Category: Uncategorized

If you ever thought the meetings of your local board of elected officials was the most dysfunctional in the state, I think Butte County might have you beat.

A local group, the “CONCERNED CITIZENS OF BUTTE COUNTY,” a self-anointed group of crusaders has taken it on themselves to go after various elected officials and has devoted much of their attention on the Butte County Commission, as they have demanded the removal of a majority of the members, as noted in below unsigned complaint which accompanied several petitions:

A number of signatures were turned in, which prompted the following letter from the complainants as the State’s Attorney reviewed and researched their demands. Unlike the first letter of demand, it appears that they claim to have a desk now, as evidenced by their new letterhead with their continued demands, this time adding a threat to go to the attorney general, the governor, and the press:

“If we have not received a report on the status of your investigation or prosecution.. we will take said measures.”  They were threatening to whine to the press, and cry to people that are regularly attacked through their related facebook page?  I’m sure that moved mountains.   Regardless, the State’s Attorney did reply this past week, as noted in the story from KELOland news:

The complaint, itself unsigned, was accompanied by four pages of 120 signatures on petitions circulated by Dale Simanton, of Newell, Travis Ismay, also of Newell, and Katie Hoffmann, of Belle Fourche.

and..

The complaints, listed below in bold italics, were categorically rejected by State’s Attorney McCartney, who found no cause to remove the commissioners.

and..

“In this meeting, there were several speakers, including one who threatened to “kick the ass” of the Commission Chair, causing upset and disruption,” wrote McCartney. “It is unsurprising that the Commission Chair did not turn on the timer or properly note the time to limit remarks for the subsequent speaker.”

While McCartney said that not limiting time for the speaker was a mistake, she said it did not rise to the level of demonstrable gross partiality, adding that at following meetings, citizens with anti-marijuana views had been allowed to speak for longer than the allotted time.

and..

In summary, McCartney found within CCBC’s complaints no reasonable cause to remove the named members of the commission.

Read the entire story (and the full complaint response) here.

Literally, part of their complaint was regarding the disruption of a county commission meeting, including threats of violence… so they wanted commissioners removed?  As you can read in the story, the State’s Attorney shut the group down hard.

What’s the next step?  According to a comment under a Facebook post from Katie Hoffmann on the topic, Travis Ismay notes that he is now going to go to the Attorney General.

I have the sneaking suspicion that the Attorney General’s office uses the same lawbook that the State’s Attorney does, and the result will be the same.

If you recall a press release which I had posted a week ago, the Argus has a story today referring to that study that was recently completed regarding what South Dakota could expect in terms of returns on the Summit and Navigator carbon sequestration pipelines once they are completed:

Among the key findings of the report are indications the pipelines could bring billions of dollars of revenue to the state, while farmers stand to see an increase in corn prices from 2024 to 2034.

The logic behind these findings is that ethanol producers would be able to gain substantial increases in revenue if they adopt carbon sequestration processes.

and..

According to the study, South Dakota would see about $3.30 billion in gross domestic product, or the market value of finished goods and services, and about $5.92 billion in gross output over the ten-year period.

To put these numbers in perspective, South Dakota’s largest industry, agriculture and forestry, represents 21% of the state’s total GDP at $11.68 billion ― forestry alone is 2% of this figure ― according to the state’s latest study on ag’s economic impact. If built to completion, carbon sequestration would increase GDP in the industry by 28% over a 10-year period.

and..

As part of the study, Summit Carbon and Navigator shared a “good faith” estimate for property tax expenses as part of their combined operating expense budget of $82.8 million. The companies expect to pay nearly $19.7 million in annual property taxes to municipalities once the pipelines are operational. Additionally, electricity costs, accounting for nearly $38.8 million, made up the majority of their operating costs.

and..

“I can share that the relationship we have with Summit is a very good relationship. You know, they didn’t require capital to help them build the plant,” Wendland said. “Summit’s been more closely related to the farmer-owned plants and the private plants … where Navigator is more involved with the oil companies and the pipeline companies, so, in general, I’ve always felt that that Summit’s a little more farmer friendly.”

Read the entire story here.

While South Dakota lacks the petroleum resources our neighbor to the north has, we have it in our power to support our own energy production industry using resources grown by South Dakota’s farmers, and pump badly needed revenue into some of our rural counties that aren’t coming out of landowner’s pockets.

Food (and alcohol) for thought.

