I had an e-mail exchange shared with me tonight. An e-mail where I’m not sure if the former legislator sending it checked the calendar before she hit the send button.
Former State Representative Rhonda Milstead served in the South Dakota State Legislature representing District 9 from the date of her appointment (1/5/19) until the end of her term, which would have expired at the end of 2022. Or more technically, until the next legislator was sworn in the following January.
One of the pesky things that goes along with the office is a law – South Dakota Codified law 2-12-8.2:
2-12-8.2. Officials and personnel prohibited from lobbying within two years after termination of service–Violation as misdemeanor.
No elected officer, department or agency head, or division director, or the highest paid employee reporting to such person may be compensated, act, or register as a lobbyist, other than a public employee lobbyist, during a period of two years after that person’s termination of service in the state government. A violation of this section is a Class 1 misdemeanor.
That law makes this following e-mail exchange kind of interesting. Former Representative Milstead – noting that she’s representing Protecting SD Kids sent a note to State Senator Michael Rohl, Chairman of the Tribal Relations Committee:
Well.. wait a minute? Is she acting on behalf of an organization and advocating that a legislative committee chairman direct an action be taken by a legislative committee? And in an e-mail dated October 7th, 2024? The last I knew, if we are marking time by the Gregorian calendar which has been in use since 1582, October 7 might be close to the finish line, but technically if we’re counting her term of office until the end of the year at earliest, it seems that it would be 85 days out until Rhonda Milstead would be allowed to lobby. Unless there’s an interpretation on that 2-year ban on lobbying that says the clock alarm goes off earlier or otherwise.
SDCL 2-12-1 describes a lobbyist as someone who seeks “the introduction of legislation or to promote, oppose, or influence in any manner the passage by the Legislature of any legislation affecting the special interests of any agency, individual, association, or business, as distinct from those of the whole people of the state, or to act in any manner as a lobbyist in connection with any such legislation..“
If former Representative Milstead is directly identifying herself as a member of Protecting SD Kids to a legislative committee chairman, and advocating that an action be taken, at least to this layperson that might fall under what people call lobbying.
It’s not my call. But someone might need to ask for the referees to conference on the sidelines, and check time on that game clock.
Personal foul. Facemask opposing team. Ball will be placed 15 yards from the spot of the foul. Automatic Class 1 misdemeanor.
Just a lot of criminals out there. My experience is that they are happy to do the crime, but don’t want to do their time. But that’s just an old prosecutor looking at these criminals
Rules for thee but not for me.
SDCL 12-27-20. No public funds may be expended advocating adoption or defeat of ballot measures. By holding a hearing with public funds, where only proponents of ballot measures are invited to speak, Senator Rohl is skating on thin ice with this provision.
You obviously didn’t partake or listen to the meeting – which had open testimony for all views on every issue.
Awesome now that you quoted the relevant law when will we see Jon Hansen, Kevin Jensen, Fred Deutsch and the list of legislators & law enforcement who broke this law in 2022 in handcuffs? When will those charges be filed?
This is awesome to see because it’s been done for years and no AG has prosecuted them.
The time is now.
I don’t think she violated it by asking a question.
She identified herself as representing a group to a committee chair about a committee preceding. That alone is enough.
This is another example of the PSDK leader, Jim Kinyon, believing that he is a political strategist when he so obviously doesn’t know the state laws. And to be honest, he doesn’t care if he breaks the states laws because he will write that he will be “more diligent” in the future.
When God is on your side, the ends justify the means.
So South Dakotans get felony charges for small amounts of marijuana, but a former legislator who was appointed by the Governor faces no repercussions for breaking the law?
Make it make sense.
Considering the President of Protecting SD Kids, Jim Kinyon was in Aberdeen Thursday expressing his opposition to it at forum held at the library.
Story has been posted at http://www.hubcityradio.com.
Excellent presentation yesterday with Jim Kinyon and Ed Moses! More people need to see this.
Agree. One presents on the science, the other on the social implications. Excellent information.
Excellent if you love fear-mongering pseudo science. Especially from someone who’s been playing the clamshell game with his funds.
But then again, if you’re “ordained by God” rules and ethics don’t matter right?
I agree it was a powerful presentation by two very experienced experts citing sources. Have you been to one?
If you are not interested in facts or this will not work for you since IM29 will likely be defeated you can catch a bus to Denver, Cali or Oregon. Does that work for you brother?
Too bad Kinyon uses flawed studies. For example he loves claiming that CO spends $4.50 for every $1 of MJ revenue. But that number is full of it. https://www.skyhinews.com/news/does-cannabis-cost-or-pay-study-claims-marijuana-costs-4-50-for-every-1-it-generates/
I hear Afghanistan is a great place for those enacting rules on emotional/religious reasoning only. Maybe my dude, that is a better place for you?
She is a Godly Woman and a Republican, at least in Registration, and the law was not written to be enforced against Republican, Religious, Women. It is meant to be enforced against Godless Democrats and RINOs who drink too much.