Category: Uncategorized

Beacom College At DSU A Step Forward For South Dakota
A column by Gov. Dennis Daugaard

South Dakota is full of “hidden gems.” One secret we’ve kept too well is Dakota State University. DSU is one of the nation’s leading schools for cybersecurity, and it is rising to a new level of excellence.

Earlier this month, I went to Madison for a ribbon cutting for the Beacom Institute of Technology. This new facility at Dakota State was built through the generosity of Miles and Lisa Beacom and T. Denny Sanford, and it will house several of DSU’s cutting-edge programs.

The day brought another surprise, however: a second gift from Sanford and the Beacoms. Their surprise $30 million pledge will newly name the Beacom College of Computer and Cyber Sciences. The state will contribute an additional $10 million, and DSU has agreed to leverage the gift for $20 million in federal support. All told, this will create a $60 million impact on DSU.

The Beacom College will build on Dakota State’s record of excellence. DSU already holds four prestigious Center of Excellence designations from the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security, including the most technical (for Cyber Operations) and the most prestigious (as a Cyber Defense Consultative Regional Resource Center). Dakota State is one of only four universities in the nation to have this latter distinction – and one of only two universities in the country with four or more designations.

Now Beacom College at DSU will rise to a new level. With this new gift, the university will break ground next spring on “MadLabs,” a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility that allows students and faculty to work upon confidential and proprietary information without leaving campus. This significant gift will also fund student scholarships and support for additional faculty and staff.

South Dakota’s young people, and their parents, need to know that they do not need to leave our state to receive a world-class education in the high-need, high-tech fields of computer and cyber sciences. U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds, who is the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, played an important role in planning for last Sunday’s surprise. As he explained that day, cybersecurity is perhaps the most significant national security issue facing our nation, and these skills are in high demand in government and in the private sector.

The Beacom College will create new opportunities for our young people, and new employers will be attracted to hire employees with old-fashioned South Dakota work ethic combined with world-class cybersecurity training.

It was over thirty years ago that Gov. Bill Janklow proposed converting Dakota State from a normal school to a “computer school.” It was a visionary change to make in 1984. Now, the Beacom College of Computer and Cyber Sciences is taking another huge step forward, thanks to the vision of Denny Sanford, Miles and Lisa Beacom, Dakota State President José-Marie Griffiths, and many other South Dakota leaders. It’s time we set aside our South Dakota humility, and express our pride about this “hidden gem.”

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This morning’s Argus Leader is repeating much of what we’ve been chronicling lately, with Stace Nelson claiming he has evidence that DCI and the state is not fully investigating the Gear-up program, and the GOAC committee asking for him to show them his evidence:

Rather than relying on the Division of Criminal Investigation or the executive branch, he wants the committee to independently review how more than $1.4 million went missing at a Platte educational cooperative that managed state and federal grants.

And…

“They stand down and it’s a voluntary standing down,” Nelson said. “If the Legislature isn’t allowed to do its job, this sort of corruption is allowed to persist.”

And…

(Referring to the AG’s & DCI’s ongoing investigation) “We’re not going to duplicate their efforts, we are not going to make the taxpayers pay for us to repeat work they’ve already done,” Peters said.

Other members agreed the investigation of the money-funneling scheme is important, but unsourced allegations prevent the committee from advancing to other business.

“They’re consuming a lot of time that I’d like to see spent on getting our work done,” said Rep. Wayne Steinhauer, R-Hartford.

And…

“He says he has information that people lied to us and I need to know about it,” Peters said. “If he can’t produce that he’s getting in the way of the committee process.”

Read it here.

If you recall the latest, all the committee requested was that Nelson explain what he knows, which has led to his days-long tantrum over e-mail and social media. And a humorous e-mail from the LRC pointing out only he knows what he knows, so they don’t know why he needs staff for it.

In the article, Dana Ferguson does ignore rumors of Nelson’s actual motivation, that Nelson may use his claims of corruption without evidence to launch a bid for Governor.

Even if Nelson can’t produce that which he has claimed he already knows… it will be entertaining political theater.

In the “you can’t make it up” department, tonight State Senator Stace Nelson is declaring himself just like the Incredible Hulk.

I suppose you might think that, with one that’s a raging, anti-social monster of limited intellect who wants to smash everything and is driven by anger.

Of course, the other one is green.

In his pursuit for attention and headlines, Stace Nelson sent an e-mail to a number of people yesterday in an attempt to remove State Senator Deb Peters from the Chairmanship of GOAC in what seems like a bizarre parody of Game of Thrones.

(Copies of the e-mails are flying around among legislators, so someone was nice enough to share.)

If you recall, Deb Peters and Jean Hunhoff representing GOAC dared to ask Stace to produce the evidence he claimed he had, and gosh darn it, he didn’t like it.

So, Nelson fired back, requesting an impartial attorney, staffers, subpoenas, etc. (I’m surprised he didn’t demand a shrubbery):

As you’ll note, Nelson demanded of Senate President Pro Tempore Brock Greenfield that Peters be removed… for her audacity of asking for him to produce the evidence he claimed he had.

What Nelson probably didn’t expect was a reply from the Legislative Research Council that has got to be one of the funniest things I’ve read all week:

Sen. Nelson…

…I am in possession of the letter from the GOAC Chair and Vice Chair to you, requesting that you provide three things for GOAC at their next meeting – the sources of information you have regarding the investigation of the GEAR-UP program, any evidence of criminal activity, and any legislation in response to what GOAC has found related to GEAR-UP this interim.

and…

The first two items requested by the GOAC Chair and Vice Chair, however, only ask you to provide any information which you already have.  LRC staff cannot help you with this, as we do not know what you know.  Only you know what you know.  I just don’t see how LRC or anyone else can help you answer these two questions.  There is no need for investigation, since the question only asks for what you already know.

“Only you know what you know…..There is no need for investigation, since the question only asks for what you already know.” Hilarious. And especially biting coming in the form of a nice e-mail from the Legislative Research Council.

Although, it may be making an improper assumption.

Senator Nelson may very much need help explaining what he already knows.

Especially if Frank Kloucek hasn’t helped him with that part yet.

Within a short period of time of a demand from the Government Operations and Audit Committee calling on State Representative Stace Nelson to actually present the new evidence he claims he has (as he’s paraded himself around to media outlets across the state), Nelson is firing back to the committee claiming that he is now unable to produce his alleged evidence….. unless he is provided a team to help him find it.

I will require at least 10 hours time on the GOAC schedule at the Vermillion map, and I will need the assistance in serving witness summons on at least 6 people.

In that Senator Peter’s letter is an official letter to me as a SD Senator & member of the GOAC, I request the appropriate staffing and support to provide a thorough response for the record.

Please make an impartial attorney available, two staff members to help prepare, and logistical support and approval for meeting with those persons to compile my official testimonial & documentary response.

Read that here.

Why does this seem a lot like his response to the lawsuit filed against him for illegal robocalls which is still dragging out?  In the instance of that long running lawsuit which continues to this very day, it’s also been a steady diet of ‘deny and delay’ when it comes to getting a straight answer out of the Senator.

As recently as a few weeks ago, Nelson directly claimed that he has evidence showing that people have provided “dishonest testimony.” He distinctly said he “Obtained information.”

Yet now that he’s pressed on it to provide the evidence he claims he has…. he now suddenly needs an attorney and staff members to provide it?  Where’s Frank Kloucek when Stace needs him?

Note: That should set your BS meters to register on “high.” Because that sounds suspiciously like he’s never had anything but bluster in the first place.

Where is all this grandstanding going?  I keep hearing from his legislative colleagues that he’s trying to use all the drama as a springboard to make an announcement for Governor, as has been long rumored.  Despite any realistic ability of having a path forward in the race.

You can’t help but give the rumors serious credence when it seems that at every opportunity, whatever drama Nelson is manufacturing at the moment is paraded around to as many media outlets as he can possibly fit in.

Nelson can’t afford to run a traditional campaign, so clearly, he’s trying to generate free media. And it works to a point. At least, to the point where he actually called on the carpet to prove his wild claims. When we reach that juncture, Nelson is quickly forced to circle around and ask for researchers and attorneys to try to see if he can find some proof of that which he claimed to already have.

Throughout the past several months, State Senator Stace Nelson has been blasting state government and the committee he sits on, GOAC (Government Operations and Audit Committee) for not going after misdeeds that he believes is out there. In fact, Nelson has gone so far as to claim that there’s proof of criminal activity beyond what the Attorney General is prosecuting.

So, the heads of the GOAC committee have gone back to Nelson, and have asked him to show them and provide the proof  – the evidence – to back his allegations:

You can find the document here.

We’ll see if Nelson plans to continue trying to play his hand… or if he ends up folding because he can’t back up his claims.

And the money starts flowing in.

Out of state group ‘Open Primaries’ is apparently sending a pile of cash to its South Dakota allies who want to prevent independents and third party candidates from making it to the November ballot by eliminating them in the June primary:

A national nonprofit has pledged $140,000 to help supporters of a constitutional amendment that would move South Dakota to an open primary system for many races.

New York-based Open Primaries spokesman Jeremy Gruber said Tuesday that the group is supporting the amendment campaign’s signature-gathering efforts.

The proposed amendment would have the top two finishers in a primary advance to the general election regardless of party

Read that at KSFY.

This type of measure it’s been an absolute disaster in the states where it has passed, such as California. It means that the person who can write the biggest check is more likely to be guaranteed a spot on the November ballot.

It also ensures that the dominant political party wins both June and November, and virtually eliminates any competition from third-party candidates who are often vastly under funded. Independent candidates who have traditionally not been able to get beyond the third-place position in this state will also be eliminated from the November general election ballot.

As a Republican, I will be the first to tell you that this would probably be a very good measure for Republican dominance in deep red SD. But, as a Republican who cares about a balanced system of government, shutting out independents and third party candidates from the November ballot seems to violate a basic sense of fairness.

No one except for the out-of-state group and the people who are taking their money are asking for this great overhaul of our political system.

And that might be the best indication that this is not a change that a majority in South Dakota are looking for.

When they come around, don’t sign on the petition line. Your fellow citizens will thank you for it.

Gov. Daugaard Orders State Capitol Flags At Half-Staff For Former State Superintendent Gordon Diedtrich

PIERRE, S.D. – Gov. Dennis Daugaard is ordering flags to fly half-staff at the State Capitol on Wednesday, Aug. 23, to honor the life of Gordon A. Diedtrich who served as state superintendent of public instruction.                

Diedtrich served as South Dakota’s state superintendent from 1967 to 1971. The position was a statewide elected office from 1889 until its abolition in 1975.

Diedtrich passed away earlier this week and his funeral was held on Tuesday, Aug. 22, in Arizona.

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