Author: Pat Powers

Governor Noem Appoints James White to Game, Fish & Parks Commission 

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Kristi Noem announced that she will appoint James (Jim) White to serve on the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) Commission.

“I love South Dakota’s outdoors. We need to preserve our natural treasures for our kids and grandkids while responsibly sharing them with those who come to visit us,” said Governor Kristi Noem. “Jim recognizes this important responsibility and will pursue his role on the GFP Commission accordingly. I look forward to working with him.”

White resides in Huron, South Dakota. He previously served as a member of the South Dakota House of Representatives from 2011-2012 and South Dakota Senate from 2013-2020, including as Assistant Majority Leader from 2015-2016.

In 2004, White retired from his role as a district president of Wells Fargo Bank in Aberdeen. White received a teaching degree from the University of North Dakota at Ellendale and later worked as a teacher.

“I was raised outdoors and have been hunting, fishing, camping, and enjoying our state parks my whole life,” said Jim White. “I was fortunate to raise my children and grandchildren the same way and I want to ensure future generations can enjoy our outdoor resources here in South Dakota.  I am extremely excited for the opportunity to serve on the GFP Commission.”

Information on the GFP Commission can be found here. A photograph of White can be found here.

###

Gov. Noem and Colleagues Release Joint Statement on Foreign Objects

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Kristi Noem and 16 of her fellow Republican governors released a joint statement on the multiple foreign objects that have violated American airspace over the last few weeks. You can read the statement here.

 “The violation of American airspace by multiple foreign objects is unprecedented and threatens our national sovereignty along with the security of our states,” wrote Governor Noemand her colleagues. “As Governors, we have sworn an oath to defend against ‘all enemies, foreign and domestic.’ Yet, President Biden has chosen not to fully communicate with the public about this critical issue impacting public safety.”

When the federal government refuses to step up, it’s up to the states to take action. Governor Noem is working with legislators this session on bills that will keep South Dakota secure.

“Too much time has passed, and too little information is known,” continued Governor Noem and the other governors. “President Biden owes the American people answers.”

Governor Noem was joined by the following Republican governors in issuing the statement: Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, Arkansas Governor Sarah Sanders, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, Idaho Governor Brad Little, Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb, Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves, Missouri Governor Mike Parson, Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, Texas Governor Greg Abbott, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, and Wyoming Governor mark Gordon.

###

A bill was in front of legislators today to help school boards protect kids from their fellow students that might do them harm, but one Senator was definitely out to lunch and out of his mind this morning.

Senate Bill 168 was up in Senate Education this morning to allow school boards to deal with the sticky issue of what to do with students who are sex offenders:

A board of a school district may adopt a policy that requires a student who is registered as a sex offender, pursuant to § 22-24B-2, to receive instruction through remote or distance learning or an alternative educational program.

Read that here.

Apparently, there is a case that a School District is dealing with, and this measure was brought to create permissive language to give the school district options to meet their obligations under FAPE to make it clear they will allow an student who is a sex offender to be served and educated remotely.  Away from classmates, away from potential victims.

Good solution, right? Apparently there are those who disagree.

It was about then my phone started blowing up, as State Senator Tom Pischke, the same person who was the lone voice protecting Senator Julie Frye Mueller’s right to harass an employee about breastfeeding was a hard NO vote on kicking sex offenders out of the classroom.

I haven’t had a chance to listen for myself, but I’m told that in his dissent of protecting kids from rapists in their midst, apparently he was muttering something about the “rights” of the sex offender.

Fighting schools on protecting their students from sex offenders… Hm..

Is that what passes as statesmanship in the Senate nowadays?

So soon? Just ignore those candidates behind the curtain…

Not sure that they can paint over that kind of failure.

Austin Goss is reporting more new employees rolling into the Secretary of State’s office after the last group ..departed. In addition to Adam Miller whom I had mentioned a while back, the SOS has filled another vacated position:

Johnson confirmed the addition of Reggie Rhoden and Adam Miller to the office. Rhoden will be the Elections Coordinator and Pistol Permit Administrator for the office….

And….

Rhoden previously worked for the state at the Department of Labor and Regulation (DLR). According to his LinkedIn, he most recently served as a Regional Consultant for Northpoint Data Security.

Read the entire story here.

Joe Sneve from the Dakota Scout is pointing out on Twitter that Democrat Rep. Kameron Nelson’s plan to “make South Dakota one of the queerest states in the nation” might be a hard sell to most voters.

Will remarks like this help Dems’ chances of winning anywhere in South Dakota outside of District 15 in Sioux Falls? https://t.co/qKrrSgGWYL

— Joe Sneve (@DakotaScoutJoe) February 11, 2023

The last time a political activist proposed something like this, they were foiled by bears.

The experiment was called the “Free Town Project” (it later became the “Free State Project”), and the goal was simple: take over Grafton’s local government and turn it into a libertarian utopia. The movement was cooked up by a small group of ragtag libertarian activists who saw in Grafton a unique opportunity to realize their dreams of a perfectly logical and perfectly market-based community.

and..

