Category: Uncategorized

State Representative Brandei Shaefbaur is in Aberdeen this weekend flustered and having a conniption fit that Aberdeen police won’t relate a well-person check they were doing to Rapid City ex-news anchor Shad Olson’s claim that they were really trying to catch someone he claimed had threatened to firebomb a Toby Doeden speech:

Schaefbauer said she doesn’t know if the threat she was told about was personal or politically motivated. She said she didn’t know about the details about how it might have been reported, but she saw police officers enter the building, walk around it and check out the scene. She’s upset that Olson has been portrayed as a liar.

McNeil said police were searching for somebody during the time of the event and were in the vicinity of the event center. There were concerns about the person’s mental and emotional health after a welfare check was requested, he said, but it was not related to the Doeden event.

Read that the Aberdeen Insider.

So, Brandei didn’t know really anything (a common thing, I know) about what the police were actually doing. BUT, she’s upset that Olson has been portrayed as a liar.  Representative Brandei Shaefbaur – defendress of Shad Olson’s impinged honor because of accusations in the media that he did not know of what he was speaking.

Of course, when she defends him now, and as she was thanking him after she had him testify on her legislation this last session..

..both times she has a tendency to completely ignore the fact Shad was arrested and Shad ultimately pled no contest to charges that he assaulted his girlfriend in February of 2024.  Maybe it would be nice if Rep. Schaefbaur cared more about women reporting they were picked up by the neck than the honor of the people who get arrested and plead “no contest” for that kind of thing.

But, that doesn’t seem to fit into Brandei’s legislative agenda.  Good thing for Aberdeen residents to remember in 2026.

Looking like the turnout for the SDGOP Golf tournament was a bit light yesterday. Especially considering they’re splitting the take with the Miller VFW.

LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP ISSUES RESPONSE ON LEGISLATOR SHOOTINGS IN MINNESOTA

PIERRE – The leadership of the South Dakota House of Representatives and South Dakota Senate issued the following response today on the shootings of two Minnesota legislators early this morning:

“As leaders of the South Dakota House of Representatives and the South Dakota Senate, we are heartbroken by the senseless act of political violence against our fellow lawmakers and neighbors in Minnesota. We stand together to strongly condemn this attack, which has deeply shaken the Minnesota Legislature.

We mourn the tragic loss of Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark. Our deepest condolences go out to their loved ones, colleagues, and the people of Minnesota.

We are also keeping Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, in our prayers as they fight for their lives. We stand with their family and community during this deeply painful time.

In this moment of grief, we also pray for peace, compassion, and a renewed commitment to civility in Minnesota and across our country.”

The statement was signed by Representatives Jon Hansen, Speaker of the House; Scott Odenbach, Majority Leader and Erin Healy, Minority Leader; and Senators Chris Karr, President Pro Tempore; Jim Mehlhaff, Majority Leader and Liz Larson, Minority Leader.

View the official statement here.

-30

I’m sure you’ve noticed as I have that loading times at dakotawarcollege.com could be better. I’m afraid that’s symptomatic of the software that runs my server coming to the end of life where it’s no longer supported, which is going to force me to do a major update/upgrade which I am not looking forward to.  It’s been probably better than 10 years that it’s running on this same back-end software.

And, in it’s 20th year, the site is actually ..busy. The fact we have the nation’s Senate Majority Leader, a former Governor who is very visible in the Trump administration, and we’re inching towards the biggest election in more than a decade.. That means we’re getting plenty of traffic.

At the same time,  the SDWC website is holding nearly 15,000 posts – over a decade’s worth – that are on-line and over 160,000 comments. Load times are also symptomatic of the fact that there is frankly a lot of data, causing it to groan a bit. Taking that all together, I think I need to shake the dust bunnies out of the website. I did a great purge some years back for the same reasons, and I don’t think I can avoid it much longer.

That will be coming up, so if you notice SDWC down for a bit sometime in the coming weeks, that’s why.

I’m not going anywhere. Just scraping some barnacles off to get the state’s oldest active political blog ready for another 20 years.

