Here’s a story on the Argus’ website tonight that seems to be a bit of a broken record we’ve heard before:
A group of Fall River Republicans are demanding that Dan Lederman resign as chairman of the South Dakota Republican Party due to his lobbying work for Saudi Arabia.
and..
The resolution also alleges that Lederman was registered as a Democrat in Iowa beginning in 1998 and was “inappropriately” elected as Republican Party chairman because “he was a registered Democrat at the same time.”
Ugh. Apparently some people just can’t let it go. Why do I say that? Because we’ve seen this stupid before. The far-right group Citizens for Liberty and their allies, when they’re not getting kicked out of Pizza Ranch, are back attacking one of their primary targets, SDGOP Chair Dan Lederman.
If you recall, back in early 2018, the group was circulating a petition attacking SDGOP Chair Dan Lederman because they didn’t like the fact he won election. Back then, their petition read in part…
CFL Hates Lederman 2018 by Pat Powers on Scribd
We, the undersigned duly elected Republicans, Republican County Central Committee members, delegates, candidates, and/or registered Republicans, having become aware of the confirmations that you maintained your Iowa residency and voter registration as an active Iowa Democrat from October 02, 1998, till you filed your request to cancel your Iowa Democratic registration on October 12, 2017, require you to immediately cease and desist any and all involvement, all representations of claimed official involvement, and any attempts to influence the South Dakota Republican Party by claiming to be the Chairman of the South Dakota Republican Party.
They had 3 petitions, and gathered a total of 50 signatures… out of over two hundred thousand Republicans in the state (that’s about .019% of Republicans), with such ‘GOP Luminaries’ as Lora Hubbel, Tara Volesky, Mike Mueller, James Biolata, Jack Heyd, Florence Thompson, Rick Kreibel, etcetera. Basically, they were circulated in the at a CFL meeting in Rapid City, Lora Hubbel did her usual awful job of signature collection, and one was circulated around the Hanson County area. And that’s all they could do.
Republican-Independent-Constitution Party wrecker Lora Hubbel lead the charge with the media, if you recall the stupidity and false claims that were easily disproven back in 2018, and ended up looking like a bit of an idiot.
Why are we talking about it now? Well, apparently, the same cast of characters can’t let it go and are taking another run at it, recycling the claims.
This past Saturday, Tonchi Weaver of Citizens for Liberty popped up at the Pennington County Republican Party meeting with the following resolution prepared, which starts off with the claim that was debunked two years ago claiming…. “WHEREAS, Dan Lederman was elected South Dakota Republican Party Chairman in 2017 at the same time he was registered as a democrat in Jasper County, Iowa, since 1998.”
Yes, you can insert a *groan* here. Please note that this one isn’t signed. For good reason.
What happened at Pennington County on Saturday the 11th? I’m told the words barely had left Tonchi Weaver’s mouth before she was gaveled down and scolded by the Pennington County Chair Jeff Holbrook for bringing this stupidity. Denied.
A few days after they were shut down hard and lost that battle in Rapid City, on January 14th, it appears the same silliness was shopped to Fall River County, and they managed to sell the bill of goods to those few present:
You’ll notice there’s no list of names, just a proclamation that it was “unanimously passed by those members present.”
We can assume that Tonchi will be creeping to other GOP meetings to try to sow discord with their resolution including the false claims they couldn’t peddle in 2018. But, it’s maybe good to remember who else Tonchi Weaver and her crew at Citizens for Liberty have been trying to “take out.”
Continuously, they’ve been hammering legislators with scorecards they’ve cherry-picked for issues, despite not showing up to testify on the legislation they’re claiming is important to them. (My favorite was the scorecard where they ranked their chairman’s wife the highest.)
In 2018, they got in the middle of the race for Attorney General, poking at Sheriffs for endorsing a candidate. In 2017, they went after a number of Republicans for having been registered as Democrat at an earlier point in their lives. Even if they hadn’t been.
“If a person changes their party affiliation and doesn’t change their philosophy, I think that’s something their constituents deserve to know,” said Tonchi Weaver, a lobbyist for the group.
and…
“I’ve never registered as a Democrat. I’ve always been a Republican,” said Rep. Jean Hunhoff, R-Yankton, who was named in the report. “I’ve never even heard of that group.”
