Category: Law and Order

My head hurts from all “the stupid” out there on this case.

And it’s all coming as part of a campaign of disinformation on the part of Bosworth associates who if not are stretching the truth are offering utter fabrications in defense of Annette Bosworth, or in attacking the prosecution. And there’s been a flurry of activity as the trial has gotten underway.

Today’s dose of stupid is coming from Peter Waldron who has set up the “No Compromise group” in a Sioux Falls Post Office Box. We’re not sure if it’s a political group (which would require filing with the Secretary of State as a political organization) or a private business (which would require a fictitious name filing). Regardless, here’s the latest stretching of the truth from he and his allies:

I’m hearing ominous music, lots of innuendo, and the inability to spell “continuing.” The is noted as coming from the “No Compromise Group.” But, I’m also noticing that it’s posted on YouTube by a Jake Baker from Texas, who is also posting the releases from Peter Waldron on his web site.

The “Texas attack” on the Bosworth prosecution also coincides with someone we all know (and are repulsed by) returning to that state – former S&M Pornographer Lee “Pornahan” Stranahan returning home.

Stranahan may have claimed to some that he’s cut ties with Bosworth, but his disinformation machine cranked up again as soon as the trial started with a post on his Dakota Reporter web site, and on his other web site, where he talks about the “Bryan Gortmaker Testomony,” as well as other posts.

All of this begs the question – why? What do these outsiders have to gain by their extensive and unusual interest in perpetrating a campaign of over the top fabrications in the matter? Peter Waldron’s complaint to the FEC and Department of Justice was easily demonstrated to be extreme puffery at best, and a fabrication at worst.

Any guesses? My thought is that afterwards there will be some significant fundraising attempts from the donor list Bosworth has left over from the campaign. And that there’s a group of people lining up at the trough.

The Pierre Capital Journal has a good synopsis of yesterday’s Bosworth trial coverage, and hits the high points (without you having to sit through the hours-long cross examination:

In between running to Lowe’s and listening while painting my deck, I caught the lions share of the Bosworth Trial coverage on KELOland’s live feed.

My reaction? Much of the first hour or so was predictable – opening statements, etc. Moving into testimony, it was a review of procedure from Former Secretary of State Chris Nelson, who reiterated what people had heard from Secretary Gant all along during the process – that the Secretary of State was a filing agency, had set procedures in place, and had no authority to contest the validity of signatures.

Nelson laid it out very concisely, and even critics of Gant had to begrudgingly admit in on-line chatter that it was handled as it was supposed to be. This was followed up by more SOS related testimony, as well as those who had signed petitions being called as witnesses, noting how the petitions in question had been circulated to them.

The testimony later moved to Bryan Gortmaker with DCI. And here the trial moved from very mechanical yes and no information to what was difficult to listen to.Especially for the defense.

After presenting evidence that she was in the Philippines during the time the petitions were being circulated, they introduced the April 17, 2014 Greg Belfrage show from KELO-AM. To say this was devastating to Bosworth’s case for all watching or listening is an understatement.  It was bone-crushing. In her own rambling wandering manner, through the radio program Bosworth’s radio confessional to Belfrage, she seemingly painted her as anything but sympathetic, and did nothing to bolster the credibility and sympathy her attorney attempted to imply in his opening statement.  If anything, it eroded it, while Bosworth listened, and at times visibly appeared on the verge of tears.

It was like she was testifying live without the benefit of her attorney imploring her not to say anything stupid.

It was commented on-line that this would be a good time for the prosecution to drop the microphone in triumph. Because as things wrapped up, the general impression is that this was a bad, bad day in court for Annette Bosworth.

Otherwise, today’s Winners & Losers?

Winner: Ben Dunsmoor and KELOland’s coverage.  Second to none, especially with cameras being allowed in the court room. This was incredibly well done in the cramped space, and they deserve tremendous credit for letting the story tell itself.

Loser: Argus Leader. Where the hell were you and your “Real Reporters?” Probably watching KELOland with the rest of us.  Sorry guys, but you whiffed this one.

Winner: Twitter. Second only to KELOland, Twitter was reasonably active today on the court case. Ken Santema did a good job covering things, while we had to pick through Cory Heidelberger’s self-aggrandizement to find what was worthwhile.

Winner: The State of South Dakota (As prosecutor). See Above.

Loser: Team Boz. Again, see above. It was a bad, bad day.

This evening, Gordon Howie is teaming up, yet again, with the forces of silliness swirling around Annette Bosworth as the time to pay the piper is arriving on the evening before the trial.

Tonight, he’s acting on their behalf and publishing a missive from the man with the dyed hair, Peter Waldron, who is calling his PO Box at the UPS Store a Suite, and lashing out at Mike Rounds & Marty Jackley by filing complaints with the FEC and DOJ.