Peace & Prosperity
By: Gov. Larry Rhoden
June 13, 2025

There’s a beat-up old book sitting on my desk at the State Capitol. It’s full of pictures that were taken by my dad. Long after he passed, we found an old camera hidden amongst his old possessions. We got the film developed, and lo and behold – the photos were all from his service in World War II. They started with his service in the Battle of the Bulge and continue through the end of the war in Europe.

My dad helped liberate the notorious Mauthausen Concentration Camp, and the book includes those photos as well. The pictures are difficult to look at because of the horrific things that were done there, and my dad didn’t talk about it much.

I recently went on a trade mission to Israel, and I joined a wreath-laying ceremony at Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center. While I was there, they showed me portions of the memorial specific to the Mauthausen Concentration Camp. By remembering and honoring the dead, we can ensure that atrocities like the Holocaust never happen again. And we can work together to build a more peaceful and more prosperous world.

I don’t use the word “awesome” very much. Americans use it far too often and far too frivolously. It’s supposed to mean “inspiring awe or admiration,” but to most Americans, it just means “yeah, that’s pretty good.” But let me tell you, Israel is truly an awesome place. The history is awesome, that of both God and of man. Beyond that, the nation of Israel is taking incredible actions to maintain the peace and prosperity of their people.

Israel is a nation beset by enemies on all sides. In just these last few days, conflict has broken out between them and Iran as Israel moves to defend themselves, and we are praying for the safety of their people. Yet theirs is a land where freedom rules, where anyone can be who they set out to be. Jews, Muslims, and Christians live side by side and have all the same opportunities.

Israel even has the highest birth rate in the developed world – kind of like South Dakota has the highest birth rate in America! With freedom comes happiness and the hope of building a better life.

While I was in Israel, I met with key leaders like President Isaac Herzog, Speaker of the Knesset Amir Ohana, and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar. Those meetings were an important part of strengthening our relationship and working together for our mutual peace and prosperity. By working together with Israel, one of our greatest allies, we will keep South Dakota Open for Opportunity for generations to come.

I also spent an evening with the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee. He hosted our trade delegation for a reception at this house. Ambassador Huckabee used to be Governor of Arkansas, so he understands what it means to advance opportunities for his home state. Ambassador Huckabee has stood for freedom his entire career and appreciates what a strong Israel means for America’s own peace and prosperity. I was grateful for his kindness and counsel.

Our time was very well spent to support South Dakota’s economy! Our trade delegation was made up of South Dakota defense and agriculture businesses that are actively seeking sales in the Israeli market, and previous such missions have paid tremendous dividends. As President & CEO of South Dakota Trade Jesse Fonkert said, “Businesses are generating real opportunities that have already produced millions in sales and a robust pipeline for even more expansion.”

That’s how we continue expanding peace and prosperity – by working together, strengthening relationships, honoring the past, and looking to the future with hope for all the opportunities in front of us.

###

A Safer, Stronger America
By Sen. John Thune

 Since taking office in January, President Trump has swiftly changed the status quo at the southern border. Border towns that were overwhelmed with illegal immigrants during the Biden era are now quiet as illegal crossings have dropped significantly. Border Patrol agents are no longer processing thousands of illegal immigrants per day, they are back on patrol and have greater bandwidth to prevent illegal crossings. And criminal illegal aliens who had taken up residence in our country are being removed.

The improved situation at the border and the progress on deporting criminal illegal immigrants make our country safer. But sustaining these efforts and keeping our country secure for the long-term will require more resources. That’s where Congress comes in. The Republican Congress has been working for months to advance a reconciliation bill that makes a generational investment in border security, alongside other gains like preventing a tax hike on working families, strengthening our military, and unleashing American energy.

This bill will provide the Trump administration with the resources it needs to continue its border security efforts for years to come. That includes funding to finish the border wall, facilitate deportations, and invest in the technology and personnel needed to prevent illegal aliens and illegal drugs from getting across the border. President Trump has brought a new direction to border security, and our bill will ensure that those new policies can go the distance.

But this bill is not the only effort in Congress to protect our country from dangers coming from the border. Congress has passed the HALT Fentanyl Act, which will ensure law enforcement has a critical tool to go after the people bringing fentanyl-related substances into our country and peddling them in our communities.

