I largely took last week off because I’m trying to get over the rotten summer cold I’ve had, I had a rummage sale to clear out some junk, AND I had family coming to town for the 4th of July. And wrote little to nothing in the meantime, so lots of things to catch up on!
- The SDGOP State Fair Building in disrepair, is in disrepair again.
The State Republican Party’s State Fair Building which has been under repair for the last couple of years is under repair again. As Beadle County Democrats pointed out, it did not fare very well in the July 3 storms that rolled through the community, at least having the front door blown in, if not suffering other damage.
- Minnehaha County GOP had some things to say about their Tom Pischke Problem.
The Minnehaha County GOP leadership had a few things to say about State Senator Tom Pischke’s conduct as of late, especially with regards to the charges brought against him for election fraud. (Of course, it’s in an overly long letter.)
Pischke Final Communication by Board 7-3-26 PDF by Pat Powers
“As a result, the Minnehaha County GOP Executive Board is now calling for you to resign immediately from your position as State Committeeman as a member of our county Republican Party Executive Board. This action is not a determination of guilt. Rather, it recognizes that leadership within our Party carries responsibilities beyond those imposed by law. Core Republican principles have long advocated for election integrity, accountability and public trust in our institutions. Those principles must be upheld consistently and without exception. The integrity and credibility of our Republican Party must remain above reproach, and our members deserve representation that is free from circumstances that undermine public confidence.
Resigning at this time would allow the legal process to proceed without placing our Minnehaha County Republican Party at the center of your ongoing controversy. It would also demonstrate that the interests of the Party and the confidence of its members are greater than those of any one individual. Should you ultimately be exonerated, opportunities for future service can be considered at an appropriate time. Until then however, preserving the trust Republicans across Minnehaha County have placed in our Party must remain our highest priority.
As outlined here, the County GOP Executive Board therefore calls on you today to submit your resignation from your position as Minnehaha County’s State Committeeman and, in turn, from the Minnehaha County Republican Party Executive Board, effective immediately.”
Basically, the Minnehaha Co GOP wants his resignation from his local party positions because it’s kind of embarrassing.
- Pennington County workers have another day off from a cyber-attack, which is NOT affecting early voting. From the press release:
Pennington County is responding to a cybersecurity incident affecting portions of its network.
As a result, most public-facing County offices will be closed on Monday, July 6, while the County works to assess the situation and restore systems safely.
The following services remain operational:
-Critical life safety services, including 911 Dispatch, the Pennington County Jail, Juvenile Services Center, the Care Campus, and other public safety operations
-Court operations
-The 24/7 Program
–Early voting at the Pennington County Auditor’s Office from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
-Vehicle registration services remain available online at my605drive.sd.gov and at self-service kiosks
At this time, the full scope of the incident is still being determined.
Pennington County is working closely with the South Dakota National Guard Cyber Incident Response Team, the South Dakota Fusion Center, the Cyber Infrastructure Security Agency, and other partners as the investigation continues.
Because this is an active investigation, there is very limited verified information available at this time. The County is committed to providing accurate information as it becomes available and expects to provide its next public update by 11:00 a.m. on Monday, July 6.
- SDWC has a new Advertiser in Advertiser’s Row. Welcome back Governor Rhoden!
We’d like to welcome the Rhoden for Governor campaign back to advertisers Row for the Month of July as Governor Rhoden – who has a press conference today in Sioux Falls – works to bring his campaign to the finish line 3 weeks’ time. Please click on his web link, and support and don’t forget to check out other current advertisers including US Senator John Thune, Congressman Congressman Dusty Johnson, Senator Mike Rounds, Dakota Campaign Store, and more!
Remember, you can always drop me a note if you have questions or if I can hook you up with ad space!