The problem? The complaints significantly lack merit. And a factual basis.:

The complaints are very straightforward, and represent serious allegations that include Senator Mike Rounds and Attorney General Marty Jackly.

One complaint is under the consideration of the Federal Election Commission, the other with the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice.

and…

Read it all here.

If you read through it, just like other charges coming from the Bosworth allies, it’s a lot of innuendo, and a lot of stuff being rehashed, over and over.

But at the risk of giving it undue attention, just a few points. Three easy ones to get right, but…. they fall short in playing their games.

The part where Waldron alleges that Rounds benefited from the investigation by Jackley, who was appointed by Rounds long, long ago, he makes the allegation that Marty sent out “DCI agents to intimidate Candidate Dr. Annette Bosworth’s family, employees, and landlord from exercising their right to vote……. some of these visited by SDDCI did not vote as a result,” and he proceeds to name Peggy Craig, Angela Callahan, and Rodney Fitts specifically as those visited by DCI and intimidated.

Well, the problem with alleging that they were intimidated not to vote and as Waldron claims “some of these visited by SDDCI did not vote as a result?” I pulled the voter history records I have at my little fingertips. And in looking, all three of them voted in the primary. Without fail.

So, when he’s naming the three, and claiming that some did not vote…  He is completely inaccurate. He is bearing false witness against his neighbor. He is not telling the truth.  There’s his first strike.

Now, we visit the part about selective prosecution, where he claims that Marty made a decision to “initiate a very public investigation, and to impanel a Grand Jury” before the primary and “it contributed significantly to Dr. Annette Bosworth’s final vote totals.”

Let’s look at that further in a press release issued Thursday, June 19th…

Attorney General Marty Jackley confirms that on Tuesday June 17th a Hughes County grand jury issued an indictment charging Annette Bosworth, 42, Sioux Falls.

Bosworth was originally charged by complaint on June 4th, 2014, for election law violations.  Bosworth has now been indicted by the grand jury on six counts of offering false or forged instrument for filing, class 6 felony punishable by a maximum sentence of 2 years imprisonment and/or $4,000 fine and six counts of perjury, class 6 felony, punishable by a maximum sentence of 2 years imprisonment and/or $4,000 fine.

Read that press release here.

So, someone explain to me – how does a grand jury’s indictment on June 17th affect an election taking place two weeks earlier? And trust me, if anyone would have said or known anything about it, it would have been all over the place, starting here.

Again with the whole thou shalt not bear false witness thing.  Strike 2.

Moving on…….

So, four Hutterite colonies were “raided” by DCI who “arrived in a convoy of official state vehicles?”  Does anyone have any evidence that anything of this nature took place? Are there pictures of the alleged “convoy?”  And when one uses the term ‘raid,’ one assumes that a warrant was used to gain involuntary entry.   Again, any evidence of anything like that?

I didn’t think so.

Any interviews with agents of DCI would have likely involved a phone call ahead of time, asking if the would be willing to talk to them, and where it might work for them to sit down.  If they came directly to the colonies, it would have not just been voluntary, it would have been by invitation, as they would have had the right to decline the interview.

So, the Hutterite colonies were raided by DCI? Again, complete and utter bullsh*t.

Strike three.

Now for god’s sake would someone take this guy out of the game? He’s embarrassing himself.

A measure was refiled today to put South Dakota on the path to become the next Colorado as far as illegal drug users are concerned.

South Dakota pot measure

Apparently pot proponent (briefly Libertarian PUC Candidate) Ryan Gaddy filed, withdrew, and today once again filed a proposed ballot initiative to decriminalize the possession and use of one ounce or less of pot, and mandates that the use of pot can’t be considered a violation of parole or probation. So DUI offenders, instead of drinking, can instead get high, and there’s nothing a judge can do about it.

After glancing at it, I suspect that this measure is going to get pulled and refiled again.

Section 13. SDCL 22-42-6. Possession of marijuana prohibited–Degrees according to amount; needs to be amended to include Class 1 misdemeanor to possess more than one ounce but less than two ounces of marijuana. All other laws stand as is.

Somehow, I don’t think that looks like ballot language as much as a suggested correction. (No comment on what the measure sponsors were doing when they wrote it.)

A cursory survey of motels in Pierre and Fort Pierre found no clear indication of Bosworth supporters reserving rooms.

and..

Evangelical groups across the nation have rallied to Bosworth’s cause, saying she’s being singled out for uber-prosecution because of her openness about her faith. Other evangelicals have countered with criticism of Bosworth for not being honest.

and..

Many have questioned why a deal hasn’t been struck.

“There’s no deal that will take away any of the felonies, so of course it’s going to trial,” Bosworth said.