Whoops!
The Dakota Scout has a story this morning noting that free airplane flights that were provided to Governor Rhoden for purposes of traveling around the state at the time of a campaign tour in 2025 were not included in his campaign report filed earlier this year:
The Rhoden campaign characterized the omission as inadvertent and said it became aware of it only after The Scout’s inquiry.
“They have not sent us the invoice for the flight, though we requested it at the time. It will be reflected on our report when we receive it,” Rhoden for Governor Campaign Manager Ian Fury told The Scout.
And..
“We have campaign finance laws for a reason,” Johnson campaign spokeswoman Courtney Heitkamp told The Scout when informed of the omission. “It’s not appropriate for the governor to hide his use of a private plane, and he needs to amend his finance report.”
The other campaigns also responded; the Hansen campaign can’t afford to send a parcel second day air, much less fly. And Toby Doeden filed with the FAA to block any mention of his name and airplanes in the same sentence. (Those were jokes, btw)
The whole airplane thing just seems to be a hot topic for all governors. Which is why it is always surprising when they don’t remember it – because it continues to come up
No worries, we as South Dakotans know our tax dollars are wasted on things like this. Just like a bad parent, we allow it, and when the child moves to a big job in D.C., they face the consequences of a larger audience that does not accept corruption and waste as standard operating procedure.
Did you read the article? He used a PRIVATE plane for campaign business and didn’t record it as a donation. Don’t worry, your “tAX dOLlArS!” didn’t pay for it.
Seeing Ian Fury’s name reminds me not to vote Rhoden in the primary. One more example in a laundry list of poor decisions. Time to retire to the ranch.
It’s hard for a west river candidate statewide. It’s hard to reap the incumbent advantage when you’re the unelected term filler for a governor who resigned. Hard things are hard and you can’t triangulate them away.
Why didn’t Kristi take him with to DC?
She rewarded the rest of her loyalists it seems. 🤔
Next he’s going to have his own little Corey that tags along everywhere.
Here in South Dakota if we look the other way everything will be ok.
Look away from him using a private plane vs a state plane that is paid for by taxpayers? Would you rather have had him use the state plane?
The standards are so low in the state.
Next thing you know, Rhoden is going to be using government planes for plastic surgery procedures and speaking appearances in other states. Whatever shall we do then?
Did you read the article? He did NOT use a government plane. He was offered a ride on a PRIVATE plane. Exact opposite of what Noem was accused of.
And he didnt disclose it. Neither of them are in the right here, which is kinda the point.
Are you going to criticize the color of his tie next? Some people just like to shoot arrows at good people to make themselves look better. Much ado about nothing.
Certainly he needs to amend his filing, but this is nothing like using the state plane for campaign purposes. If anything it goes to show how broken and antiquated our campaign filing processes is.
And how petty people can be to find things to complain about.
Guess you like politicians that are dishonest
An administrative error is unequivocally dishonest? That’s the conclusion you jump to?
If Dakota Spout was digging up dirt and this is all they found, I’d say he’s in pretty good shape.
Yes our campaign finance needs reform, but what if it comes out he used the state plane for campaigning? What would your next defense be? This is wrong. Call a spade a spade.
But he didn’t use a state plane. He used a private plane. Call a spade a spade.
the best way for flights to be remembered when filing time comes around would be to have the campaign finance director on every flight with the candidate, so he’ll remember it
First, Fly’n Mike, now Land’n Larry.
Ian Fury should resign or be fired.
Classic….
Ian Fury
@IanTFury
We are calling for an immediate investigation into @RepJamieSmith’s campaign more than 1,500 individual campaign finance violations. The people of South Dakota deserve a Governor who can follow the most basic requirements of the law……
6:18 PM · Oct 24, 2022
He got straight-A’s in Hypocrisy 101 at Hillsdale College.
No politician is more honest than Larry Rhoden. Dusty can take in millions piled on top of millions and ol Pat doesn’t bat an eyelash, but the Governor flies somewhere on a private plane with non-tax dollars and UH-OH. That’s the best you’ve got on the only candidate to receive honors from every other candidate while giving none in return?
Who’s paying for Dusty’s trips to campaign in South Dakota while he pretends to be a pro-trump candidate then flying back to muck things up in D.C. by being anti-trump? You’ve covered every candidate top to bottom, now where’s the catalogue of Dusty donors? Never seen a man with so much money make himself so dislikable. Meanwhile, this is the best you’ve got on Rhoden?? Oof, good luck. Dusty has no friends, just political hacks waiting in the wings hoping he’ll toss em a bone. Grow a spine and show us the Dusty donors.
Consider this day one of us asking you to show the Dusty donor list. Add it all up while you’re at it. We’ll wait, and we won’t stop asking.
That’s the spirit.
Day one of asking and the last day you’ll need to, here you go: https://sdcfr.sdsos.gov/Search/SearchResults.aspx?cid=1641&rid=3712
Reggie, I know you’re about as smart as a potted plant, but surely you know you can just look up the donor list on the SOS website, right?
Mr. Rhoden, rhock rhibbed rhepublican that he is, can eat with the best of them. I bet he’s gotten more free breakfasts than the $700 bucks this plane ride was worth. grudznick would like to see all the free meal values for all the gubernatorial candidates, and even more from the legislatures. Legislatures should have to report the value of every free meal they get because they are also paid money to cover their meals. They are double dipping, it seems, according to some.
Very good point. Our tax dollars pay per diem for legislators and whenever I’ve been to Pierre, I’ve seen no less than two FREE meal options per day for them by lobbyists. Money pocketed. A point to ponder.
It’s fair for the press to write this story (or any they choose) , but as campaign issues go – it’s less than a pickle on a nothing-burger.
Real issues are getting the new prison moving forward, the huge benefits across South Dakota for the Smithfield new plant, or the home owner property tax reduction . Those are Real-Burgers
Should be an interesting 2 months
Lee, if Governor Noem did this you would have been the first person calling her out. The hypocrisy is insane.
Lee’s obsession with Larry is very curious but the highest probability is Larry listens to whatever Lee says so Lee likes Larry. Lee would defriend almost anyone else who had done what Larry has or has not done. Weak men like weak men who listen to them who they can control since they have no ability to lead themselves.
You should’ve gone into Psychology. Not. Terribly inaccurate observation.
I have a hunch the only people squawking about this are followers of the people who’ve been in the legislature the last 2 years who could have done something about it.