Category: Uncategorized

Securing Our Homeland
By: Gov. Kristi Noem 
November 15, 2024  

I love South Dakota. I love our natural beauty – from the rolling plains to the incredible Black Hills, from the Mighty Missouri to the peaceful prairie lakes. I love our people – they’re the hardest working around with common sense American values and strong family morals. I love everything about our state (except for maybe the January weather).

Over the last six years, I have had the opportunity to serve as Governor of the greatest state ever. It has been the honor of my lifetime to be our state’s top advocate, to serve as Commander in Chief of our National Guard, and to make decisions that honor our state motto, “Under God, the People Rule.”

You may have heard that President Trump has asked me to come serve in his Administration as the Secretary of Homeland Security, and I am honored by the nomination. When President Trump asked me, I said yes because it is an opportunity for me to serve our nation – but also because it is an opportunity to make South Dakota safer.

I respect the Senate’s role to engage fully and openly on the upcoming confirmation process. I look forward to discussing our nation’s security challenges and my commitment to addressing them head-on.

This position oversees the federal agencies responsible for our immigration system. Over the last four years, every state has become a border state. Millions of illegal immigrants have poured over our southern border, including at least 16,000 murderers and at least 18,000 rapists – and they’ve all been released into the interior of our nation. Think about that – that’s at least 3 murderers for every county in America. I don’t want any murderers in my county or anywhere near my kids and grandkids.

This border crisis has impacted us here in South Dakota, too. It has driven up crime in communities across the country as drugs and human trafficking have increased because of the willful inaction by the current administration. In South Dakota, this has hurt us the most on our tribal reservations, and I have extended my hand to help them address the very real public safety crisis that is caused by the cartels and their affiliates.

In this new role, I’ll oversee FEMA, just as you’ve seen me respond to flooding, blizzards, tornados, and wildfires in our state. We’ve made cybersecurity South Dakota’s next big industry, and I’ll have the opportunity to do similar work overseeing the Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). And South Dakota has become an example of innovative law enforcement training opportunities with our first-ever tribal-focused law enforcement training – I look forward to doing similar work with the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center.

Everything that I do will be focused on making America SAFE again, and that will make South Dakota safer, as well.

This state has been home all my life – and always will be. Thank you all for giving me the opportunity to serve you. I’ll be around for a bit yet, and when I take my new role, rest assured that I will continue to serve you in the years to come.

###

Summit Carbon Solutions Secures North Dakota Pipeline Permit

Critical Milestone Achieved for Carbon Capture and Storage Infrastructure Project

Ames, Iowa [November 15, 2024] – Summit Carbon Solutions is pleased to announce that the North Dakota Public Service Commission has granted it a Route Permit* , a significant milestone in advancing Summit’s CO2 pipeline project. This decision highlights the Commission’s thorough review process and dedication to balancing economic opportunities with stakeholder interests.

“We commend and respect the North Dakota Public Service Commission for their diligence and thoughtful approach in reviewing this project,” said Wade Boeshans, Executive VP of Summit Carbon Solutions. “This decision is a testament to North Dakota’s commitment to fostering innovation while working closely with communities and industries. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with stakeholders across the state to deliver long-term benefits for farmers, energy producers, and local communities.”

Summit Carbon Solutions has worked extensively with North Dakota landowners, community leaders, and other stakeholders and has implemented material changes incorporating their feedback. These efforts have fostered a path forward that aligns with the state’s priorities and supports North Dakota’s leadership in agriculture and energy innovation.

“Summit Carbon Solutions has been amazing to work with, ” said Joshua Seil, a signed landowner along the Bismarck reroute.“They showed up at our home anytime requested of them and have thoroughly explained all issues/concerns we have had. They even offered to move the pipeline within limitations on my land to have the best fit for everyone involved. They listened to my wife and I’s concerns, answered any questions rendered to them, and have been very accommodating throughout this entire process.”

With more than 82% of the easements for the North Dakota route secured, Summit Carbon Solutions remains committed to working collaboratively with affected landowners and communities as the project progresses toward construction and operations. Summit has secured a permit in Iowa for its base scope pipeline route and will apply in South Dakota on November 19. The project aims to support North Dakota’s leadership in energy innovation while opening new markets for low-carbon ethanol and driving economic growth across the region.