Sadly, no part of our country has been immune to the crisis of drug overdoses. With better border security policies in place, border agents have greater bandwidth for duties like drug interdiction efforts, and because of the HALT Fentanyl Act, law enforcement can be sure it will have a critical tool to arrest and prosecute criminals bringing this poison into our country.

President Biden left a mess at the southern border. President Trump and Republicans are working hard to clean it up. We’re working to make sure that law enforcement officials in our communities and at our borders have everything they need to do the job we ask them to do – to keep us safe.

###

SECRETARY OF STATE RELEASES DRAFT VOTER REGISTRATION FORM FOR PUBLIC COMMENT

(PIERRE, S.D.) – The South Dakota Secretary of State’s Office has released a draft version of the state’s voter registration form and is inviting the public to review and comment over the next ten business days.

“As we work to improve the voter registration process, we want to ensure the new registration form is clear, accessible, and easy to use for all voters,” said Secretary of State Monae L. Johnson. “Public input is a key part of this process, and we want to hear from South Dakotans so we can make this the best form possible.”

The draft form reflects updates to improve readability, simplify instructions, and align with current state and federal requirements.

The Secretary of State’s Office welcomes feedback from voters, election workers, advocacy groups, and other stakeholders. The public comment period will run through June 27, 2025. Comments may be submitted via email to elections@state.sd.us.

A copy of the draft form is available on the Secretary of State’s website.

From Facebook, apparently State Representative Logan Manhart is now living in fear of dying for Israel for some weird reason..

I wasn’t aware that he had some obligation to travel to the Middle East to enlist as part of the IDF.

Honestly, I think he was more in danger for participating in the rally on January 6th 2021 in Washington DC which devolved into a riot, than he faces in a Middle East conflict, unless there’s something we don’t know.

Coming after the Doeden for Governor campaign announced this week they would be going around South Dakota with Toby Doeden’s scowling face on the side of a bus..

..apparently the Hansen/Lemming campaign thought they needed to do something like that to chase around team Doeden.

So this afternoon, it looks like we have an announcement of the Hansen/Lemming Phony Express hitting the road.

It’s just like the Doeden bus tour, except similar to when an original product is made, the inevitable cheap Chinese knockoff products in bulk show up, because it’s easier than having on original idea.  Doeden has a wrapped bus, so the Hansen campaign wrapped a camper.

Why? … well.. the other guys have a bus, so they need a wrapped vehicle to make it look like they’re coming close to 4% too.

It’s Time for CLARITY
By Rep. Dusty Johnson
June 13, 2025

BIG Update

For too long, the United States has resisted creating a regulatory framework for digital assets. That’s not a strategy – it’s a surrender. My bill, the Digital Asset Market Clarity (CLARITY) Act would establish clear rules of the road for digital asset regulation, giving certainty to developers and consumers. This week, the CLARITY Act passed the House Agriculture Committee by an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 47-6.

Sooner than we expect, digital assets and blockchain technology will transform almost every industry. Our landmark legislation will foster innovation and investment in America to ensure our country powers the future of blockchain and digital assets development.

Click here or the image above for Johnson’s remarks

BIG Idea

South Dakota has $29 million in funding from federal electric vehicle (EV) programs that are unusable due to rules that were attached when it was received from the Biden Administration. The EV agenda of the Biden Administration has passed, but South Dakota and other states are left with money that can only be used on EV infrastructure.

I introduced the Highway Funding Flexibility Act to allow states like South Dakota to reallocate these dollars to other highway and infrastructure projects that are a priority. States would be able to use these dollars for engineering, design, construction, reconstruction, resurfacing, restoration, and rehabilitation of roads, bridges, and truck parking facilities.

More than $7 billion was allocated across the country for EV projects, and there are few EV chargers to show for it. America’s transportation infrastructure is lagging behind China’s and it’s time to prioritize the health of our roads and bridges. Congress and the White House should empower states to make the necessary investments to address their unique transportation needs.

BIG News

The images and videos of vandalism, looting, assault on law enforcement, and rioting in Los Angeles are troubling. These are not protesters, but are violent individuals upset about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers who are enforcing the law.

California Governor Newsom’s soft-on-crime policies have led to vicious assaults on law enforcement. This is not the American way. Local law enforcement and ICE officers deserve our respect and support for keeping us all safe.

###