Category: Uncategorized

Thune Calls On Biden To Freeze $6 Billion Iran Transfer

“The State Department should immediately rescind the waivers that allowed Iranian funds to be converted and moved to more accessible bank accounts, as well as work with U.S. ally Qatar to immediately freeze the accounts containing these funds.”

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) joined several of his colleagues in calling on President Biden and the U.S. Department of State to immediately restrict Iran’s access to $6 billion in funds that were unfrozen by the Biden administration as part of a recent U.S.-Iran prisoner swap.

“To stand by and allow Iran access to these funds as Hamas infiltrates Israel and murders, rapes, and mutilates countless Israelis is unconscionable,” wrote the senators. “Your administration claims these funds are only available for humanitarian use, but money is fungible, and there is a significant risk they could be used to further efforts by Iran or Hamas against Israel. Moreover, allowing $6 billion to flow into Iran’s economy, even if the purpose is for humanitarian aid, allows the Iranian regime to reallocate even more funds to supporting terrorism. Oversight over the use of this $6 billion is not enough, and the oversight mechanism is crippled by your reported decision to pull the longstanding Treasury attaché from Qatar. The State Department should immediately rescind the waivers that allowed Iranian funds to be converted and moved to more accessible bank accounts, as well as work with U.S. ally Qatar to immediately freeze the accounts containing these funds.”

The letter was led by U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and, in addition to Thune, was also signed by U.S. Sens. Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.).

Full letter below:

Dear Mr. President:

We write today to affirm our unwavering support for Israel, our greatest ally in the Middle East, and call on the U.S. Department of State to freeze the accounts in Qatar containing $6 billion in Iranian funds that were released from South Korean accounts in September.

Since Hamas began its attack on Israel on Saturday, more than 4,000 rockets have been fired from Gaza, countless Israelis have been injured, and more than 130 individuals have been kidnapped by Hamas terrorists. Hundreds of civilians have been brutally murdered in Israel, and recent reports confirm that several Americans were killed in the attacks.

Iran is the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism, and Wall Street Journal reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps worked with Hamas to plan the ongoing attacks on Israel. These horrific attacks come on the heels of the State Department issuing sanctions waivers for Iranian funds held in South Korean accounts to be converted from won to euros and then transferred to bank accounts in Qatar.

To stand by and allow Iran access to these funds as Hamas infiltrates Israel and murders, rapes, and mutilates countless Israelis is unconscionable. Your administration claims these funds are only available for humanitarian use, but money is fungible, and there is a significant risk they could be used to further efforts by Iran or Hamas against Israel. Moreover, allowing $6 billion to flow into Iran’s economy, even if the purpose is for humanitarian aid, allows the Iranian regime to reallocate even more funds to supporting terrorism. Oversight over the use of this $6 billion is not enough, and the oversight mechanism is crippled by your reported decision to pull the longstanding Treasury attaché from Qatar. The State Department should immediately rescind the waivers that allowed Iranian funds to be converted and moved to more accessible bank accounts, as well as work with U.S. ally Qatar to immediately freeze the accounts containing these funds.

We must stand with Israel and restrict access to these Iranian funds. Iran should be placed under the most stringent sanctions admissible. Anything short of this is unacceptable and only aids in the ability of Iran and Hamas to fund these heinous acts.

Sincerely,

###

Had a long-time reader just point this out.  I don’t think I’ve ever heard this one:

Police say a Sioux Falls man was arrested Tuesday morning after attempting to rob a bank in the southwestern part of the city.

and..

The Argus Leader is not naming the man at this time because the court case is currently not one this news outlet would follow through trial. If major developments unfold, we will update accordingly.

Read it here.

So, the identity of the person arrested for attempting to rob a bank is not pertinent to the story?  That’s just nuts. I think that’s a HUGE part of the story.

Way to phone it in, Argus.