South Dakota’s kids are our future. This point really hits home for those of us who are already seeing our own kids have kids of their own! And we must set our kids up with the skills and knowledge to build the best possible future for our state and nation. A big part of that puzzle is our higher education system. Unfortunately, across the nation, higher education is in a state of crisis. I have challenged our South Dakota Board of Regents to show the nation what quality higher education is supposed to look like.

We certainly have room to improve, as well. Less than half of our students are even graduating, compared to 63% nationally. And 43% of students who complete a college degree are underemployed when they graduate. Far too many students have been set up for failure – and they’ve been charged tens of thousands of dollars for their trouble.

We must do better. And South Dakota will.

I challenged our Board of Regents to take eight specific steps to set an example for the nation of what strong, conservative higher education should look like.

The Board of Regents should aim to raise graduation rates to 65% by 2028, far above the low 47% rate that we’re currently seeing. We should be outperforming the nation, not lagging behind. We’ve already taken steps to improve K-12 education for our students, with new social studies standards that teach our nation’s true and honest history. Now, we must do better for higher education, as well.

For South Dakota kids who do graduate, they should have the confidence that their degree will earn them a high-paying job in the career of their choice. I’m encouraging the Board of Regents to work with businesses on registered apprenticeship programs and offer the lowest possible credit rates. These steps will help our schools to focus more on skills that will prepare students for gainful employment. In particular, registered apprenticeships get students engaged with South Dakota businesses before they even graduate.

Our state universities should also remove all references to preferred pronouns in school materials. This practice has resulted in students being compelled and coerced to provide speech that they do not agree with. Our kids should have the ability to exercise their right to free speech. After all, South Dakota defends our constitutional freedoms more than any other state.

The Board of Regents should go further and remove any policies or procedures that prohibit students from exercising their right to free speech. Recently, Black Hills State University came under fire for one such policy that limited student speech – thankfully, the policy was removed. We must prepare our students to discuss and debate opposing ideas in a civil way.

Next, the Board of Regents should prohibit drag shows from taking place on university campuses. Gender theories can and should be debated in college classrooms, but these divisive theories shouldn’t be celebrated through public performances on taxpayer-owned property at taxpayer-funded schools.

As the cost of living continues to rise across the nation, the Board of Regents should find ways to cut costs to keep college affordable. In recent years, the Board of Regents has kept tuition low by backfilling their own budgets with taxpayer dollars. This doesn’t address rising costs. The cost of a degree should align with the value that it provides.

Civics and American history have been all but dismissed in higher education, and the result is abject indifference and lack of competency in our youth. The Board of Regents should require a course in American government and a course in American history as part of the general education graduation requirements.

Finally, the Board of Regents should help tackle the threat posed by communist China. They should immediately review all funding sources of university centers and all donations to ensure there is no money coming into our educational system from China.

As Governor, my duty is to protect the people of South Dakota, ensure that their tax burden remains low, and spend those taxpayer dollars wisely. Together, we can and must set an example to the nation of what strong, conversative higher education can look like. I look forward to continuing to work on this incredibly important goal.

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Duty, Honor, Country
By Sen. John Thune

During the month of May, we mark Military Appreciation Month, Armed Forces Day, and Memorial Day. It is a time to honor those who have served and continue to serve our nation in uniform and to reflect on the patriotic values that these brave men and women embody. It’s an opportunity to remember those who have fought and died for our freedoms. And it’s a chance to renew our commitment to honor their memory.

South Dakota has a rich heritage of military service. Generations of South Dakotans have left the comforts of home to answer the call to serve. I would guess there are few families in our state that don’t have a family member or a friend who has spent time in uniform. I don’t think this is a coincidence. Small-town values like hard work, integrity, community, and humility shape a desire to work for something larger than oneself. I saw this firsthand in my dad, who grew up in Murdo and flew Hellcats off the U.S.S. Intrepid during World War II. Dad was the embodiment of those small-town values that made his generation of Americans the Greatest Generation, and they’re still the hallmark of those serving today.

It might be hard to imagine how a small-town kid could play a role in world events, but countless South Dakotans, including my dad and patriots like Cecil Harris from Cresbard, have distinguished themselves in advancing the cause of freedom. Nine South Dakotans have been awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for going beyond the call of duty. Among the South Dakotans who have received the nation’s highest military honor are soldiers like Captain Arlo Olson from Toronto, who died bravely leading an assault in Italy during World War II; Private Herbert Littleton from Black Hawk, who threw himself on a hand grenade to save his comrades’ lives during the Korean War; and Major Patrick Brady of Philip, who, as a Huey pilot, saved 51 seriously wounded men in one day in Vietnam.

