Author: Pat Powers

Highway Patrol Makes Record Meth Seizure

Non-Citizen Offender Shows Urgent Need for Operation: Prairie Thunder

STURGIS, S.D. – Today, Governor Larry Rhoden announced a record drug seizure by the South Dakota Highway Patrol, showing the urgent need for Operation: Prairie Thunder.

The Highway Patrol apprehended a 42-year-old male who was stopped while driving and found to be transporting approximately 207 pounds of crystal methamphetamine with a street value of $12 million. This is the largest meth seizure in Highway Patrol history. The driver was found to be a non-citizen and is now in immigration proceedings. A photo of the meth seizure can be found here.

“We are taking action to protect the people of South Dakota from criminals and drug traffickers. Our Highway Patrol showed incredible professionalism in achieving this record drug bust,” said Governor Larry Rhoden. “I promised that my administration would keep South Dakota strong, safe, and free – and we will continue to deliver on that promise through Operation: Prairie Thunder.”

This is the eighth non-citizen stopped by the Highway Patrol since its 287(g) agreement was signed with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In these instances, the Highway Patrol works closely with ICE to coordinate transfer to federal custody, which is a key, ongoing component of Operation: Prairie Thunder.

The driver was a 42-year-old male initially stopped for speeding on Interstate 90 in Sturgis by a Highway Patrol trooper. The driver exhibited behaviors consistent with criminal activity. During the stop, a police service dog alerted the trooper to the presence of an odor it is trained to detect. A search of the vehicle then yielded 207.24 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, valued at approximately $12 million. The vehicle was seized as part of the investigation.

The driver is charged with:

• Felony Distribution/Manufacturing of a Controlled Substance II;
• Felony Possession of a Controlled Drug/Substance Schedule II; and
• Misdemeanor Possession or use of Drug Paraphernalia.

The driver is presumed innocent on all charges under the U.S. Constitution.

Assisting agencies include the Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Meade County Sheriff’s Office, and Rapid City Police Department.

The Highway Patrol is an agency of the South Dakota Department of Public Safety.

###

Independent Consultant Names Benson Road Site Best Prison Location

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Larry Rhoden announced that the third-party consultant for the prison task force ranked the Benson Road site as the best prison location among the options under consideration. The analysis was done by Arrington Watkins, the prison task force’s independent consultant.

“If you followed the prison task force, you know that our consultant did an analysis of the Lincoln County site and five alternative sites, based on several criteria, and scored the Lincoln County site the highest,” said Lt. Governor Tony Venhuizen. “The Benson Road site, though, had not been offered at that time and was not scored. The prison task force’s consultant has analyzed this new site and now considers the Benson Road site to be the best site available.”

Arrington Watkins cited the following as prime attributes contributing to the Benson Road site’s favorable rating:

• It is within a preferred 30-mile radius of Sioux Falls;
• Site utilities, including water, sewer, storm, and power, are available along Benson Road;
• Multiple points of entry exist; and
• Minimal additional costs will be needed to extend utilities.

Governor Larry Rhoden previously announced that the State of South Dakota has entered into a purchase agreement that grants the State the option to purchase land at the Benson Road site. This agreement represents over $10 million savings on what was estimated by the prison task force.

###

While there’s a chance I might be heading out to Boston (possibly for the last time I have to go for kid stuff – yeah!), the Brookings County Republican Summer Picnic is this Friday, August 15 at 6:00 p.m. at Hillcrest Park (Shelter A).

Republican Elected Officials and Candidates are invited to help in the serving line and greet the voters.  After the meal there will be introductions and remarks.

The Secretary of State and Board of Elections are meeting this week on some big issues, according to the South Dakota Register, including the rules to lower the cost of obtaining a voter list, what the process of selecting a Lt. Governor will look like for Gubernatorial Candidates, and what the rules are for disqualifying a voter:

• Tomorrow, on August 12th, the Office of the Secretary of State will hold a hearing to Amend or repeal rules to lower the cost of obtaining a voter registration list; lower the cost of obtaining an absentee voter list; remove the bond requirement from obtaining a notary public certification; and remove the bond requirement associated with a notary public change record; (52 SDR 4, July 14, 2025)
• On Thursday, August 14th, the South Dakota Board of Elections (Office of the Secretary of State): Amend and adopt rules to provide for the registration of a federal voter; require that the signer’s address on a petition and the signer’s voter registration address be substantially the same; allow partisan candidates for Governor to nominate a candidate for lieutenant governor; require a description of the location of an applicant’s residence and provide for the designation of a federal voter on an absentee ballot application form; require a description of the location of an applicant’s residence and include an updated list of political parties on an in-office absentee ballot application form; provide instructions for a petition for recount that require that legislative candidates file a petition with the secretary of state; allow for the right to vote of any registered voter to be challenged; prepare an application to allow the right to vote of any registered voter to be challenged; establish a list to specify the documentation that must be provided as evidence for a voter registration challenge; establish a list to specify the documentation that must be provided to demonstrate a challenged voter’s qualifications as a registered voter; and establish guidelines for county auditors to use when determining the validity of a voter registration challenge (52 SDR 4, July 14, 2025).

Fighting for Farmers
By Rep. Dusty Johnson
August 8, 2025

 BIG Update

Law enforcement officers face risks every day to protect their communities. On Sunday, I joined Sheriff Pat West in Sturgis to thank officers serving during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. These brave men and women are responsible for keeping South Dakotans and visitors safe. Many of these officers work overtime to keep us safe, and thanks to the One Big Beautiful Bill this overtime pay will be tax free.

Johnson at the Law Enforcement Appreciation event in Sturgis

BIG Idea

California’s Proposition 12 (Prop 12) sets minimum standards for living space requirements for farm animals in California and prohibits the sale of products from animals confined in spaces that don’t meet California’s standards.

This rule was adopted in 2018 and has only increased costs for producers and consumers with little to no benefit for livestock. For example, the price of a pound of pork loin in California rose more than 40%, and producers are facing a $4,000 cost per animal on construction to be compliant with California’s unscientific law. Even with that amount of investment, studies show that Prop 12 rules have not led to better welfare conditions for livestock.

Reality check—producers know and want what’s best for their livestock. Prop 12 is a fantastic failure, and Congress must fix that mistake.

Click here or the image above for Johnson’s Prop 12 remarks in the Ag Committee

BIG News

It was Ag Appreciation Day at the Sioux Empire State Fair, and I volunteered to welcome and thank our producers who work tirelessly to feed and fuel the world. In Congress, I’ve fought nonstop for policies which support the agricultural industry. The One Big Beautiful Bill was full of wins for rural America, including funding key agricultural priorities that protect farmers, promote trade, and invest in research.

###

One Big, Beautiful Summer
By Sen. John Thune

 It’s summertime, which means a lot of South Dakotans are taking to the roads and the skies to get a few days of rest and relaxation with their families. Everyone looks forward to a few days at the lake, or a road trip to the Badlands, a visit to Mount Rushmore or Wind Cave.

I know parents work hard all year to put money aside for a family vacation. And Republicans have worked to make summer vacations – and family life, more generally – easier for families with the One Big Beautiful Bill. That starts with permanent tax relief for working families so they can keep more of their hard-earned money to save, invest, and spend how they see fit, rather than sending it to Washington.

We prevented a massive tax hike on working families with this bill and made the lower tax rates we passed in 2017 permanent. We increased the child tax credit to $2,200 and linked it to inflation so its value will never go down. We also increased the standard deduction and created a new bonus deduction for seniors. And we included a number of policies that will help expand opportunities for workers and grow paychecks by growing our economy.

For a lot of South Dakotans, the summer can also be an opportunity to earn some extra money. I can remember looking forward to the busy summers and extra tips when I worked at the Star Family Restaurant in Murdo, where families would pass through on their vacations to the Black Hills. This is a busy time of year for those in the restaurant and tourism industries and for first responders who are keeping our county fairs and events safe. And now these hardworking folks can look forward to keeping more of the money they earn, thanks to the One Big Beautiful Bill eliminating taxes on tips and overtime pay.

This bill will also help provide an affordable supply of energy to the American people, which helps to make fueling up for a road trip or keeping the AC on during the summer more manageable. Our country is rich in natural resources – from oil and gas to biofuels produced right here in South Dakota – and this bill ensures that those resources are being put to use for the benefit of the American people.

South Dakotans who take to the skies for summer vacations can also rest assured that travel will get better in the coming years thanks to the down payment this bill makes on our air traffic control system. Incidents in the last few years have demonstrated the need to upgrade our air safety systems. This bill makes a major investment in improving infrastructure and training to move toward a more advanced system for safer skies and fewer delays.

The One Big Beautiful Bill is about making life better for hardworking Americans. Thanks to this bill, Americans will be able to keep more of the money they earn. They will benefit from a more affordable supply of energy and a more advanced air traffic control system. Republicans will keep working to make life better for the American people and to make our country safer, stronger, and more prosperous.

