Hot off the press out of the town and country shopper in Brookings:
Did someone actually think this was a good idea? I’m not sure what is worse, the awful, awful ad? Or the fact that two new & unknown candidates decided they needed to go spend time in the other person’s district where they are trying to campaign?
As one person who looked at the ad said to me, “there’s a lot to unpack here.”
Johnson Applauds Final Passage of Federal Aviation Bill
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, applauded final passage of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act, which ensures continuity and stability of our air travel and makes key improvements to our aviation sector. The FAA Reauthorization Act included key Johnson-led provisions.
“Most of us have experienced the frustration of outdated airports and planes, cancelations, delays, and more,” said Johnson. “The FAA Reauthorization Act makes critical investments and improvements in our aviation sector to improve the travel experience for travelers, pilots, airport workers, and more. I’m pleased to see my priorities for South Dakota and nationwide air travel included in the bill.”
Johnson priorities included in the FAA Reauthorization Act:
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Thought I was pretty clear when I commented about Manny running earlier.
Elections are about our future. Not about someone who predates Joe Biden.
My biggest surprise is not that he invited me to like his Facebook page, but rather the request isn’t coming in from an AOL account.
Well, this campaign piece that just hit my mailbox will get tongues wagging in District 30. While Julie Frye Mueller is putting out campaign pieces that look like a sovereign citizen flyer hanging in someone’s gun shop, this full page piece just hit the streets:
Starting off by noting that Hulse is endorsed by all three Sheriffs in District 30, it then flips over to let people know she’s endorsed by all three mayors (Custer, Hot Springs, and Hill City), a number of community leaders, and that she has the nod from Trump attorney Harmeet Dillon, Turning Point’s Charlie Kirk, Turning Point itself, and also the nod from Americans for Prosperity, who has likely observed incumbent Senator Julie Frye Mueller in action, and said “no thanks.”
What do you think – will this help Hulse take back the District 30 State Senate Seat from Julie Frye Mueller, who has accomplished nothing over the last two years, aside from getting kicked out of caucus, censured, and suspended while her employee harassment case was winding through the Senate? One can only hope.
My story a few days back about Brown County County Commission Candidate & right-winger Kyler Dinger attacking his opponents and generally being a jerk has found it’s way onto the website for the Aberdeen Insider newspaper:
He said that he, Carl Perry, Logan Manhart, Chris Reeder and Duane Sutton are on the right, or conservative side, while Michael Carlsen, Katie Washnok, JD Wangsness and Steve Roseland are on the left side.
Carlsen said Dinger’s description is “narrow-minded,” while Sutton lamented the situation, saying the divide is hurting the party and only benefiting Democrats.
and..
Dinger called Carlsen, Washnok, Wangsness and Roseland “Zoo Rats,” a reference to a meet-and-greet event they’re having at the Zoo Bar.
and..
Dinger’s comments caught the attention of Republican blogger Pat Powers, who then noted that Dinger pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of illegal dumping in 2020.
That doesn’t reflect well on somebody who now wants to be on the Brown County Commission, Powers said on his Dakota War College blog.
Read the entire story here (subscription required)
Speaking of Zoo Rats, the “Real Republican Party” event being held tomorrow night at the Zoo in Aberdeen is getting some chatter. In case you missed the invite..
I’ve been seeing #ZooRats4Life hastags in conversations, and the hottest political item being talked about among politicos this week with a relation to the Aberdeen Area are the Zoo Rat T-shirts that are rumored to be available at the event.
I want a shirt. I had one member of the legislature comment that he can’t be there in person, but will be there in spirit, because he may have spent an evening or two there while in college. And he wants a t-shirt. I don’t dare tell my own spouse, as an Aberdeen resident at one time, she spent her first year at Northern as a music major, and probably showed her face in there a time or two. And I’m sure she will want one.
The big thing for Republicans is they like a good Republican Party. So, if you’re in the area Thursday night, head down to the Zoo Bar from 5:00-9:00 PM, and go enjoy yourself. Listen to some great music, and find out about the Real Republican Party candidates.