There’s a lesson in this for anyone interested in seeing it, which is that if you try to make the world fit neatly into an ideological box, you’ll have to distort or ignore reality to do it — usually with terrible consequences.

Read how the Libertarian plan to take over a community was foiled by bears here.

Sometimes the things that sound good when you’re playing for the press at the podium just have unintended consequences.

Governor Noem Appoints Steve Perkins to Board of Education Standards 

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Kristi Noem announced that she will appoint Steven (Steve) Perkins to the South Dakota Board of Education Standards, effective immediately. He will take the seat previously occupied by Becky Guffin.

“Steve has grandkids of his own, and he realizes that their future is of the utmost importance,” said Governor Kristi Noem. “He will always put the future of our next generation first in his approach to the Board of Education Standards, and that is why he is a great pick for this role.”

Steve has spent years in business, including as the Principal of Perkins Consulting in Sioux Falls since 2006; the Secretary and Treasurer of New Horizon Farms in Pipestone, MN from 1997 to 2006; and the President and CEO of Ellison Meat Co. in Pipestone from 1997 to 2001. Prior to his career in business, Steve served as City Administrator for Red Wing, MN from 1992 to 1997; as the City Administrator for Luverne, MN from 1986 to 1992; and as mayor of Pipestone, MN from 1977-1986.

Steve previously taught real estate education classes and continuing education classes at Minnesota West Community and Technical College, Worthington Campus; Southwest Minnesota State University; and through Community Education at Luverne Public Schools. He was also involved in establishing a 3-way partnership between the City of Luverne, Sanford Health, and Minnesota West Community and Technical College to establish Associate of Arts degree programs for the career paths of radiologic technician, surgical technician, medical assistant, and lab technician.

“Our kids are our most precious asset, and our standards should set them up with the best possible opportunity for success,” said Steve Perkins. “We need to raise the bar for our children and work to ensure that every child has the opportunity to pursue their dreams.”

Steve’s past volunteer service includes serving as Chair of the Luverne Community Hospital Board and Sanford Hospital Luverne Community Advisory Board, as Director and Trustee Council Member of the Minnesota Hospital Association, and as Chair of the Committee on Governance for the American Hospital Association.

Steve received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, Business, and Political Science from Macalester College.

Steve has four adult stepchildren with his wife Marianne. Together they have eight grandchildren.

###

The Associated Press has a new article out today looking at the claims of the parties involved in the Julie Frye-Mueller employee harassment scandal, as well as JFM’s paranoia about a deceased Schoenbeck family cat:

Frye-Mueller disputed that account in testimony to a Senate committee investigating the complaint. She said it was the staffer who brought up breastfeeding. Frye-Mueller said she asked the aide whether she wanted advice she had received as a young mother, and when the aide said yes, she said, “Have your husband help.”

And..

During her Senate testimony, Frye-Mueller even pointed to a Facebook post from the Republican Senate Pro Tempore Lee Schoenbeck about the death of a family cat. She alleged it was somehow proof of a conspiracy that he was employing a “dead cat strategy” of drawing attention to something shocking to distract media attention from another story.

Read the entire article here.

Another good reason to choose a dog over a cat. Because even the hard-right knows to just let sleeping dogs lie.

The Legislative Research Council has released the redacted transcript of the Hearing with their employee in executive session, after redacting the appropriate sections.

And much like the statement which started the scandal involving Senator Julie Frye Mueller, if you believe the employee as many do, it is a story of a legislator who acted inappropriately:

EMPLOYEE: Mr. Chair. In this job, we deal with high tension situations, and people, legislators, staff, we say things, I think we all know that, but, ummm, this conversation went as far as to say that my son would die, my child, that something physically might happen to him based on my parenting decisions. It talked about one of my body parts and sexual acts I would do with my husband, and I don’t believe that’s — I don’t think that’s — that’s not falling into the category of maybe getting a little heated if your bill didn’t go — your hearing didn’t go the right way. That’s beyond what should be happening in this building. I truly believe that crossed a very clear boundary.

SENATOR BOLIN: Thank you, Mr. Chair. At any time during any of these – during the one incident and others, did you ever indicate to the Senator, can you please stop talking about this?

EMPLOYEE: Mr. Chair. Quite frankly, I don’t feel like I can say that I am — that — I don’t feel like I have the ability to say that because of my role as a staffer and that you all have that relationship of being my — I view you all as my bosses, and I don’t believe that if I were to upset you in that way, that you may decide not to work with me or something to that effect. So no, I did not.

Read the entire statement here.

LRC transcript by Pat Powers on Scribd

My spies (who have been pretty accurate to date) are informing me of even more turnover at the Secretary of State’s office under Monae Johnson’s leadership.

Word is that Eileen Jensen the new Director of Elections has already quit, less than a month after the inauguration. In fact, it sounds like she may have parted ways with the SOS for a week or more now.

Was that even enough time to get the new name tags ordered and in?

Back to the drawing board for Monae on who the election authority for the State of South Dakota will be.

—

Quick update on this. I’m told Rachel Soulek who worked at the SOS before is now the new Director for the Division of Elections.

At least for now.