Attorney General Jackley Announces Multi-Agency Investigation Leads To Drug Arrest

PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announces a Rapid City man was arrested Tuesday, Nov. 12, on six drug charges following an investigation conducted by federal, state, and local law enforcement.

Nicholas Edward Schell, 28, is charged with one felony count each of Possession with Intent to Distribute in a Drug Free Zone; Maintaining a Place Where Drugs are Kept, Sold or Used; Possession of a Schedule I Controlled Substance (Hashish and Edibles); Possession of a Schedule I Controlled Substance (Psilocybin Mushrooms); and Possession with Intent to Distribute one pound or more of Marijuana. Schell also is charged with a misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia.

“These are serious crimes that prey on our communities,” said Attorney General Jackley. “Thank you for the exceptional cooperative work of all law enforcement involved in this investigation.”

Schell was identified as a possible supplier of marijuana, psilocybin mushrooms, hashish, and THC Edible products in Rapid City. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Unified Narcotic Enforcement Team (UNET), which consists of the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), the South Dakota Highway Patrol, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, the Rapid City Police Department, and the South Dakota National Guard Counter Drug Program, initiated the investigation which determined Schell was involved with the distribution of illegal substances.

A South Dakota Highway Patrol Trooper and a Pennington County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted multiple traffic stops in connection to this investigation. During one traffic stop of Schell’s vehicle, a Rapid City Police Department K9 dog was deployed. Two handguns were seized along with drug paraphernalia and approximately $1,400 cash.

UNET and DEA conducted a follow up search warrant at Schell’s residence. Law enforcement recovered more than13 pounds of marijuana, nine pounds of Psilocybin Mushrooms, multiple pounds of THC edibles, THC Wax/Hashish, and THC Cartridges. The search also led to the discovery of 13 additional firearms and more than $160,000 in U.S. currency.

Schell made his first court appearance Thursday, Nov. 14, and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for Nov. 27. He is being held in the Pennington County Jail and is presumed innocent under the U.S. Constitution. The case is being prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office.

Participating law enforcement agencies in this investigation were DCI, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Highway Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration and the UNET.

-30-

Representing for South Dakota, showing our pride for the new US Senate Majority Leader.

(No, I was not a student in 2004, but I’m young at heart.)

Leader-Elect Thune Meets with Speaker Johnson
“In order to enact President Trump’s agenda, it will take each and every Republican working together.”

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today met with Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.) following Thune’s election to serve as Senate majority leader and Johnson’s nomination to serve as Speaker of the House in the 119th Congress.

Thune and Johnson released the following statements after the meeting:

“In order to enact President Trump’s agenda, it will take each and every Republican working together,” said Leader-elect Thune. “Speaker Johnson and I had a productive meeting today getting organized for the work ahead, and I look forward to our partnership as we reverse the Biden-Harris agenda and advance President Trump’s priorities on behalf of the American people.”

“Leader Thune and I are ready to hit the ground running and put America first in the 119th Congress,” said Speaker Johnson. “Congress has been given a clear mandate from the American people, and we look forward to working with President Trump to secure our borders, cut taxes, reduce inflation, slash bureaucratic red tape, restore America’s dominance, rebuild our military, and instill fear in our overseas enemies. America’s best days are ahead with Republicans in charge in 2025.”

###

South Dakota Republican Party Chairman John Wiik has sent out a few thoughts on the election and the aftermath, which I share here for Republicans who might not get the e-mail forwarded to them if they’re in one of the counties with a dysfunctional Republican organization.

A few thoughts on the election and the aftermath…

From Chairman John Wiik 

As chairman of the South Dakota Republican Party, I first would like to thank everyone for your hard work defeating Amendment H.  This has been a priority for the central committee to defeat from the moment it was introduced.  Thank you for your work. 

 

Amendment G was also defeated, and largely because of your work, you should be proud that we maintained the pro life state we have worked so hard to become. 

 

We see our majority increasing in the South Dakota legislature, and finally, all 3 branches of the US government are in the capable hands of Republicans.  Governor Noem is likely the next Secretary of Homeland Security.  Senator Thune was just elected Senate Majority Leader, and Congressman Johnson was reelected by tremendous margins. 

