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South Dakota Democrat chatter is non-existent this afternoon regarding this morning’s Democrat Central Committee meeting, where a rule change was being proposed to change the term of office for their Chair, and force an immediate election for embattled SDDP Chair Ann Tornberg.

Tornberg, as you might recall, presided over South Dakota Democrats achieving historic lows in elected officials, as well as sliding numbers of people willing to register as Democrats. 

While Tornberg called herself “effective,” a late challenge emerged from former Congressional Candidate Paula Hawks.

Now, post-meeting, it has been eerily silent as to what has happened. Which might be an indicator that the bylaw change failed, and Tornberg would be happiest if it would all go away and be forgotten.

Anyone out there hearing differently?

By the time you read this on a South Dakota Saturday morning, it may all be over, save for the moving truck. Or not, and failed Congressional Candidate Paula Hawks’ attempted coup d’etat against “Effective” Ann Tornburg for captaincy of the Titanic Chairman of the South Dakota Democrat Party was put down like the insurrection it was.

The Democrat’s Central Committee meeting is scheduled to begin at 9AM.  And we will see who emerges as chair when the battle for the cardboard throne is over. 

So. what brought Democrats to their little “Game of Thrones” drama? The folks at Drinking Liberally Sioux Falls have a good synopsis of what went down to bring Democrats to their current state of chaos:

As we noted last week, political intrigue may dominate the usually mundane SDDP’s Executive Board and State Central Committee meetings. As you may recall, Rachelle Norberg, a USD law student from Burke, SD, proposed a number of amendments to the SDDP’s Constitution, some of which would cut short the four year terms of the Party’s current executive officers and trigger an immediate election of new officers. Ms. Norberg submitted her proposal on an apparently unsuspecting Executive Board following the abrupt resignation of the SDDP’s Executive Director, Suzie Jones Pranger. Suzie is a recent USD law school graduate, originally from the Burke area. In her resignation letter, Suzie said she was leaving to work on a statewide campaign. Speculation has it she will work for State Senator and Democratic minority leader Billie Sutton who has expressed an interest in the 2018 race for Governor. Billie is also from Burke, SD. In case you haven’t visited Burke or known any of the 604 people who live there, here is a link to its profile. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burke,_South_Dakota

Anticipating a snap election of new SDDP executive officers, the current Chair, Ann Tornberg, announced she would seek re-election if the proposed amendments passed. Paula Hawks, the 2016 Democratic nominee for the US House, also announced her candidacy for Chair. God only knows what is going on or what the results will be.

And

…I repeat what I said last week, “I am not a big fan of the current SDDP Chair, but a snap election initiated in this manner with almost no notice seems deeply arrogant on the part of the conspirators and very wrong-headed. There are right ways and wrong ways to do things and this is the wrong way.”

Read it here.

Where is this going to fall out? That’s a good question.

Unsuccessful Democrat State Senate Candidate Cory Heidelberger fanned the flames of a Tornburg ouster into a blazing fire, but after pushing for the no confidence vote to happen, possibly recognizing the will to right the ship doesn’t exist, he has backed off in recent days. Why? A recent comment by long-time Winner, SD Democrat activist and Blogger Doug Wiken (Dakota Today) might be very telling:

Paula Hawks mailings were dreadful. She did not respond to e-mail or attempts to contact her. She barely made it into west river SD. I do not remember a single issue position she held. She was a mediocre communicator. A good future for the SD Democratic Party will not have a Paula Hawks at the controls.

Read that here.

And lest we forget the comment above from the Drinking Liberally people..

I am not a big fan of the current SDDP Chair, but a snap election initiated in this manner with almost no notice seems deeply arrogant on the part of the conspirators and very wrong-headed.

Read it here.

Apparently, Democrats hate Ann, but they hate it when people step out of place even more.

But if (or when) this morning’s revolution goes south, what’s going happen to the conspirators? Heidelberger may have directly tipped Democrat’s hand:

The best possible outcome is that everyone meets, speaks, and departs as allies united around a common plan of action. Anyone who talks about anything other than our practical goals and action, anyone who gripes and moans about personal grievances, should be slapped back to reality or, if they keep griping and moaning, thrown out….

