Category: Uncategorized

We haven’t heard much about a certain US Senate candidate who faces a felony prosecution for petition issues.

No, not Annette Bosworth. From her we’ve heard far too much.

I’m talking about Clayton Walker:

A former South Dakota U.S. Senate Candidate was ordered to undergo a psychological evaluation, as he battles and indictments charging him with nine felonies for election law violations and threatening state employees.

Clayton Walker, who tried to run for U.S. Senate as an independent in the 2014 mid-term election, had successfully fought to keep his third lawyer in the case, Timothy Rensch, when Circuit Judge John Brown ordered the evaluation.

Rensch had filed a motion to withdraw as council Jan. 29. Brown said he “simply can’t just keep appointing attorneys”, for Walker when he denied the motion and ordered Rensch to keep Walker as a client.

And..

Walker’s trial date was not been set, Brown said, because he want to wait for the results of Walker’s evaluation and hold a competency hearing.

Go read it here.

Secretary of State Shantel Krebs issued a list today of those campaigns and organizations who have filed late, or not at all.

If you see your name here, you may want to call the office…

ANN TORNBERG FOR DISTRICT 16 SENATE filed 02/03/15
BARTLETT4HOUSE
BEHLINGS FOR SD HOUSE
BILL LAIRD FOR SOUTH DAKOTA SENATE
BRULE COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY
BURG FOR SENATE
CANTON POOL PAC
CAPITOL COMMITTEE
CLARK COUNTY REPUBLICANS
CONSERVATIVE ACTION TODAY OF SOUTH DAKOTA
CORSON COUNTY REPUBLICAN CENTRAL COMMITTEE
DAVID L. ALLEN FOR STATE SENATE
DENNERT FOR SENATE
DEUEL COUNTY DEMOCRATS
DISTRICT 9 FUTURE PAC
DONNA JO HAUSMAN
ELEPHANTS ON PATROL
ELLEE FOR 12
ENERGY EMPLOYEES PAC
FRIENDS OF DARRELL RASCHKE filed 02/03/15
FRIENDS OF EDUCATION
FRIENDS OF NORBERT BARRIE
FRIENDS OF REYNOLD NESIBA
FRIENDS OF TAMMY BASEL
GREGORY KNIFFEN FOR HOUSE
HABER FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL
HAMLIN COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY
HAMLIN COUNTY REPUBLICANS
HAND COUNTY DEMOCRATS
HAND COUNTY REPUBLICAN CENTRAL COMMITTEE
HARGENS FOR HOUSE
HAUSMAN FOR HOUSE
INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY BANKERS OF SOUTH DAKOTA PAC
JIM SHEEHAN
JOHN KOSKAN
KAY WILDS FOR SOUTH DAKOTA
LAKE COUNTY DEMOCRATS
LIBERTARIAN PARTY OF SOUTH DAKOTA
MCPHERSON COUNTY DEMOCRATS
MEADE COUNTY DEMOCRATS
MERCHANT FOR SENATE
MICHAEL O’CONNOR
MICHELLE MALONEY FOR STATE SENATE filed 02/03/15
MINNEHAHA COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY filed 02/03/15
NO ON 16
NORTHERN HILLS TOURISM PAC
PEGGY SCHUELKE FOR DISTRICT 4
PIERSON FOR STATE TREASURER
PLUMBERS & FITTERS LOCAL 300 PAC
ROBERTS COUNTY REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE
SD ASSOCIATION OF VIDEO LOTTERY ESTABLISHMENTS
SIOUX FALLS POLICE OFFICERS / SERGEANTS PAC
SOUTH DAKOTA COMPASSION PAC
SOUTH DAKOTA DEMOCRATIC PARTY filed 02/03/15
SOUTH DAKOTA PEOPLE’S PAC
SOUTH DAKOTA ROOTS filed 02/03/15
SOUTH DAKOTA TELECOMMUNICATIONS PAC
SOUTH DAKOTA YOUNG DEMOCRATS
STACEY FOR SENATE
STEVE HICKEY FOR STATE HOUSE filed 02/03/15
STUDER FOR SENATE
SUSAN CHESHIER FOR STATE SENATE
SVARSTADPAC
THE COMMITTEE TO ELECT LANCE RUSSELL STATE REPRESENTATIVES filed 02/02/15 at 5:13 pm
THE MAJORITY PROJECT filed 02/03/15
TOM NELSON CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE
TRIPP COUNTY REPUBLICANS
TURNER COUNTY DEMOCRAT PARTY
VOTE ROBIN PAGE FOR SD HOUSE
WALWORTH COUNTY DEMOCRATS
WANDA BLAIR FOR HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
WOMENRUN! SOUTH DAKOTA filed 02/03/15
ZELMER FOR SENATE
ZIEBACH COUNTY REPUBLICANS

Secretary Krebs also issued a list of those who have issues with their report that need to be resolved.

Thune Applauds Passage of Bipartisan Clay Hunt SAV Act

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) issued the following statement on the Senate’s passage of the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act:

“While we’ve made strides in recognizing the needs of America’s veterans, it’s an outrage our heroes still don’t have all of the mental health resources they need when they return home from the battlefield. There is still much to be done to treat the invisible wounds of war, and this bill, in conjunction with the efforts taken by Congress last year, will help us to further repay the tremendous debt of gratitude we owe the men and women who have answered the call to serve.”

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I just had the opportunity to chat with State Senator David Novstrup who informed me of a measure he’s got coming that should be numbered and assigned to committee today from being dropped in the hopper last Friday.

