GEVO Chief: Jon Hansen “misrepresentation” on taking state money was “part of the difficulty” doing business in South Dakota.

@SoDakCampaigns

The chief executive of the GEVO bio-jetfuel project had some harsh words for Speaker of the House Jon Hansen after he took to twitter claiming that the billion dollar project took state money when it actually didn’t, as reported by KELOland News:

Gevo is taking its aviation jet fuel project to North Dakota but it isn’t taking any South Dakota state money with it, Gevo Chief Executive Officer Pat Gruber said Monday.

“Not one dime. Not one dime came from South Dakota,” Gruber said. Although approved for state money, Gevo did not take or receive it because no plant was built, he said.

and..

Republican Speaker of the House Jon Hansen posted on his X account two days ago calling the $12 million “big corporate welfare” that he would stop if elected Governor. Hansen said the approved $12 million was a “hand out” and that GOED and the Governor’s office were duped.

and..

But that kind of misrepresentation was part of the difficulty and uncertainty of doing business in the state, Gruber said.

Read the entire story here at KeloLand.com.

Between the self-inflicted fire he’s taking on misrepresenting state money on the GEVO project, and the self-inflicted fire he’s taking over his last-minute attempt to derail the prison project, Jon Hansen seems to be the Hansen for Governor campaign’s worst enemy.

And we haven’t even started the 2026 legislative session yet.

21 thoughts on “GEVO Chief: Jon Hansen “misrepresentation” on taking state money was “part of the difficulty” doing business in South Dakota.”

  1. I have always wondered how an individual without any scruples like Mr. Hanson can get elected to the legislature let alone then be elected Speaker of the House. I now wonder even more!

    1. Simply “R” to get there and then being the most maga-leaning guy in a maga legislature. Piece of cake.

  3. Dirty politics doesn’t pay and never plays well in the long run. But this is pretty par for the course for Hanson

  5. Some damning quotes in that kelo article. Everybody who loves freedom in South Dakota doesn’t understand, care or comprehend that the conversations about development difficulties in the state are ongoing and not kind. The long term impacts to the state bottom line are incalculable. And 1000s times no, the open for opportunity tour hasn’t helped.

  6. You fellows have no idea what insanities Mr. Hansen is cooking up as law bills for the sessions. If his gubernatorial aspirations can last that long.

  7. Hansen and Lems and their cabal should be tarred and feathered and run out of South Dakota.

    1. Yes!!! They would be the worst team to run our state….Unless we want South Dakota destroyed. What they managed to do with their circus last year shows all we need to see

  9. Sounds like GEVO’s big mistake was not holding their meeting at Pizza Ranch.
    If their CEO had grabbed a chicken buffet and a Bible verse, Jon Hansen would’ve called it ‘visionary free-market innovation’ instead of fake corporate welfare

        2. **“I’m not mocking Christians — I’m pointing out hypocrisy.
          Matthew 6:5 warns about those who ‘pray on street corners to be seen by others,’ and that’s exactly what happens when faith becomes a campaign prop instead of a conviction.

          Jesus didn’t hand out cmapaign stickers at local pizza ranches — He flipped tables over people who exploited religion for power and self-gain (Matthew 21:12). If calling that out offends you, maybe the discomfort isn’t about ‘mocking Christianity,’ maybe it’s about recognizing the resemblance.

          Real Christianity is lived — not branded, not sloganed, not turned into a grievance fundraiser. If the Gospel guided your campaign, you’d be leading with service, humility, and truth — not outrage, persecution cosplay, and press releases.

  10. Well Mr. Gevo can throw barbs at Mr. Hansen all he’d like but the people of SD decided we didn’t want corporations taking land from people for no public benefit. If your building is collateral damage from that vote then so be it.

    1. A small group drove the decision and aligned with career politicians. Yes, Jon is a career politician that has spent his adult life in politics. I disagree with how the carbon advocates conducted themselves; it did not reflect South Dakota values or the way we do business. Now we must recognize that due to the halfcocked way that this was handled and their actions, they have created a national perception that our state is not “open for business.”

    2. No one was taking land! Landowners were being VERY well paid for the privilege to put a pipeline underground across their land. This happens daily in every state! Sadly a group of loud mouth liars got in the heads of voters and stopped the project. Those same people want to pay less in taxes and they ruined what would have been very profitable for our state & counties.

  11. It’s really a shame that Jon Hansen and his freedom caucus fellows have cost this state so much opportunity and revenue, in the name of what? MAGA? No. Republican Values? No. Landowner Rights? Ah, yes, that’s it. The same landowners that harvest corn year after year and succumb to pale prices because the market is saturated. GEVO could have been another big buyer on the corn market but thanks to Jon Hansen, a missed opportunity. I hope the results of the next election speak loud and clear towards this type of “leadership”.

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