And in the process, all the better if you have fun, and your presence gives right-winger Kyler Dinger a big fat middle-finger!
Because it’s about supporting Republicans, and not his toxic brand of politics!
Did you get one of the Toby Doeden Dark Money PAC text messages blasting across the state? If not, I’ve got a few laying around:
For our examples, he’s sending out nonsense about Lee Qualm and Carl Perry. Nothing about Lee Qualm trying to fleece his siblings out of their inheritance, or Carl Perry trying to double everyone’s car insurance rates, because this is political theater. Nope.. here they’re Toby’s champions of conservatism, so he’s not talking about them being slimy or stupid.
So, these political text messages blasting out across South Dakota from Doeden’s dark money PAC hit probably every primary voting Republican in the Districts where he’s endorsed candidates across South Dakota.
Doeden made sure his name was on it… even though he omits any mention that records don’t show him voting in a Republican Primary.
No primary elections between 2004 and 2022. And skipping on general elections in 06 and 14 for good measure.
But there’s a problem, or possibly a couple of them that Toby can chalk up to being stupid or at least hiring stupid people. Doeden is once again continuing with his chain of unbroken dumpster fire campaigns. because Dumpster Fire Doeden is also a disclaimer doofus!
While Toby put his name on it, he forgot the important part which makes them illegal. Let’s go to the lawbooks!
12-27-15. Political communications to contain certain language–Exceptions–Violation as misdemeanor.
Any printed material or communication made, purchased, paid for, or authorized by a candidate or political committee that disseminates information concerning a candidate, public office holder, ballot question, or political party shall prominently display or clearly speak the statement: “Paid for by (name of candidate or political committee).” This section does not apply to buttons, balloons, pins, pens, matchbooks, clothing, or similar small items upon which the inclusion of the statement would be impracticable. A violation of this section is a Class 2 misdemeanor. A subsequent offense within a calendar year is a Class 1 misdemeanor.
What? Toby Doeden would have his political action committee send out a communication that was not in compliance with South Dakota laws on campaign disclaimers? Can you imagine? Well, you don’t have to imagine, because I know I don’t see a disclaimer in those text messages.
It’s a pretty clear statement, and one of the basics that people running for office have to include: “PAID FOR BY ___________“. And it’s omission turns this whole exercise into a blast of a class 2 misdemeanor messages.
But, the disclaimer law isn’t the only law we have to look at. Because may be another one that could come into play.
12-27-16. Statements and disclaimers regarding independent communication expenditures–No control by candidate or political committee–Violation as misdemeanor.
The following apply to independent communication expenditures by persons and entities related to communications concerning candidates, public office holders, ballot questions, or political parties who are not controlled by, coordinated with, requested by, or made upon consultation with that candidate, political committee, or agent of a candidate or political committee:
(1) Any person or entity that makes a payment or promise of payment totaling more than one hundred dollars, including donated goods or services for an independent communication expenditure that concerns a candidate, public office holder, ballot question, or political party shall append to or include in each communication a disclaimer that clearly and forthrightly:
(a) Identifies the person or entity making the independent communication expenditure for that communication;
(b) States the mailing address and website address, if applicable, of the person or entity; and
(c) If an independent expenditure is undertaken by an entity not including a candidate, public office holder, political party, or political committee, the following notation must be included: “Top Five Contributors,” including a listing of the names of the five persons making the largest contributions in aggregate to the entity during the twelve months preceding that communication. An independent communication expenditure made by a person or entity shall include the following: “This communication is independently funded and not made in consultation with any candidate, public office holder, or political committee.”.
A violation of this subdivision is a Class 2 misdemeanor. A subsequent offense within a calendar year is a Class 1 misdemeanor;
Depending on how the organization is structured, and if these are independent communication statements, there may be a lot of other language being omitted in these text messages that Dumpster-fire Doeden should also be including, as well as communication expenditure statements not being filed with the Secretary of State office on independent expenditures.