And the list of their goofiness goes on. (Don’t even get the Lt. Governor going on them..) If the same people who have attacked legislators for years and have already taken one failed run at Lederman are back taking another shot at him, I can’t help but roll my eyes, and say “here we go again.”
If they spent as much energy into electing Republicans as they did attacking them, they might be able to actually accomplish something besides throwing rocks.
But, let’s not hold our collective breath. I really doubt it’s going to happen anytime soon.
Saudi Arabia has an identical ideology as ISIS. Saudi Arabia teaches all school children that Americans should die. Saudi Arabia completely financed 9/11. Saudi Arabia murders their citizens who speak against the government. I’ve never understood why Republicans and Democrats both cater to Saudi Arabia. The only reason can be that both are paid off by Saudi Arabia. Because no rational person would tolerate the things the saudis do unless they were paid to tolerate them
BS. Saudi Arabia designated the hijackers as terrorists and kicked them out of their country years before 9/11 and let the US know about them. Clinton had 9 opportunities to take out Bin Laden but never took action.
Saudi Arabia works with the US in fighting terrorism around the world. They have been a strong ally in the fight against ISIS and other terrorist organizations.
I will be sending a bill to Mike and The Citizens for Liberty for payment for having to even read such a irrational and ignorant comment such as this one. Saudi Arabia has been a very close alliance with the US for decades. Not all middle eastern counties are ISIS terrorist or our enemy. Every country in this world has a shadow even our own. The USA has its own groups and individuals that have irrational ideology that terrorized and poison it’s own citizens. Our country is filled with Mass shootings (schools,movie theaters, shopping centers, churches and more), brutal hate crimes, domestic violence, and the list goes on. Instead of wasting time and energy attacking Dan Lederman and our allies maybe use that energy address and help solve real problems like the ones I have listed. We need to work together not against each other.
You forgot to mention the brutal killing of a Washington Post journalist and the shoot up at the Pensacola Military base.
Like I said every country has their shadows. Everyday US citizens brutally murder each other but it barely makes the news now because it’s now a “norm” but the moment it is someone from another country or race then everyone gets their torches out for a witch hunt. I mean seriously you can’t blame a whole country for a what 1 person chooses to do.
Saudi Arabia spent billions of dollars spreading wahabbism. Are you daft?
Wahabbism is spread in the United States (including South Dakota) by the Muslim Brotherhood. Their purpose is to destroy the United States in order to prepare the way for a global Caliphate. But for the sake of money, we are suppose to ignore those facts and instead join in with the social justice warriors and spread propaganda that demonizes those of us who are outspoken about these valid concerns.
Many of us longtime SDGOPologists are wondering if Dan even wants or needs his chair job anymore. Is his heart still in it, Pat? Isn’t the bench quite large?
They say Lederman was a Democrat when elected chairman of the GOP (that occurred in 2017). Lederman was elected as a Republican state senator in 2010 and served as a Republican from 2011 thru 2016. If I recall correctly he was elected GOP state party chairman in 2017, years after becoming a registered republican! Their disdain for truth is very obvious.
And I believe he was a Republican County Commissioner before that. Keep in mind who put their name to the “elected while a democrat claim” – Lora Hubbel. And it remains “Lora Hubbel stupid.”
“Isn’t the bench quite large?” Uh, no. Much of the time in recent years they have had to be recruited. Lederman was the exception.
They have to be a good speaker and have leadership skills. They have to be hooked in politically across the state up and down the ladder. And good ones are diplomatic, no matter how many jerks throw rocks.
Chairmen or Women not only serve the people in the Central Committee, but the people elected to the top offices. They have to be able fundraisers on a statewide level. Believe it or not, but people aren’t lining up to throw money at state parties.
And they have to be fairly decent strategists. Because at the end, it’s all about putting Republicans in office.
Most people who would be dropped in would need to rely on staff, which they’ve moved away from in recent years to be more nimble, streamlined, and cost effective. (Dems didn’t do that, and look where they’ve ended up.)
