Via Jake Sherman at Punchbowl news:
🚨BREAKING NEWS: Senate Republican Conference Chair @SenJohnBarrasso will run for GOP WHIP next Congress, taking a pass on leader and cementing @SenJohnThune as the front runner in the contest.
MUCH MORE soon…..
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) March 5, 2024
In case you wanted to watch for yourself, here’s the video from South Dakota Public Broadcasting where you can watch Tom Pischke coming in, and putting the bottle of syrup on Representative Conzet’s desk. (Start about 2:20:00):
So, Pischke brings it in, hidden behind a piece of paper, and then looks around to see if anyone caught him in the act.
But of course, as opposed to the reaction he received, getting kicked off the House floor and admonished by the Speaker, Sticky Tom was “expecting her to be filled with gratitude.”
But then again, most people who drop off gifts don’t have to hide them.
The Dakota Scout has a story up regarding Senator “Sticky Tom” Pischke over the action that caused the Speaker of the House to ban him from the floor and lobby of the State House of Representatives in the waning days of the 2024 session. And it probably contains the most non-apology I think I’ve ever read.
Sen. Tom Pischke of Dell Rapids has been barred from the chambers of the state House of Representatives by Speaker Hugh Bartels for allegedly violating Legislative code of conduct standards Monday.
and..
In a text message sent to The Scout, Pischke admitted leaving a bottle of syrup – Mrs. Butterworth’s brand – on Conzet’s desk inside the state House, but said he did not anticipate the backlash. He’s since issued an apology to Conzet.
“I was expecting her (Conzet) to be filled with gratitude,” Pischke said. “I’m wondering if the Speaker is jealous that he didn’t receive a bottle, too, and that’s his justification for this.”
Wow. Just wow.
It is me, or is Tom not expecting to be back next year?
Jason Green Announces Candidacy for Senate in Rapid City’s District 34
Rapid City, SD – Today Former City Attorney Jason Green announced his candidacy for the South Dakota Senate, serving District 34 and the people of Rapid City. As a lifelong resident of the Black Hills and a results-oriented Republican, Green is excited and committed to work to keep South Dakota the best place to live, work and raise a family.
Green brings a wealth of experience to the Senate. After more than 10 years in the City Attorney’s Office in Rapid City, Jason has continued to serve the community working as Associate General Counsel at Monument Health. “The District 34 voters were very encouraging and supportive when I circulated my nominating petition.” said Green. “I was pleased to hear these kind words, and they have validated my decision to run for Senate.” Green is a 2005 graduate of Leadership Rapid City, a former adjunct professor at the University of South Dakota West River Campus, and a Life Member of the NRA.
Jason has a long history of community involvement, including volunteering with the Black Hills Federal Credit Union for more than 14 years, serving in many roles including being elected to several terms as Chairman by his fellow Board and Committee members. Additionally, he has served on the Governing Board and Finance Committees for Wellfully, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to providing addiction recovery, behavioral and psychiatric residential care to youth in the Black Hills area. Green also serves on the Rapid City Parks and Recreation Golf Course advisory committee.
As a conservative Republican, Jason will focus on ensuring taxpayer dollars are spent in a fiscally responsible manner, improving infrastructure to provide Rapid City with access to vital resources and economic opportunity, and continuing South Dakota’s tradition of limited government to maximize individual freedom.
Jason Green is a graduate of the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology and was recognized as an Outstanding Recent Graduate in 2007. He also holds two law degrees, one from the University of South Dakota School of Law and the other from Loyola University Chicago.
“My promise to taxpayers is that I look forward to working hard every day for the people of District 34 and I ask for your support on June 4th in the Republican primary election.”
State Senator Tom Pischke, who in 2015 had a protection order for domestic abuse filed against him by his ex-wife (which was later dismissed), today finds himself at the receiving end of a different kind of order.
Today, Speaker of the House Hugh Bartels has issued an order banning Senator Pischke from the House Floor and House Lobby for the remainder of the legislative session for violating joint rule 1B-1. The Speaker also noted in the order that he will be speaking to Senate Leadership about the situation as well.
After a weird House Commemoration sponsored by Rep. Phil Jensen and Senator Pischke discussing Aunt Jemima’s contributions to society was pulled from the House Calendar by State Representative Kris Conzet, someone unknown had surreptitiously left a bottle of syrup on the lawmaker’s desk. House leadership was informed and video was reviewed and we come to find out State Senator Tom Pischke was caught on film as the person who placed the bottle on Representative Conzet’s desk.
In fact, video of his placement of the syrup was also caught on Public Broadcasting’s legislative coverage during a legislative recess, where Pischke can be observed walking into House chambers with a piece of paper covering something, then pulling the bottle out of syrup out from behind it:
Pischke, who co-sponsored the measure with Representative Phil Jensen came over from the Senate and left the bottle at the Representative Kris Conzet’s desk at a time when no one else was around. Why? To protest her request to pull the measure, which had nothing to do with South Dakota? Who knows? What we do know is that this is another Tom Pischke unforced error.
Remember, this is not Pischke’s only ban from activities in the South Dakota Legislature. Don’t forget that during the last legislative session, Pischke held a press conference which bizarrely demanded the that the Hughes County State’s Attorney criminally charge many of the members of the Senate Republican Caucus. After which Senator Pischke found himself disinvited from attending the daily meetings where Republicans conduct strategy sessions on legislation.