Soldiers, sailors, Marines, airmen, and guardians do extraordinary things, but when you ask most veterans about their service, they often turn the conversation to those they served with, especially those who never came home. In every generation, South Dakotans have given their lives in defense of our country and the values we hold dear. South Dakota’s fallen are memorialized in monuments across the state, ensuring their sacrifice is not forgotten by the generations who enjoy the freedom that their service helped secure. I was humbled by the recent opportunity to greet dozens of South Dakota Vietnam and Korean War veterans at the war memorials built in our nation’s capital to honor their service and sacrifice to the nation.

On Memorial Day, we honor those who chose service above self and were willing to give their lives for our country. We owe them our eternal gratitude. And we owe it to their memory to preserve the security and liberty they helped protect or, in the words of President Lincoln, to “take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion.”

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As the debt limit “X-date” of June 1 becomes closer and closer, House Republicans have been standing firm on our requests to address our two crises—out-of-control government spending and a debt limit deadline.

• Limit Government Spending – We want to cap government spending at the levels we were operating under in 2022, just 5 months ago. From there, spending growth would be allowed at 1% annually over the next ten years. This would save $3.2 trillion over the next ten years.
• Save Taxpayer Dollars – Our plan reclaims unspent COVID funds, repeals tax credits from the far left’s “Green New Deal,” and stops President Biden’s unconstitutional student loan giveaway. Your tax dollars should be used in an effective manner.
• Grow the Economy – By enforcing existing work requirements for welfare program benefits, preventing costly actions by the executive branch, and cutting unnecessary red tape for American energy projects, the Limit, Save, Grow plan incentivizes investment in our own economy. By growing our GDP, we will rely less on your taxpayer dollars to dig us out of debt.

The White House had been unwilling to negotiate with House Republicans for 97 days. Once talks between President Biden and Speaker McCarthy began, the White House seemed unwilling to cut federal spending and was insistent on raising taxes for hardworking Americans like you. Under the burden of historic inflation, many Americans don’t have room in their budgets to afford higher taxes, too. House Republicans refuse to raise taxes on everyday Americans to meet the demands of the Left’s reckless and irresponsible spending from the past two years.

House Republicans have vowed to not raise taxes, not cut funding for veterans’ programs, and protect Social Security and Medicare. We’re committed to a reasonable, responsible, and sensible deal on the debt limit.

It seems we’re getting closer to a deal each day, and I hope the White House can agree that we have to address the spending problem in this country. Spending more money is not the answer, and most of America agrees.

The clock is ticking, and I hope President Biden will negotiate in good faith. We cannot default on our debts.

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Huron Attorney Aaron Pilcher, a participant on the South Dakota State Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, today issued his dissenting opinion on the recommendations issued by the committee in their final report issued on May 8, which does not appear to be available on-line as of yet.  But, given Pilcher’s notation of the recommendations, which he notes include federal oversight of local elections, and the removal of local law enforcement from local polling places, should be of great concern to the people of South Dakota.

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Aaron P. Pilcher
Huron, SD 57350

SD Advisory Committee Recommends Federal Involvement in Local Elections, Removal of Local Law Enforcement at Polling Places

For Immediate Release
Contact: Aaron P. Pilcher

HURON, S.D. – On May 8, 2023, the South Dakota State Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights approved its final report, “Voting Rights and Access in South Dakota.” The report recommends federal oversight of local elections, and the removal of local law enforcement from local polling places. Aaron Pilcher, a committee member from Huron, filed the lone dissent to the report.

“For the last decade or more, we’ve seen a series of sustained federal activities, particularly within the [U.S. Department of Justice], targeting individuals or entities based on political affiliation and not for any legitimate basis,” Pilcher wrote. “On full consideration, I am obliged to ask whether South Dakota can address our concerns without involvement from federal officials. Based on the testimony we heard, I believe we can.”

Pilcher also took issue with the removal of local law enforcement. “We cannot perpetuate distrust between local law enforcement and the Native American community,” Pilcher wrote. “[I]t is unwise to remove local law enforcement from polling places on a misguided belief that doing so will create a newfound confidence in government.”