Guessing Dumpster Fire Doeden’s DakotaFirst PAC is very likely paying more than $100 a pop per candidate, which would also appear to subject him to additional campaign disclosures.
Don’t forget that Doeden hadn’t filed his PAC’s statement of organization until April 22, 2024, long after he was throwing around cash left and right, and the filing came very, very late. So, if he was playing fast and loose with campaign finance filings, it’s not a stretch at all that he didn’t bother to read the rules on campaign finance disclosure & disclaimer laws.
The Attorney General and Brown County State’s Attorney need to take a hard look at what’s been going on with these thousands of text messages and the campaign disclosure filing requirements that have been fudged or entirely skipped here. Otherwise, why do we have them?
It’s like we have a whole series of laws to keep our politics clean and to provide a level playing field, but when bad players come along and completely ignore the rules, nothing is done.
Started hearing last weekend that Julie Frye Mueller is talking about proposing a new tax in South Dakota. (Instantly my correspondent hoped it wasn’t a lactation tax).
And apparently there is a now a flyer out there about JFM wanting to talk about how she wants to create new and un-thought out taxes.
“Property Taxes are Property Theft.” Well, that sounds stable. It seems like a flyer you might see at a militia meeting rather than coming from a State Senator. Not that we see a disclaimer either.
It had been mentioned to me that at a recent forum she was talking about a half-baked idea for a receipt tax, which I don’t know that anyone has ever heard of before, but involves paying money every time you buy something, regardless of cost.
Want a $.30 pack of gum? Pay a dollar. Want a $1200 smoker? Pay a dollar. Who came up with this looney idea that it could cost you a dollar anytime you do something?
Considering every level of government in South Dakota below the state – County, city, school, etc. – is based on the taxation of property, this goofball concept has more in common with the Democrat’s dreaded personal property tax where we would get taxed on lawnmowers and stereos, and eventually took Republicans getting elected to do away with it. And even though we had that for a while, we still had property taxes.
Just reminds me that the political spectrum is a lot like a circle. And some people are so far-right they’re on the left-handed side of things.
Attorney General Jackley Announces No Evidence Of Criminal Wrongdoing In Abortion Rights Ballot Measure Telephone Calls
PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announces that the State Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) has found no evidence of criminal wrongdoing including by volunteers calling signatories of the Abortion Rights ballot petitions.
The volunteers were connected to the group, South Dakota Petition Integrity which is properly registered at the Secretary of State’s Office.
DCI was asked Monday to look into the calls by the Secretary of State’s Office which had received complaints from some of the measure’s signers. DCI’s investigation found that the calls do not violate existing South Dakota law.
“The DCI investigation acted promptly in reviewing the complaints as well as the scripts used by the volunteers,” said Attorney General Jackley. “Based on the evidence collected, there is no indication of criminal activity.”
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South Dakota Joins Lawsuit Challenging Biden’s Radical Gender Ideology
PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Kristi Noem and Attorney General Marty Jackley announced that South Dakota has joined 17 other states in challenging yet another example of overreach by the Biden Administration to advance radical gender ideology.
“South Dakota has led the nation in ensuring fairness and equality for women in all aspects of life, and we will always strive to protect the rights of our employees,” said Governor Noem. “With this Guidance, the Biden Administration is failing to protect the privacy, safety, and religious rights of all employees. It is an egregious attempt to overly dictate the workplace and unconstitutionally compel speech. South Dakota will continue to fight back against these far-left gender identity mandates.”
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently released 2024 Guidance, effective immediately, directing that it is harassing conduct to repeatedly misgender or deny access to a bathroom consistent with an employee’s gender identity. The Guidance also directs that it is harassing conduct to inquire of one’s gender identity, making it virtually impossible to even follow the Guidance.
“The EEOC is unlawfully attempting to burden employers, confuse gender, and limit someone’s ability to refuse sharing a restroom with someone of the opposite sex,” said Attorney General Jackley.
Policymaking of this controversial nature must be left to the elected officials who are accountable to the people, not bureaucrats sitting on the EEOC Commission.