 

Governor Noem’s departure will move Lieutenant Governor Larry Rhoden to the Governor’s Office, and the search for a Lieutenant Governor begins.  Our bench is deep and we will find the best fit for the Rhoden administration and for South Dakota.

 

Regarding Senator Thune and the Majority Leader election, please allow me to chime in with a little history.  Senator Thune was elected to Congress in 1996.  Before that, all three of our national Congressional delegation members were Democrats.  In the years since, he led this party to take down the Daschle Democrat organization in South Dakota piece by piece.  By 2004, he ran against Daschle himself, vanquishing the sitting Majority Leader and shutting down Daschle’s Democrat state mechanism once and for all. We are standing on the shoulders of three decades of hard work by and for Senator Thune, Governor Noem, Senator Rounds, Congressman Johnson and countless others.

 

While Democrats tried to pick up the pieces with the election of Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin, a relatively unknown State Representative from Hamlin County swooped in, worked harder than anyone else could have, and defeated her, effectively ending Democrat relevance, with no Democrat elected to a statewide office since 2008.

 

As someone who has shed blood, sweat and tears and invested time, treasure, and talent to get those two elected, this is the reddest red-letter day in South Dakota history!  Both Governor Noem and Senator Thune have pledged to work with President Trump to enact his mandated agenda for the American people.  Let’s use this day to celebrate the accomplishments of the last 30 years of hard work and trust that President Trump’s administration is in incredibly capable hands and the SDGOP had a huge part in Making America Great Again.  

 

Thanks again for all that you do for the SDGOP! 

Chairman John Wiik

Thune: Our Work Begins Today

 “I look forward to working with my Republican colleagues here in the Senate and with President Trump and Vice President Vance to build a strong and prosperous America and a bright new dawn for the American people.”

Click here or on the picture above to watch the video.

 WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today discussed how the Senate will deliver on the mandate the American people have given President-elect Trump and the new Republican Congress to secure the border, grow the economy, and restore American strength.

(From my mailbox – pp) 

• President – Beka Zerbst
• 1st Vice-President – Jeni Boerger
• 2nd Vice-President – Debbie Schnell
• 3rd Vice-President – MaryLee Plut
• 4th Vice-President – Karen Brandt
• Secretary – Nancy Ziegeldorf
• Treasurer – Kari Shanard-Koenders
• Member-at-Large – Maryann Bierman
• Member-at-Large – Lauri Davis
• Member-at-Large – Val Higgins
• Member-at-Large – Sandy Rhoden

Attorney General Jackley Calls On FCC to Block Robocallers

PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley and 46 other Attorneys General call upon the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to improve their Robocall Mitigation Database (RMD) and close what has effectively been an unmonitored loophole that bad actors exploit to access the U.S. telephone network.

“Illegal robocalls are a nuisance to all of us, and a means for scammers to take advantage of us,” said Attorney General Jackley. “It is time for the FCC to strengthen its database and crack down on scammers.”

Providers must register on the FCC’s database to operate as a voice service provider in the United States. However, since it went live in 2021, the database has done little to prevent bad actors from obtaining legitimate registrations to send illegal robocalls through the U.S. telephone network. The coalition of Attorneys General is calling on the FCC to strengthen the database so providers understand what information they need to submit and have deadlines to submit this information, validate the data providers submit to flag inaccurate or misleading data, penalize providers for submitting false or inadequate information by preventing them from getting authorization to operate, and block non-compliant providers.

Other Attorneys General who have signed onto the letter to the FCC are from: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and the District of Columbia.

A copy of the letter is available here.

-30-

In case you missed this post from incoming House Majority Whip Brandee Schaefbauer (before she deleted it), it doesn’t sound like the incoming House Leadership is going to be very “South Dakota nice.”

“At least I know who my “enemy” is when up against a democrat but I never know who the real “enemy” is when it comes to republicans.”

(You know, if you paired that with “Welcome to Aberdeen” that could be a t-shirt.)

I had always thought legislators referred to each other as “colleagues” and the people they represent are considered “constituents.”  Silly me. it’s about enemies and when the knife comes out.

Session will be so much fun.