Sioux Falls. And also standing there looking at her phone is State Rep. Tina Mulally.