I’ve updated my 2024 Candidate list, and it appears that new candidates are popping up faster and faster, with announcements or filing paperwork to run with the Secretary of State.

For those who have announced or filed that I haven’t previously mentioned in an article:

• Brad Jankord (R) has filed paperwork to run for the House in District 13, after having had announced his intentions to the Dakota Scout last week; and
• District 27 State Senate candidate Anthony Kathol (R) filed papers and announced his candidacy in the Rapid City Journal.

I know of more out there, but they aren’t making it public yet, so we’ll just have to hold on for a little bit.

If you know of others who have “officially” announced, or who have filed a statement of organization for their candidacy, drop me a note.

It looks as if the slate for District 15 is filling up.  Coming on the heels of the info that Democrat State Rep. Linda Duba will be running for the Senate, 2022 House Candidate & Republican Matt Rosburg is looking to jump into that race for a head to head challenge against Duba next fall.

That leaves the House with an open seat.  Or does it?

On the Republican side, if he can ever get moved into the District, Brad Lindwurm is allegedly running. And, I’m also hearing a rumor that 2022 GOP House candidate Joni Tschetter may make another attempt.  For Democrats, they have incumbent Representative Kadyn Wittman.. and I’m told that the Democrat County Chair Erik Muckey plans to run in that race as well.

What might make things even more interesting is that we may see at least one primary in there, as I’m told others might be jumping in as well.

Stay tuned.

How I’ll Work To Keep Rapid City Strong
By Representative Becky Drury

What makes Rapid City Special? Is it our farmer’s market, your favorite high school football game, or dining at your favorite restaurant? Whatever your preference, our city is vibrant and alive. Yet, none of these things compare to one thing: the people.

Rapid City isn’t only a place – it’s a family. When I represented you on the city council, we understood that by working together as a council to build a better city, everyone wins. In Pierre, I’ve applied the same work ethic and worked hard to ensure that the bills I support make Rapid City a strong and vibrant place to live.

During the previous legislative session, I supported several priorities that will benefit our community for years to come. I sponsored legislation to protect child witnesses in the courtroom, increased transparency in local government, and created grants for mental health resources. In addition, I voted for the largest sales tax cut in South Dakota history, which will put $100 Million back into the hands of South Dakotans each year. We can all be proud of these results, but the job is never done.

I will continue to work for our amazing community. We must work diligently to keep drugs and crime off the streets, keep teacher pay competitive, grow our business environment and economy, and continue to approach governing with honesty and integrity. We always say in the legislature that Pierre isn’t Washington D.C., and if I’m representing you, it’ll stay that way.

I want to hear from you if you’d like to see a change within our state laws. Reach out to me at becky.drury@sdlegislature.gov, and I’d be happy to visit with you about any issue. By working as a team, we can continue to keep our amazing community an even better place to work and live for our children and grandchildren.

Just caught this interesting tidbit in a story at SD Standard, that Democrat Linda Duba plans on running for the Senate in 2024:

“Republicans are very good on messaging,” she said. “They understand that you win things on the local level.”

Duba plans to run for the state Senate in 2024, hoping to fill the seat that Nesiba will vacate because of term limits. She said she relies on door-to-door campaigning to earn voter support, even among Republicans in her district.

Read that here.

With it now being a Republican District, D15 should be able to move into the GOP aisle as a pickup, given the right candidate. Duba isn’t going to roll over, so it will take a competent candidate doing the right things.

The question is whether the Minnehaha GOP can recruit a competent candidate, given their own state of affairs?

From 2020 and 2022 Sioux Falls legislative candidate Cole Heisey:

Add that one to the opposition research files.

According to the Huron Daily Plainsman, State Representative Lynn Schneider is taking a pass from running for House again:

“Serving in the state legislature has been a wonderful privilege and a great experience,” Schneider said in a press release, “however, at my age, the time has come to step down and spend more time with my family and our eight grandchildren.”

Read the entire story here.