This release is issued in Aaron Pilcher’s individual capacity as a member of the committee. He does not speak for the State Advisory Committee, or the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.

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Gov. Noem Launches Whistleblower Hotline for Higher Education

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Kristi Noem announced a new whistleblower hotline for students, faculty, parents, and taxpayers to report concerns at institutions of higher education in South Dakota. These individuals can call 605-773-5916 to voice their concerns.

“Our children are our future, and South Dakota universities and technical colleges should best prepare them for our future,” said Governor Noem. “As I work with our Board of Regents and Board of Technical Education to chart our path for higher education, we are giving students, faculty, and parents this tool to help voice any concerns so that they can be addressed.”

Governor Noem first announced this whistleblower hotline in a letter to the Board of Regents.

Governor Noem recently appointed Jim Lochner and Doug Morrison to the South Dakota Board of Regents. She will be making additional appointments to the Board of Regents in the near future.

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Attorney General Jackley Says U.S. Supreme Court WOTUS Ruling Protects South Dakotans From Undue Federal Burden

PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley praised Thursday’s U.S. Supreme Court decision that limits the federal Government’s authority regarding the Clean Water Act. South Dakota was part of the lawsuit, Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), that led to the court’s ruling.

“This is a good decision allowing states to determine how to manage their waterways,” said Attorney General Jackley. “This is a states’ rights issue.”

South Dakota was one of 24 states that filed the lawsuit against the Biden Administration’s “Water of the United States” rules. In their lawsuit, the states contend that the proposed rule would redefine “navigable waters” to include ponds, certain streams, ditches, and other bodies of water that would be placed under the Clean Water Act as defined by the EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

“This proposed rule would have created an undue burden on our farmers and developers to get permission from the EPA and the Corps on how use these water ways,” said Attorney General Jackley.

Other states involved in the lawsuit were Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

“As Attorney General, WOTUS issues have always been a major priority and that is why we were part of this lawsuit,” said Attorney General Jackley. “This decision protects South Dakotans from an undue federal burden.”

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Just received this fundraising e-mail from the Rounds for Senate campaign.. which is interesting, as I don’t think I’d seen one in a while from them.

 

Thought Jimmy Carter was the worst President on the Economy?
Joe Biden: Hold My Beer

Since the anemic start to his Presidency, Joe Biden’s authoritarian policies and executive branch rules have crippled America’s economy. Plain and simple.

All of the comparisons to Jimmy Carter, probably aren’t fair…..to Jimmy Carter!

Biden’s economic approval ratings are even worse than Jimmy Carter’s. In 1978, Carter’s net economic rating was eight points underwater with the American public. Biden’s handling of the economy has been even worse at negative thirteen points. The economy, in particular inflation, led to Carter’s political demise. As Biden proves to be the worst President in modern history on the economy, the American people are poised to provide him with the same political path.

CNN reported that “Inflation seems to be a big issue for Biden, just 28% of Americans approved of the job he is doing to handle inflation…” In fact, 47% reported that they were “hurting” – according to an ABC News/Ipsos poll. Hard working Americans are paying the price. In South Dakota, Biden Inflation is costing South Dakota families an extra $850 per month. As more voters, even Democrats, come to terms with the economic failures of the Biden Administration – brighter days are ahead and we’ll look back at this failed Presidency as a lesson learned.

In the meantime, Biden and his handlers will continue to roll out new measures to re-distribute your money to others who they deem more deserving. Unfortunately, during the 2021-2022 Congress, Democrats controlled both the House and the Senate. Biden and D.C. Democrats had the ability to pass whatever they wanted, and there was nothing Republicans could do to stop them.

In addition to record high inflation and energy prices, Biden has increased entitlement spending more than 40%. According to the Congressional Budget Office, he’s added almost $10 trillion in additional debt.

In the last two years alone, I have opposed more than $5 trillion in Democrat spending proposals, including:

• The American Rescue Plan- $1.9 trillion (March 2021)
• The Infrastructure Law- $1.2 trillion (August 2021)
• The FY2022 Omnibus Spending Bill- $1.5 trillion (March 2022)
• The CHIPS & Science Law- $180 billion (July 2022)
• The (misnamed) Inflation Reduction Act- $739 billion (August 2022)

Those in the liberal media ignore Biden’s spending, but trust me, he’s re-directing existing taxpayer funds at record pace to more new programs than you can shake a stick at. Biden and his new army of IRS agents will be looking to squeeze every dime they can out of hard-working Americans to feed their spending addiction.