The Youth Minimum Wage Act is designed to find a happy medium for kids who are working, and allow them to be put back on the job.

The act covers youths who are working aged 14-18, and allows them to be paid at $7.50 an hour versus the current $8.50 mandated state minimum wage.

He’ll be more fully fleshing out the why’s in the weeks to come, but it makes a lot of sense.

It separates the kids from the adults in the minimum wage argument, as not many 14 year olds are out supporting a family. It allows employers to hire more of them for “kid” types of jobs, as they’re typically taking very part time employment that working adults avoid.

It sounds to be a win/win for kids looking for a part time job, as well as employers. Agree or disagree?

Rounds Applauds Senate Passage of
Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act

WASHINGTON— Today, U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) voted to support the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act. The Senate unanimously approved this legislation, with a vote of 99-0. It will now move to the President’s desk to be signed into law.

“Our men and women in uniform make incredible sacrifices to protect our freedoms, and the Department of Veterans Affairs has a responsibility to provide proper care for them when their service is complete,” said Rounds. “This includes offering quality, accessible mental health care to returning veterans, many of whom struggle with the invisible wounds of war long after they leave the battlefield. Our bill is a positive step toward offering them necessary assistance while streamlining programs to make sure our resources are being used effectively. I am pleased the full Senate understands the importance of taking care of our vets.”

Statistics show that an average of 22 veterans take their own lives every day in the United States. The Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act calls for outside evaluations of all the current suicide prevention programs at the VA and the Department of Defense to make sure they are functioning as intended. Those found ineffective will come under review for improvement, consolidation or elimination.

It also would require a new website to be built that offers veterans information on how to access mental health services. Additionally, it creates a medical school loan repayment program to recruit more VA psychiatrists.

The bill was named for Clay Hunt, a Marine veteran who committed suicide in March 2011 at the age of 28. An identical bill passed the House of Representatives 403-0 on Jan. 12, 2015.

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Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals Joins South Dakota, Arkansas and Missouri Traditional Marriage Cases and Sets Expedited Argument

PIERRE, S.D. – Attorney General Marty J. Jackley announces that the Eighth Circuit Federal Court of Appeals has granted an expedited briefing schedule and set oral argument in the traditional marriage case for the week of May 11th through the 15th in Omaha, Nebraska. The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals has also joined the arguments for South Dakota, Arkansas and Missouri. The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals issued its Order with the anticipation that the United States Supreme Court will hear arguments on the Sixth Circuit Federal Court of Appeals case upholding the State’s right to define traditional marriage in April, with a final ruling further anticipated in late June.

“It remains the State’s position that the institution of marriage should be defined by the citizens of South Dakota and not the federal courts. It will be my intent to work with the Attorneys General of Missouri and Arkansas in defending our respective State Constitutions and statutes. A decision from the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals may serve as non-binding precedent in the U.S. Supreme Court and will otherwise establish the federal law for this Circuit in matters not addressed by the United States Supreme Court,” said Marty Jackley.

It’s going to be quiet for a while, as I’m on the road to Pierre.

But hang tight- I’ll have some stuff for you shortly.

After Pressure from Noem, USDA Withdraws Portion of WOTUS Rule

Noem urges EPA and Army Corps to ditch the remainder of the rule

Washington, D.C. – Following pressure from Rep. Kristi Noem and others, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) withdrew the “waters of the U.S.” interpretive rule, a portion of the controversial expansion of navigable waters.

“The proposed expansion could be one of the largest federal land grabs in U.S. history,” said Noem. “I was thrilled to see that the USDA withdrew a portion of this proposal, as it unnecessarily introduced a high level of uncertainty. But we aren’t out of the woods yet. I will continue putting pressure on the EPA and the Army Corps to fully ditch the rule and move towards a policy that is workable for South Dakota farmers and ranchers.”

Last year, Rep. Noem helped lead the U.S. House of Representatives in passing bipartisan legislation to prohibit the EPA and the Army Corps from developing, finalizing, adopting, implementing, applying, administering or enforcing the proposed rule to or any similar rule that would expand the agencies’ jurisdiction over these waters. She also called on the EPA to define regulated navigable waters on a map after an alarming graphic was released that has raised questions about how extensive the EPA’s regulatory authority could become. Read more and view the graphic here.

In May 2014, Rep. Noem joined 231 Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle on a letter urging the EPA and the Secretary of the Army to withdraw the proposed rule. She also questioned the USDA Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment at an Agriculture Committee hearing in June. Here, the Congresswoman raised concerns about the lack of clarity the interpretive rule would provide to producers and questioned why the administration is pursuing the rule when so many are opposed to it (watch the exchange here).

Rounds Cosponsors Obamacare Repeal Act

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today signed on to cosponsor legislation that would repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. The bill has 44 cosponsors.

“Obamacare isn’t working for American families, plain and simple. Now it’s our job in Congress to clean up the President’s mess,” said Rounds. “Premiums have skyrocketed for many and millions have lost their preferred doctor or insurance plan, despite promises to the contrary. Ideally, we will replace Obamacare with a market-based, patient-centered plan. Repealing and replacing Obamacare needs to remain a priority.”

The Obamacare Repeal Act fully repeals Obamacare effective 180 days after its enactment, and provides Congress and the states the intervening six months to develop and vote on patient-oriented health care reform that will incrementally unravel Obamacare’s structural damage to our health care system and economy.

Congress must demonstrate its commitment to reducing healthcare costs and empowering American families with better innovations that save and improve lives.

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