 

State Senator Erin Tobin to seek Re-election to State Senate

Today Erin Tobin announces her intention to seek re-election to the South Dakota Senate, where she has served since first being elected in 2020. As a mother, nurse, and entrepreneur, Tobin is uniquely positioned to address the issues facing South Dakota head-on, and brings to Pierre a conservative, problem-solving mindset.

“I’m excited about what our legislature has accomplished over the last few years, and there is always more to do. I’m going to continue my fight for our farmers, business owners, and families. I’ve been honored to serve District 21, and look forward to earning their continued support over the coming months.”

Tobin lives in Winner, South Dakota, where she is raising her two children. In addition to her work as a mother and nurse, she has also recently announced the opening of her own business in Winner, ReJuve Health, which provides supplemental health solutions for those in rural communities.

To donate or to learn more about Erin’s campaign, please visit www.erintobinforsd.com. For press inquiries, please contact erin@erintobinforsd.com.

Interim update from State Rep. Chris Kassin, District 17 House

I shared earlier this summer that legislators take the opportunity outside of session to learn more about how projects supported by taxpayer funds are working to serve South Dakota. In September, the Joint Committee on Appropriations (JCA) completed a tour of several East River projects. I appreciate the opportunity to see first-hand how decisions in Pierre impact our communities across the state. As legislators, our responsibility is to ensure that the hard-earned tax dollars of our citizens are invested wisely. We do not take this duty lightly.

Several places we spent time visiting don’t always receive a lot of fanfare or grab headlines. Instead, they do an excellent job of helping directly improve the quality of life for our state’s children, including Children’s Home Society of South Dakota, South Dakota School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, and McCrossan Boys Ranch.

When considering what role the government should play in the lives of our citizens, it’s essential to consider the care for our state’s most vulnerable populations – especially our children. The organizations that step in to fill these gaps sometimes receive little attention for various reasons. Still, their work for our children is vital and merits our appreciation and support.

Some examples we visited during the tour include a mutually beneficial partnership created between Northern State University and the South Dakota School for the Blind and Visually Impaired that provided a new home for the SDSBVI on the NSU campus. The state also relies on private organizations to help provide services by awarding grants and contracts. Organizations like McCrossan Boys Ranch and Children’s Home Society support at-risk children and provide the support and resources that can be a lifeline.

As I’ve highlighted before, due to our state’s excellent economic conditions, this past session, we made meaningful progress in supporting organizations such as McCrossan, Children’s Home, and other community support providers like SESDAC in Vermillion by following through on the state’s commitment to fund Medicaid at 100% of methodology. This fulfills our state’s obligations and enables these organizations to continue their life-changing work.

My children were a key reason and inspiration for me to serve in the legislation. Preserving the quality of life we enjoy in South Dakota, and ensuring the opportunity to grow and thrive for our children is the best investment in our future. I’m grateful for private organizations such as Children’s Home Society and McCrossan for helping preserve hope for these young people.

Another critical focus of the East River tour included reviewing the pressing need of our penitentiary system. The issue of how to best manage our corrections system’s needs has been an essential and multi-faceted conversation at the regional and state levels. There are pressing concerns that must be addressed. These are multi-year discussions with a variety of stakeholders. On-site visits provide an essential source of information and perspective much more meaningful than relying solely on testimony during sessions.

These visits to the various organizations and agencies by the JCA are part of our commitment to diligently address today’s pressing needs while maintaining a forward-looking perspective. Our ultimate goal is to keep South Dakota a great place to live, work, and raise a family.

We had so many great conversations with people covering various issues. The issue that connects them is the difference they are trying to make for their communities.

As our focus now turns to the 2024 legislative session, any ideas, thoughts, or concerns can be the foundation for future legislation. Please know that I’m listening. My email address is chris.kassin@sdlegislature.gov, or you can always call/text me at (605) 670-9698.

Thank you again for the opportunity to represent you.