South Dakota joins Tennessee, Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia in filing this lawsuit in the Eastern District of Tennessee.
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WEEKLY ROUNDS UP
MAY 6-12, 2024
Welcome back to the Weekly Round[s] Up. Our main focus this past week was Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization. We had a deadline of last Friday to pass this legislation before the previous one expired. We met that deadline and passed the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 on Thursday evening. This bill includes several important wins for both South Dakotans and air travelers all across the country. More on that later on. We were also busy attending meetings and introducing legislation. I traveled to Yankton and Sioux Falls for events this past Friday. All this and more in my Weekly Round[s] Up:
South Dakotans I met with: Members of South Dakota Realtors and South Dakota members of the American Land Title Association.
I also visited Yankton and Sioux Falls on Friday. In Yankton, I spoke with students at their high school and spoke at a lunch with service clubs from the area. In Sioux Falls, I attended a groundbreaking for Dakota State University’s Applied Research Lab. This facility is an important part of DSU’s expansion as they continue to be a leader in the cyber security industry. Having a hub like this in Sioux Falls also makes it easier for the talented graduates that come out of DSU to work right here in South Dakota.
Visited with South Dakotans from: Aberdeen, Belle Fourche, Brookings, Madison, Mitchell, Rapid City, Sioux Falls, Vermillion, Watertown and Yankton.
Other meetings: Ken Fisher, Chairman of Fisher Investments; Lt. Gen. Heath Collins, Director of the Missile Defense Agency; Ben Schwartz, Senior Vice President and Chief Counsel for Intuit’s Small Business and Self-Employed Group; Norm Willox, CEO of Bluewater International; members of the General Aviation Manufacturer’s Association; Shigeo Yamada, Japan’s Ambassador to the United States; the Secretary of the Army’s Cyber Strategic Seminar; Carl-Oskar Bohlin, Sweden’s Minister for Civil Defense; and Cameron Fowler, CEO of Early Warning Services. I had meetings with several of my colleagues this week on artificial intelligence (AI). I attended our Senate Prayer Breakfast, where Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma was our speaker.
I was on a panel at the AI Expo for National Competitiveness with my colleagues Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.) to talk about the work we’re doing in AI in the Senate. While at this event, I was able to visit with DSU President José-Marie Griffiths and Andrea Thompson, CEO of DSU’s Applied Research Corporation.
Votes taken: 4 – most notably was our vote to reauthorize FAA for the next five years.
The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 passed the Senate by a vote of 88 to 4. I supported this legislation which includes several provisions to benefit South Dakota airports and airline customers. The Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grant limits are increased, from $20 million to $30 million, for non-hub and small hub airports like Sioux Falls and Rapid City. This creates additional opportunities for South Dakota airports to expand and accommodate those traveling both to and from our great state. The reauthorization also includes provisions to increase air traffic controller hiring and improve pilot training, which are critical to aviation safety. In addition, it supports airline customers by requiring cash refunds for certain airline delays and cancellations. This legislation makes certain that travelers in South Dakota and across the country will have access to safe, reliable air service.
Shortly after voting on the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, we voted on a one-week extension of the previous FAA authorization. The House was already out of session by the time we passed the full bill, but they had voted on this one week extension, which makes certain that FAA authority didn’t lapse over the weekend. The House is expected to vote on the full FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 this week.
Hearings: I attended one hearing this week with the Senate Armed Services Committee’s Strategic Forces Subcommittee. We heard from leaders from the Department of Defense about missile defense activities as we prepare to craft the FY2025 National Defense Authorization Act. You can watch a clip of that here.
Legislation introduced: This past week, I introduced legislation that would prohibit the Secretary of Agriculture from mandating the use of electronic identification tags in cattle and bison herds. South Dakota cattle producers don’t need DC bureaucrats telling them how to manage and track their livestock. You can read more about this legislation here.
My staff in South Dakota visited: Aberdeen, Britton, De Smet, Sioux Falls, Webster and Yankton.
Steps taken this past week: 60,638 steps or 29.62 miles
Photo of the week:
