Author: @SoDakCampaigns

Secretary of State hasn’t seen language on Felon voting bill, feels 2012 measure is appropriate.

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In recent days, much has been written about State Senator Craig Tieszen’s proposal to relax the current voting prohibition on convicted felons voting until completion of their sentence. But don’t look for the Secretary of State to support Tieszen’s proposal.

In fact, it remains to be seen whether anyone has asked the incoming Secretary of State for input on the measure being proposed.

In an interview with dakotawarcollege.com, Secretary of State Shantel Krebs, while she cedes authority to propose the measure rests with the legislative branch; as the person who would work with the court system to implement it, Krebs notes that she “hasn’t seen the language in the bill” yet. Krebs went on to note that ultimately, “any changes would be voted on by the legislature.”

While the American Civil Liberties Union was active in lobbying for relaxed voting restrictions on convicted felons in 2012, as the state’s chief elections officer, Krebs hasn’t heard from any outside groups on the bill at this point.

Krebs told SDWC that “Anything that has to do with felons voting is a public policy issue that rests with the legislature.” And, while she “can’t speak for the legislature,” Krebs doesn’t “see supporting any changes to current statute,” and feels that the changes in the 2012 proposal primed by State Senator Gene Abdallah “are what’s appropriate.”

Krebs went on to say that she is in “approval of the current law.“

Press Release: Americans For Prosperity South Dakota Calls on President to Sign Legislation

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Congress Votes For South Dakota Jobs In Passing Keystone Pipeline Bill
AFP South Dakota Calls on President to Sign Legislation

Sioux Falls, S.D. – Americans for Prosperity South Dakota released the following statement after today’s vote of overwhelming support for the Keystone Pipeline by the U.S. House of Representatives.

AFP South Dakota Director Ben Lee said:

“We applaud Congresswoman Noem on her vote to provide much needed relief for middle class families. With 8.7 million Americans still out of work, we simply cannot afford to deny access to 42,000 good-paying jobs. American families need secure jobs and the American economy needs secure energy. The Keystone Pipeline provides both. The President and Senate should act quickly to sign this bill into law and get Americans back to work.”

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Press Release: With Noem Support, Keystone XL Approved by the U.S. House

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With Noem Support, Keystone XL Approved by the U.S. House

kristi noem headshot May 21 2014Washington, D.C. – Rep. Kristi Noem today joined House Republicans and Democrats in passing H.R.3, the Keystone XL Pipeline Act, which would authorize the long-awaited pipeline’s construction and operation. The vote in the U.S. House of Representatives comes in the wake of a Nebraska Supreme Court decision this morning that lifted one of the final state-based barriers on the project.

“The only thing stopping Keystone is the President and his far-left political agenda – and that’s flat-out wrong,” said Noem. “Delaying Keystone is depriving South Dakota of good jobs, millions of dollars in revenue for cash-strapped counties, and relief for the roads and rails that are currently crowded with oil transit. The President has no more excuses. His own administration has released more than 20,000 pages of reviews showing Keystone is in the best interest of our economy and the environment. Now is the time to build.”

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Rothenberg Report predicting Thune seat “Safe Republican” for 2016 cycle.

@SoDakCampaigns

It’s a John Thune news day apparently.

Our Senior US Senator was officially installed as the chair on the Senate’s Commerce Committee. He commented on Nebraska’s Supreme Court tossing a Keystone XL pipeline court case which was holding Obama back from action on Keystone.

And now the Senator’s seat is in the mix for predictions from the The Rothenberg & Gonzales Political Report/Roll Call Race Ratings.

What’s the verdict for Thune’s South Dakota seat in 2016? It’s a no-brainer, considering that Democrats failed to run a candidate for the office in 2010. Thune’s Senate Seat is listed as Safe Republican.

safe_in_sd

With South Dakota Democrats at lows in terms of voters as well as potential candidates who could run at the level of US Senate, it’s doubtful that it’s going to move from a “safe Republican” status anytime between now and November 8th, 2016.

Commerce Committee makes Thune Chairmanship official

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Thune Officially Designated as Commerce Chairman

WASHINGTON, D.C.— The U.S. Senate yesterday officially ratified U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) as chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee for the 114th Congress. Sen. Thune issued the following statement on taking the gavel for the committee:

“It is an honor to serve as chairman of the Commerce Committee at the forefront of the new Congress as we work to create jobs and grow our economy. I am eager to begin work with the new ranking member, Sen. Bill Nelson, and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle on pressing business before the committee. Continuing to serve South Dakota in the United States Senate is the highest public service opportunity afforded to me, and I look forward to addressing several issues important to our state during this session of Congress including, rural broadband, rail service, aviation, cybersecurity, and an overhaul of our telecommunications policy.”

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John Thune: Obama’s Keystone Excuses Hit Another Dead End

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Obama’s Keystone Excuses Hit Another Dead End

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator John Thune (R-S.D.) today issued the following statement on the Nebraska Supreme Court decision on the Keystone XL pipeline:

John_Thune_official_photo“The president’s litany of excuses for delaying the Keystone XL pipeline has hit yet another dead end. This court decision further erodes the president’s obstruction of the bipartisan, job-creating Keystone XL. Soon the president will have a clear opportunity to sign a bipartisan bill into law approving the construction of this common-sense infrastructure project. The president is out of excuses, and it is time for him to act. Will he stand for the American people, or will he continue to stand for his far-left liberal allies?”

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