Sources inform me that Pischke’s ban from the Senate Republican Caucus has continued on through this year. With today’s action, there are getting to be fewer and fewer places Pischke will be allowed to conduct himself in the State Capitol.
Should he choose to run again, Senator Tom Pischke will be facing former State Senator Jordan Youngberg who has been running for the seat for the past few months, and the incident provides yet further ammunition for his opponent to use against the Senator in talking about his lack of judgement.
Yet again, it’s a sticky situation of Tom’s own making.
Uh oh! There’s going to be a couple of people mad over this one.
Despite the best efforts of a few members of the SDGOP central committee to try to excommunicate me, I just got an invite in the mail for a cooler group.. to join the SDGOP’s Chairman’s Circle!
Let them try to kick this petulant blogger out of the Chairman’s Circle once I’ve paid my $35!
 Gov. Noem Signs Foreign-Owned Ag Land Bill into Law
PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Kristi Noem signed HB 1231, which places restrictions on the ownership of agricultural land, stopping six evil foreign governments and foreign entities from those governments from buying up South Dakota’s precious ag land, into law.
“South Dakota respects the Freedom to farm and ranch. That Freedom should not extend to our enemies,” said Governor Noem. “Over the past year, we have had continuous discussions to create this legislation to protect South Dakota from foreign adversaries buying up our ag land. In my State of the State Address, I said that we could not afford to wait another year to get this done. I am very proud of this bill that will keep South Dakotans secure for generations.”
The bill strengthens South Dakota’s protections against foreign ownership of ag land in the following ways:
This bill will stop nations that hate America from buying up U.S. agricultural land. Foreign adversaries will do all they can to control America – and once they control the food supply, they will control the country. China’s ownership of American ag land has increased by 5,300% in just the past decade.
Footage of Governor Noem signing this bill can be found here, and a photo can be found here.
Governor Noem has signed 110 bills into law this legislative session.
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Johnson Announces Butte County Sheriff as State of the Union Guest
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) announced Butte County Sheriff Fred Lamphere will be his guest at the State of the Union on March 7, 2024.
“President Biden’s open border policies have significantly impacted communities across America, and South Dakota is no exception,” said Johnson. “Sheriff Lamphere has made it clear that crime he sees in Butte County is a side effect of a broken border. I hope the President will address the drug and crime crises from illegal immigration that are plaguing our communities.”
“Our current unsecured border is a modern-day Trojan Horse,” said Sheriff Lamphere. “It has led to unprecedented fentanyl deaths in South Dakota and nationwide, it has increased the abuse of our medical services and social programs, and it has allowed thousands of undocumented military-aged people into our country. Although Butte County, South Dakota, is a long way from the border, the anxiety is felt here as it is in many places across America. I hope that President Biden and his Administration will listen to the American Sheriffs and the American people and let our Border Patrol do their job to keep America safe.”
Johnson met with Sheriff Lamphere in November 2023, where Lamphere shared that illegal immigration was costing South Dakota taxpayers $56.9 million. Sheriff Lamphere and Johnson agreed stricter border policies are necessary to address this problem. In May 2023, Johnson voted for passage of H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act, which includes the strongest border policies ever voted on in the House. The bill awaits action in the Senate.
Over the last few years, Sheriff Lamphere has made several trips to the southern border and has expressed concerns for how the crisis at our border impacts South Dakota’s communities, primarily through drug use and trafficking.
Attorney General Jackley Praises SCOTUSÂ Decision to Keep Trump on Colorado Ballot
PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley is praising Monday’s U.S. Supreme Court decision that allows former President Donald Trump to appear on the ballot for the Colorado state Presidential Primary election.
The high court unanimously reversed the Colorado State Supreme Court decision that ruled Trump should not be allowed on the ballot because he violated the insurrection clause in the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution due to his alleged involvement in the Jan. 6 incident at the U.S. Capitol. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that no state could remove a federal office candidate from any ballot.
Attorney General Jackley was one of 25 Attorneys General who filed an amicus brief in January requesting that the U.S. Supreme Court reverse the lower court’s decision.
“The U.S. Supreme Court made the right decision in this case because only Congress has the authority to decide whether to disqualify a person from running for office,” said Attorney General Jackley. “This decision allows voters to exercise their fundamental right to decide elections.”
Monday’s U.S. Supreme Court decision can be found here: https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/23pdf/23-719_19m2.pdf
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Attorney General Jackley Urges Consumers To Participate in National Consumer Protection Week
PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley is urging South Dakota consumers to take time, especially during this week’s National Consumer Protection Week observance, to safeguard their personal and financial information.
National Consumer Protection is today (Monday) through Saturday. Government agencies, businesses, and organizations will encourage the public to protect themselves from potential scams.
“The Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division received more than 64,000 calls, inquiries, and complaints in 2023 from consumers who reported they had been a victim of a scam,” said Attorney General Jackley. “While many of the scams are ones that have been used for years, scammers are becoming more adept at using social media to intimidate consumers, regardless of their age, in providing personal information.”
Other consumer protection tips are:
Consumers who believe they may have been a victim of any type of scam should contact the Attorney General’s Office’s Consumer Protection Division at 1-800-300-1986 or at https://consumer.sd.gov/.
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