And, you have to be completely committed to do it for free. Or to put your good name on the line. There have even been chairmen who have guaranteed & signed notes to get the party through when the going gets tough.
Most businessmen don’t want or need the headache, or lack political experience. And some people who everyone thinks would do well find themselves in over their heads.
It’s kind of a unique job which when it clicks on all cylinders, it can be a great thing to behold. When it doesn’t… Well, you’ll know it by the number of Democrats that are elected.
Right now, the GOP has a good leadership team, and has the track record to prove it.
Tara Volesky a Republican? Was she a Constitutional Party and then Libertarian? It changes all the time.
I was also a Democrat and Independent, but now I really like being a Libertarian…….I think change is a good thing.
I’m glad to hear you’ve found a group you like. Seriously. The libertarians have some good ideas and some good people (plus a few nuts). I’m voting straight Republican, and I oppose eliminating “all the drug laws” (to quote Congressman Ron Paul), but US citizens & society would benefit from more liberty and less statism.
Life is too short for this kind of negativity.
If CFL spent as much time attacking Democrats as they do Republicans we wouldn’t have any Democrats in the legislature.
It takes and independent mind to attack liberals in both parties.
The Lilliputians try to tie down Gulliver
What has Updike ever done for the Party? Or Weaver? Or Citizens for Liberty? They talk and talk and only attack Republicans. They are jealous and small people.
They should join the Libertarian party. We’ll take them.
That’s be great! You should go talk to them. Bring registration forms.
grudznick foresees a Rhoden gut-punch in the works, and an uprising where the Rhoden Rhangers Rhide again!
You mean a guy punch that makes you the next Lt. Governor?
The Democrats in DC have spun a tangled web of accusations because they lost an election.
It appears some Republicans in South Dakota have emulated a similar course of attack against the duly elected Chairman of the SDGOP.
This ship is staying the course. Man the Torpedoes
Lederman has been a great chair and will continue to do that no matter what Tonchi Weaver says.
RINOs, you mean!
CFL has endless suspicion and contempt for conservatives, and yet endless latitude, trust and sympathy for their dear progressive friends.
They’re always willing to believe the worst of their fellow Republicans, and so believe every slur their leftist friends hurl, because they are anti-Republican operatives themselves.
That tells you where they are politically. It doesn’t matter what they claim their policy preferences are.
Isn’t Saudi Arabia our ally? We use their air bases to land our planes from Ellsworth, they buy our products and send their kids to study at our schools. Shouldn’t we try to work with them more??
Fair point. The Saudis are 90% Sunni, whilst Iran is dominated by Shi’a. Against each other, these powerful Muslim factions vie to control the region. As much as I’d love to see our troops home, we’re still there. The Islamic Republic of Iran (and its murderous agents) are attacking and killing Americans, despite Obama paying Iran billions in cash bribes. Trump has embarked upon a more formidable “peace through strength” approach. It may succeed, it may fail, but we’d be fools to the alienate the Saudis at the same moment. The politics of Southwest Asia are complex, confusing, dare I say byzantine? Very difficult to know the best course. In this whole mess, I’m certain of just one fundamental fact:
Anything Lunatic Lora Hubble says is wrong.
And Dan has been elected, as a Republican, he’s done a great job with a bunch of wins, give it a rest.
Good point anon
If the Soros and Bloomberg funded Dems have any hope of winning SD, their first move will be using disinformation and propaganda to sow distrust & dissension among republicans. Lenin wrote this playbook more than 100 years ago. Still in use. 2020 Bolsheviks hope to get us fighting each other, just as they did in Tsarist Russia. While we’re distracted — arguing about a party chairman who’s delivered huge wins — Antifa pursues a coup in DC. How many seats did they steal in 2018? How many ballot boxes mysteriously appeared in heavily liberal precincts? How many witnesses to their corruption have been Epsteined? Bicker all you want, but don’t lose sight of the REAL danger.
Hold together. Vote R. Support Trump. If you want a new chair in 2021, go for it.
Right. It’s not hard to perceive their ambush. My 5-year-old can spot it.