…Gripers and moaners add no value to the party.

Read that here.

Apparently, gripers and moaners (i.e. dissidents) can expect to be thrown out.

Let the Democrat Party purges begin!

Stay Tuned.

Sioux Falls Man Violates Bond Conditions in Terrorist Threat Case 

PIERRE, S.D.– Attorney General Marty Jackley and Lincoln County State’s Attorney Tom Wollman confirm today that Ehab Abdulmutta Jaber, 45, Sioux Falls, who was arrested on April 21, 2017 on one count of terrorist threat and possession of methamphetamine, is back in custody.

“The nature and severity of these charges, in addition to further allegations and developments, warrant the defendant be placed in custody. At a minimum, stronger bond conditions are necessary to protect the public,” said Jackley.

Jaber posted bond on Tuesday April 25, 2017 in both Lincoln and Minnehaha counties. As part of his bond conditions he was required to participate in drug testing through the 24/7 program. He violated this condition by testing positive for methamphetamine.

In addition, Jaber has been charged with ingestion of a controlled substance, methamphetamine, class 5 felony, punishable by up to 5 years imprisonment and/or $10,000 fine.

Jaber is presumed innocent until such time as proven guilty.

This case is being investigated by the Sioux Falls Police Department and being prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office and the Lincoln County State’s Attorney. The possession of methamphetamine case is being prosecuted by the Minnehaha County State’s Attorney.

-30-

A new video from America Rising shows a Democratic Party, led by DNC Chairman Tom Perez, that’s increasingly desperate for attention. Out of power, and engulfed in an ideological civil war, Perez has been reduced to cursing to get attention, putting him at odds with former First Lady Michelle Obama:

Is this why South Dakota Democrats have closed off the Ellison event to the press? Because Democrats are reduced to podium profanity to get attention?

It must be tough to be a fragile Democrat.

According to the (possibly outgoing) leadership of the State Democrat Party, they’re bringing on extra security to guard their closed door event because there are going to be Republicans on the premises, who are hosting an event on the opposite side of the Sioux Falls Ramkota:

The coinciding speaking events were no accident, Republican Party Chair Dan Lederman said. When he heard that Ellison would make an appearance at Democrats’ McGovern Day dinner he wanted to balance the scale with a conservative guest.

“When I saw that Ellison was coming I wanted Horowitz to come because I know that in the marketplace of ideas conservative ideas can win out over progressive ideas,” he said.

and.

“It’s very very rude and it’s got some elements that are extremely difficult to take,” said Michael Saba, a Sioux Falls Democrat and consultant for the Avera McKennan Foundation. “Clearly it’s being done to disrupt, even at a psychological level, what Democrats are trying to do with McGovern Day.

and…

Tornberg and Lederman said they expected the events would be peaceful as the speeches will occur on separate sides of the hotel. Despite that, Tornberg said she hired additional security for the event.

Press will not be allowed in the Ellison speaking event.

Read it all here.

It’s unclear why they need to keep press out of their $100 a plate dinner with Keith Ellison.. Possibly because they don’t want reporters asking him about his views on a 63% tax rate, or how he wants to abolish the 2nd amendment.  

But if hiring extra (any) security for the event will help ease Ann Tornberg’s mind that their liberal politics won’t be challenged and they won’t experience “psychological” disruption from Republicans at a rally, I suppose that’s the price Democrats have to pay to remain in their cocoons.

In case you’re thinking of taking in an event this weekend…

The Secure and “Psychologically” protected McGovern Day Dinner can be attended for $100 a ticket to guarantee that you will be secured from free thought or the press. 

If you want to attend the GOP’s Freedom Rally, The social hour starts at 5:30, and it’s $10 at the door.  All you have to promise is an open mind, and be ready to have some fun with some likeminded, freedom loving South Dakotans.

I caught this on Facebook this AM – SDWC had a very nice mention on the Nationally recognized POWERLINE Blog yesterday:

Read the entire article here.

It’s all regarding my extensive coverage over the Democrat dinner this weekend, and accompanying Democrat party food fight that’s going to happen with their chairmanship.

As well as the GOP FREEDOM RALLY which you need to be attending. Call today for tickets!

What was I mentioning yesterday about why Cory Heidelberger’s name has come up as possibly seeking the SDDP Chairmanship:

…while Cory has been a vociferous Tornberg supporter in the past, he’s been one of the parties most responsible in loudly publicizing the grievances of the Democrat organization mutineers, and making sure that everyone knows that they want to throw Ann Tornberg out of office for “severe lack of management ability that has led to low fundraising, dropping voter registration numbers, a nearly invisible message, and at the center, zero of anything resembling a strategic action plan for the State Party.”

In other words, if Cory had not been promoting it and making sure as many Democrats saw it as possible, there might not be much of a revolt.  Sure, others had expressed dissatisfaction in the past. But no one had really undercut Tornberg until the article Heidelberger published on his blog came out…

Read that here.

Hot of the press, this morning, in the face of some Democrats expressing that they’re not interested, and that the effort at a coup seems rushed, Cory is pushing hard for Democrats to hold the vote to dump Tornberg:

The snap election that Rachelle Norberg and other Democrats are calling for at Saturday’s meeting in Sioux Falls is about as early and sensibly timed as such a move can be.

and..

Planning a snap election for new Democratic Party leadership on McGovern Day is not sudden, last-second upheaval. It does not show “bad taste.” It shows courage, inclusiveness, and good timing… all of which are good characteristics for a Democratic Party leader.

Read that here.

Sounds to me like Cory is one of the forces pushing the coup against Ann Tornberg as much as Rachelle Norberg, Paula Hawks or anyone in the SDDP. And he might just be angling to take over himself.

From a letter posted over at southdacola.com (yes, the blog that calls Sioux Falls Police officers “piggies”), it appears that 2016 losing Congressional Candidate Paula Hawks is actually planning to make a run against Ann Tornberg for chairwoman of the South Dakota Democrat Party.

The question is, can she get more than 36%?

It’s interesting to note what Hawks is promising to do for Democrats as part of her long, long campaign letter for the office of SDDP Chair. (I’ve abbreviated much of it, because good lord, Hawks just rambles on.)

1. Capitalize on the opportunities being handed to us by the massive numbers of people taking action through the many resistance groups forming across the state:  LEAD, Progress SD, South Dakota Forward, Pantsuit Nation…
2. I will work to reinforce the existing relationships I have with media outlets in South Dakota….
3. The wait-and-see strategy that is occurring now isn’t working – we can’t wait for the reporters to come to us – we have to go to them and keep the lines of communication open
4. I will vigorously pursue the formulation and dissemination of a strategic plan of action….
5. I will expand fundraising efforts and make them a much larger priority….

Read that and a lot more unnecessary filler text here.

If we look at what embattled SDDP Chairwoman Ann Tornberg promised to do in 2014, there are some similarities…

1. Rebuild Financial base from the grassroots.
2. Hire more staff for offices
3. Build County-level organizations
4. Recruit a full slate of candidates
5. Register new voters among diverse constituencies
6. Win Elections.

…Except Paula Hawks is promising to be all “strategic,” as she used strategic and strategy in her long rambling manifesto 11 times.  But otherwise the Hawks plan is pretty thin on details, and doesn’t provide any real justification for people to elect her, other than to focus their anger at Tornberg.

In fact, if you look at it and compare the two, actually, Tornberg had a far more thought out plan than Hawks’ plan of get all the bomb throwers together, talk to the media, and raise money.   You need to elect Hawks to do that?    Comparing it, when she sought the office, Tornberg offered a plan. Hawks is offering little more than to write one. Which I’m sure will be a very, very long document with lots of words.

Paula Hawks’ plan to lead the South Dakota Democrat Party is about as thin and disorganized as her campaign for Congress was. She cites her “existing relationships …with media outlets in South Dakota,” but if I recall, they absolutely roasted her over her campaign, calling it “amateur hour.”

If those are the relationships she’s talking about bringing to the SDDP….  then I say as far as the SDGOP is concerned, keep on keeping on.