###

Dangerous Freedom
By: Gov. Larry Rhoden
August 8, 2025

“I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery.” The man who wrote those words knew a thing or two about the subject. After all, he had authored a Declaration of Independence making the bold, dangerous proclamation that the thirteen original colonies “[were], and of right ought to be, free and independent states.”

When Thomas Jefferson wrote about “dangerous freedom,” he was writing to fellow Founding Father James Madison, the architect behind America’s Constitution. These two men realized that freedom is not always clean and tidy – not always safe and predictable. Freedom can be messy, even chaotic. And the order that emerges from that chaos is far more wonderful than anything “peaceful slavery” could ever achieve.

I can think of no better example of “dangerous freedom” than the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Hundreds of thousands of bikers descend on South Dakota’s Black Hills to celebrate their freedom, and they don’t do so half-heartedly. They rev their engines, blast their music, and enjoy their comradery. The air has a wild tinge to it. It’s chaotic, even dangerous – but it’s free.

That being said, there is a thin blue line keeping that freedom from becoming too dangerous. The men and women of law enforcement attend the Rally in numbers, as well. They do heroes’ work to tamp down on the overindulgence of the Rally’s vices. I attended several events at the Rally, including the annual Law Enforcement Picnic (an event I try to never miss), and I thanked those brave men and women in uniform for everything they do to keep the event safe.

Amidst all that freedom, flags wave everywhere you turn. Old Glory is on proud display, whether it be in the hundreds of flags in the field at the Buffalo Chip or towering from a crane above downtown Sturgis. And the rallygoers take the time to honor the men and women who served in our nation’s armed forces. I also attended the annual Military Appreciation Day festivities. It was a privilege to honor those who signed their name on the dotted line to make sure that our freedoms remain intact.

I’ve often said that South Dakota is the freest state in a nation founded on the principle of Freedom. And during the Rally, Sturgis becomes the freest city in the freest state. Men and women from across the country – and around the globe – come here to celebrate Freedom. I was born in Sturgis, a fact that I’m very proud of. And I ranch just about 40 miles to the east. My family has been on that land for generations. There is no better place in the world to be free!

But Freedom is not promised to us. We have to do what it takes to defend it. When we take the opportunity to celebrate what it means to be free, then we gain a deeper appreciation for that freedom.

I hope the men and women who attended the Rally appreciated the opportunity to celebrate their dangerous freedom. I sure enjoyed the opportunity to celebrate with them. As the Rally ends and everyone heads for home – no matter what city, state, or country that home may be – I hope they take that spirit of freedom home with them, and in so doing, make their homes just a bit more like Sturgis: free, with just a touch of danger.

###

Had a reader share this with me yesterday, as Attorney General Marty Jackley is hosting a fundraiser for his congressional run with in the neighborhood of 200 hosts sponsoring the event at $1000 per couple.

The Event is scheduled for Tuesday, August 19th from 5:50-7:30 PM at the Washington Pavilion.

Attorney General Jackley, DCI To Review Officer Involved Shooting in Yankton

PIERRE.S.D.  – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley confirms that the Division of Criminal investigation (DCI), at the request of the Yankton Police Department, is investigating an officer involved shooting that occurred Thursday night, Dec. 5, 2024, at a Yankton school.

One person was injured in the incident. The officers involved were not injured.

Attorney General Jackley said the Yankton Police Department is cooperating with the investigation. Officials said there is no threat to the public but asked that that the public stay away from the scene so law enforcement can conduct the investigation.

The DCI will process the crime scene, conduct a forensic examination of all collected evidence, interview officers and witnesses, and review all video cameras from the area.

After the investigation is complete, the DCI will issue a shooting summary likely within 30 days.

-30-

Johnson to Lead Influential Conservative Caucus

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) was re-elected as Chair of the Republican Main Street Caucus (“Main Street”). In recent years, Main Street has been at the forefront of delivering key conservative wins, including cutting $2 trillion in spending over four years, reforming welfare, and unlocking American energy.

“Now is a special time in American history,” said Johnson. “We must secure the border, cut spending, and roll back unnecessary regulations. The Republican Main Street Caucus will work with President Trump and the Senate to deliver on this strong, conservative agenda. I’m proud to lead this group during this exciting time.”

Main Street is comprised of more than 80 conservative House members from across the country dedicated to delivering commonsense, conservative solutions. Johnson has led the group since 2022.

###