All of this leads to today’s fight: the national debt ceiling. Standing at $31.8 trillion dollars, our national debt is out of control. The debt ceiling is a legislatively mandated limit on how much the U.S. can borrow. But, behind the math – the consequences tied to U.S. default on its obligations could sink our entire economy. The media attention on the debt ceiling now has casual observers extremely concerned – some of it over-hyped, some of it legitimate. Since 1960, Congress has raised the debt ceiling seventy-eight times. Forty-nine of those times were under Republican presidents.

Considering Biden’s economy, out-of-control spending, and the current deficit – I’m taking the opportunity to reign in both – spending and the deficit.

That’s why I’ve joined Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) in refusing to advance any bill that raises the debt ceiling without substantive spending and budget reforms. Today, we have enough support to block any discussion on a so-called “clean” debt ceiling bill. We have a tremendous opportunity to make meaningful reforms to both Washington’s out-of-control spending and the national debt.

The Republican-controlled House is seeking to raise the debt ceiling by $1.5 trillion, roll back spending to 2022 levels, impose a 1% cap on future spending, sweep unspent COVID funds, and cancel IRS funding for new staff.

We have the cards. The Republican effort in the House and Senate should force Biden to come to the table and negotiate meaningful spending reforms. If Biden refuses, he alone will own the economic collapse a default on our debt would cause.

Today, I believe it’s clear that Republicans aren’t going to save Biden and Chuck Schumer from this mess they’ve caused. The economy is spiraling due to unsustainable fiscal policies. We have the solution and we intend to stick together to see it through.

Racking up additional debt without meaningful spending reform is a non-starter. The Washington Democrats will fight tooth and nail to keep the status quo. That’s why I support the effort to protect taxpayers and gain fiscal constraint. I strongly support Leader McCarthy’s efforts to negotiate a conservative path forward.

Your support over the years has meant the world to me. As I’ve told others, there are big fights in Washington, but our kids’ and grandchildren’s future is worth fighting for.

In these tough economic times, I’m very sensitive to the need to raise campaign funds. But, the fact is, it takes resources.  If you’d be willing to help support our efforts of fiscal sanity, common sense solutions, and a focus on South Dakota – please consider a donation today.

Sincerely,

Attorney General Jackley Releases Draft Explanation For Proposed Constitutional Amendment Revising Legislative Term Limits

PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley has released a draft ballot explanation for the proposed constitutional amendment, submitted by State Sen. Brent Hoffman of Sioux Falls, that would revise legislative term limits.

This proposed constitutional amendment would revise legislative terms to a lifetime total of eight years in the State House of Representatives and a lifetime total of eight years in the State Senate. The ballot explanation can be found here.

State law requires the Attorney General draft a title and explanation for each initiated measure, initiated constitutional amendment, constitutional amendment proposed by the Legislature, or referred measure that may appear on an election ballot. The Attorney General’s explanation is meant to be an “objective, clear, and simple summary” intended to “educate the voters of the purpose and effect of the proposed” measure, as well as identify the “legal consequences” of each measure.

The Attorney General takes no position on any such proposal.

Once the Attorney General has filed and posted the draft explanation, the public has 10 days to provide written comment. The explanation was filed Thursday, May 25, and the deadline for comments on this explanation is June 5, 2023, at the close of business in Pierre, South Dakota. The final explanation is due to the Secretary of State onJune 14, 2023.

The draft amendment would require 35,017 valid petition signatures to qualify for the 2024 general election ballot.

To file written comments on a draft Attorney General’s explanation please use one of the following methods below. Copies of all received comments will be posted on this website.

Comments may be submitted via mail, or through hand delivery, to the Attorney General’s Office at:

Office of the Attorney General
Ballot Comment
1302 E. Hwy. 14, Suite 1
Pierre, SD 57501

Comments that are hand delivered must be received by the close of business in Pierre, South Dakota, by June 5, 2023. Comments that are mailed must be received by the Attorney General’s Office before the deadline expires to be accepted.

Comments may also be emailed to ATGballotcomments@state.sd.us by June 5, 2023. Comments should be clearly expressed in the body of the email. The Attorney General’s Office will not open attachments in an effort to prevent malware or other digital threats. Please include your name and contact information when submitting your comment. The title of the comment must be included in the subject line of the email.

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