“What’s Loki’s evil plan?” I asked.
“Trick the good guys into fighting each other.”
Awesome!!!!
Lederman is great for the party–have we lost since he was elected statewide? NOPE–that is all that matters
None of them could do better than Lederman.
Correct. It’s a difficult job.
Dan keep up the good work, don’t be discouraged we have your back!
I hear the Citizens for Liberty are having a tail gate party on Sunday. Me thinks it would be a blast to drink with these folks.
Dan Lederman is the best thing that has happened to the SDGOP. He is there not because he has too because he wants to. He doesn’t get paid to lead the party. He is doing all this for free. He is an amazing leader and it shows with his track record. I have never met a man that is as committed, genuine and caring as Dan. He wants the best for South Dakota and our Country.
How about we start over in Fall River county for being full of crazy people
I think Ken Updike should resign for being such an idiot for listening to Tonchi Weaver. The rest of the Fall River County GOP Board should resign too, starting with Lance Russel’s wife Starla. She is obviously sour grapes that her husband lost the AG race at convention and is taking it out on the Republican Party.
Let’s keep it civil, please.
If given the opportunity, I’d vote for new leadership.
Lots of words in this counter attack but no defense of Lederman. What exactly is his doing to collect that giant paycheck?
Anon I have a pretty good handle on just what Lederman is doing for that paycheck and FYI I would have jumped into the same contract for the same reasons.
He is setting up meetings between business leaders of Saudi Arabia and South Dakota who have related interests. He is working to bring money and business expertise in and products hopefully exported with South Dakota jobs bearing the fruit. Think Governors Hunt on an International level if you will.
Thank you Charlie for explaining this! When I found out that Dan Lederman was working on the contract I was excited. I couldn’t think of a better person to be the consultant. Dan is committed to the interests of South Dakota. This will bring so many opportunities for our State with Dan being the one setting up meetings between the Saudi representatives and state business leaders. Dan is doing a great job and will continue to do so even despite the negativity. When it comes down to it this negative campaign against Dan Lederman has nothing to do with him. There is something inside of the people bashing him that they hate about themselves or they are just plain jealous of him, so they will do whatever they can to bring him down. That shows a lot about the character of a person or a group of people when they do that.
Dan keep your head up and stay strong and firm. You are doing great and you have so many people who are proud of you and believe in you!
I know this is a tangent.
Someday don’t we have to look at the 50 years (maybe 80) of mistakes we have made and look for a way to reboot. Here is just a few:
First, we got drawn in the region by Great Britain’s perverse preference of the Sunni’s when theologically and historically we have more in common with the Shia.
Second, we messed up in how we interjected us into Persian/Iranian internal affairs.
Fast forward to the last 30 years and the mistakes just get worse. Not only do we keep trying to play both sides, we also betray promises, and think we should be involved in regime change or primary defender of nations.
You just can’t make this stuff up. We are supposed to be the world leader and its hard to defend the idiocy. So, when Trump shows up and finally calls a spade a spade, the swamp of the Bushes and Obama’s choose to support ending the forever wars lest it harm their legacies.
Hello!! Bushes and Obama, you lied to us and we’ve spent trillions and lost thousands and have tens of thousands of injuries on your quagmires. Let’s just come home. If our “allies” want to buy weapons to kill each other over there, send us a check. If they want to buy our food, send us a check. But, we are tired of giving a crap about what you do over there anymore.
Dan should sue everybody who signs on to this for libel.
I agree with Anne!
Hmm this says differently.
https://rapidcityjournal.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/sd-republican-leader-receives-k-monthly-for-pro-saudi-arabia/article_b1352b18-3685-5515-b103-05f3536fcbbe.html
“On the registration form, where Lederman was required to disclose the kind of work he does for the embassy, he wrote, “Provide strategic and government affairs advice, public relations and communications advice and services, and outreach and engagement with the public and media groups.”
Nothing about business or export in that statement. Sounds to me like he’s in the business of propaganda.
FAKE NEWS
Fake conservatives
Yes you are–just a disgruntled guy going through life where everyone is wrong but Sibby