Freedom Caucus led by Rep. Phil Jensen & Senator California Carley attacks Governor Rhoden over budget

In checking my junk e-mail folder, the State’s Freedumb Caucus sent out a press release yesterday attacking Governor Larry Rhoden over the budget he presented because .. well, apparently because they feel impotent in the face of a proposal, despite it being a long-standing practice in South Dakota for the Governor to propose a budget as a starting point:

.. parts of the Governor’s address the caucus called “deeply misleading” and “fiscally irresponsible” in regard to its characterization of the state’s financial position.

and..

The Freedom Caucus also raised what it describes as ongoing concerns about executive spending occurring without direct legislative approval. The Caucus points to more than $35 million in March 2025 GOED-approved loans, grants, and bonds, as well as Governor Rhoden’s recent request for unrestricted access to the remaining $65 million previously designated for housing loans.

and..

“South Dakotans deserve to know where their tax dollars are going — and who’s making those decisions,” said Representative Phil Jensen, Chair of the South Dakota Freedom Caucus. “When the executive branch can move tens of millions of dollars without a vote of the people’s representatives, that’s not limited government. That’s a slush fund.”

and..

Senator John Carley, Vice Chair of the South Dakota Freedom Caucus, signaled that reforms are This session, we will be pushing for rules changes that restore the legislature’s constitutional authority over appropriations. The power of the purse belongs to the people’s elected representatives — not to executive boards operating in the shadows.

I’m not sure why they sent this press release out at all, other than to throw rocks and be malcontents.

Of course the freedumb caucus doesn’t have any proposals of their own. They just want to whine about the Governor having one.  On a collective basis, I’m not sure we have a more useless group of legislators in Pierre.

Moving on.