Former Sutton Staffer, now South Dakota House Dem Secretary appears to be using State E-mail system to send Dem Lobbyist fundraiser invite

Hot off of the press, I’ve been forwarded an e-mail showing what the Dems are having their staffers spending their time on while they’re in Pierre.

Sent from someone identifying himself as Berk Ehrmantraut, House Minority Secretary, this e-mail to lobbyists via his LRC e-mail, through the state e-mail system indicates that Democrats are holding the partisan political event for Lobbyists on February 21 at 6pm.

Ehmantraut indicates to lobbyists that they can reply to him about the event (An event which is held every year as a Democrat Fundraiser to fleece the Lobbyists) at [email protected]:

While there’s no disclaimer or indication who is paying to sponsor the event, last year’s invitation came out from the Majority Project PAC.

Do you think he has a card reader hooked to his computer in the House Dem office, so he can take credit cards from Lobbyists?  If so, I hope they’ve set up a secure line for Dems to do their fundraising in the Capital.  “New and Improved” Lobbyist reception must mean that it’s “New and Improved” because they’re doing the fundraising all in house. (In the State House, that is).

Where did Democrats come up with this young political operative man to serve as their Secretary? According to his Linked In profile, It looks like they brought him into his Legislative Research Council administered position as the House Democrat Secretary straight off of the Billie Sutton campaign:

If memory serves, Didn’t Ann Tornberg try to similarly work for LRC when she was chair, and that was nixed?  I’m not sure how this is any different.

The whole incident is a bit annoying. The SDGOP has a staffer in Pierre who they have to pay out of their own pocket for. Frankly, if the LRC is going to decide that Democrats are going to be allowed a partisan staffer for the session, they should tell everyone that up front before session, so it can be applied fairly across the board?

Stay tuned for more.

16 thoughts on “Former Sutton Staffer, now South Dakota House Dem Secretary appears to be using State E-mail system to send Dem Lobbyist fundraiser invite”

  1. LRC should fire that person immediately. There is no excuse for taxpayer money to be used for Democrat Party staffers- especially when they should be working for the people not the party. This is BS and that kid needs to go.

  2. Dems love rules for thee but not for me. Just look at the lieutenant governor in Virginia. Double standards

    1. I would throw in the Virginia Attorney General; he said the governor should resign, but he does not have the courage of his convictions as he is not resigning. Liberals are not people of integrity and honor.

  3. I know Berk. He’s a little punk SJW. I can’t belive that he got hired with all the crap he spews online.

  4. One would think this is an obvious misuse of the LRC email system. If so, he should be dismissed from his position, if not then the “terms of use” must be clarified.

  5. Yes this has always irked me about the Dems. For 25 or more years they hire partisan staff on the state’s dime for their Minority offices. And the R’s ‘hire’ whoever the LRC hires for them to do nonpartisan work.

    This email is clearly a problem.

    On another subject, why is it that we never see any posts on that smarmy, crooked Paul Erickson? I know he was an R but seems like we should be quick to call him out like we would anyone else. He’s the worst of the politicos…

    1. Às far as I know, despite Paul Erickson’s claims to be a “party operative” there’s nothing to substsantiate that.. It looks to me like he operated on his own behalf, for his own reasons.

  6. Oh, Mr. PP, you know this will go nowhere as the Council of the Legislatures is corrupt and unaccountable.

  7. PP
    Keep us posted on this. I want to know what happens on this.

    He reminds me of the guy that worked for Steve H. Clean Cut Kid I believe he went buy.

  8. The kid is probably an intern and the email is probably a misuse of the email system; therefore I would imagine a dismissal is coming.

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