The Legislative Research Council has released the redacted transcript of the Hearing with their employee in executive session, after redacting the appropriate sections.
And much like the statement which started the scandal involving Senator Julie Frye Mueller, if you believe the employee as many do, it is a story of a legislator who acted inappropriately:
EMPLOYEE: Mr. Chair. In this job, we deal with high tension situations, and people, legislators, staff, we say things, I think we all know that, but, ummm, this conversation went as far as to say that my son would die, my child, that something physically might happen to him based on my parenting decisions. It talked about one of my body parts and sexual acts I would do with my husband, and I don’t believe that’s — I don’t think that’s — that’s not falling into the category of maybe getting a little heated if your bill didn’t go — your hearing didn’t go the right way. That’s beyond what should be happening in this building. I truly believe that crossed a very clear boundary.
SENATOR BOLIN: Thank you, Mr. Chair. At any time during any of these – during the one incident and others, did you ever indicate to the Senator, can you please stop talking about this?
EMPLOYEE: Mr. Chair. Quite frankly, I don’t feel like I can say that I am — that — I don’t feel like I have the ability to say that because of my role as a staffer and that you all have that relationship of being my — I view you all as my bosses, and I don’t believe that if I were to upset you in that way, that you may decide not to work with me or something to that effect. So no, I did not.
Read the entire statement here.
LRC transcript by Pat Powers on Scribd
marvelous. Now we find out that during a prior conversation, JFM had scolded the staffer for getting married in Minnesota, because Minnesota is run by Democrats.
We also found out that the original topic of conversation was a bill about license plates. For this the Frey-Muellers went into her office, and closed the door behind them (is that customary?) and the husband stood between the staffer and the closed door.
Yowza. I would have been reaching for the pepper spray.
replying to myself: I am disappointed that nobody on the committee asked the staffer “how did it make you feel, to have JFM’s husband blocking the closed door?”
Any notions that this might have been friendly girl talk goes out the window with this revelation.
Because feelings are truly what’s important here. This is South Dakota, after all; “the feeling state”.
Where in the testimony does it say the staffer tried to leave and the door was physically blocked?
Closing doors, is, in fact, customary. They close all the time. In fact, I bet of someone went up to the capitol today, they could get video of a door closing.
License plates aren’t an island. Tangential things can be related use metal, require sourcing, are made in prisons.
I wonder .. which comes first incompetence or corruption?
What kinds of ideas do you have for the legislature?
Now is a good time to pick up a writing utensil and send them a polite letter.
It’s logically the beginning of the next legislative session.
standing between a person and the only exit is deliberate intimidation. It is particularly bad when the person blocking the door is larger than the other. A man should never do that to a woman.
you are doggedly persistent.
105 people of importance know this LRC staffer well yet it only took one of them to ruin the familiar relationship the other 104 had in trust with her. Doesn’t seem possible but look at what the diffuser of conventional wisdom has done to over 300 million of all of us. Somebody voted for both fools…..
“Diffuser of conventional wisdom.”
Wow man, that’s deep.
What if … CAT .. really spelled DOG?
What was done, when, and to whom?
More at 8:15.
I like watching this guy wear out his new favorite saying. For a while it was packet captures. Then it was gaslight. Now it’s “More at ____.” Bit of a lemming.
Lots of more important things in the state to worry about but you keep going with this obsession day after day.
The average South Dakotan has little to no interest in the Pierre cry babies club.
The average South Dakotan has no idea where legislation comes from or how important the LRC staff is.
Without them, our amateur legislators would pass unconstitutional bills, override the Governor’s necessary vetoes, and the AG would be obliged to defend poorly written laws against the inevitable challenges.
It amazes me how much trust and defense is given to anyone who shares the same beliefs as you. Would these defenders want their child treated this way and blame their child for feeling uncomfortable in the end? Imagine the outrage if JFM was a DeMoCRaT, this would be lumped into some Joe Biden sniffing meme and there would be a special session lasting months to “investigate”. Its the same people defending Koskan, would you really send your daughter to live with him? Sharing the same beliefs as you really is not that special, anyone can do it, and they can even lie about it *cough* George Santos *cough*. Wake up people, you should be able to distinguish right from wrong without consideration of some BS political party. JFM and hubby were clearly in the wrong, we could not do this at any of our jobs, they should not be doing it in government.
I don’t understand why people give such respect to legislators. You are elected to go be a servant for your people. My word the ego some of these people have it’s a wonder they can fit their heads through the doors! Go through all the pictures on the wall of previous legislators and see if you have heard of even 5 percent of them in the last 30 years. You are not a big deal. You are not the boss of anyone. Be humble and kind!
My wife and I just had the same conversation. The only thing I would differ from your statement is that 20-30 years ago we had Statesmen and Stateswomen as public servants. Not too many of them today in either party!
JFM supporters, get your head screwed on and think if this behavior would be tolerated at any business or organization. It would not, period. In addition, a spouse would never be allowed to talk to a staff member let alone be present during a work-related conversation. The LRC is a quasi- governmental/business and is subject to many many regulations and laws – particularly those involving harassment, etc. JFM should take responsibility and tell the truth (she won’t). Her husband, on the other hand, is just as culpable and should be banned from the capitol building. If JFM can’t do her job without her husband holding her hand telling what to do and say (which seems to occur frequently) then she should resign from office now.
i am officially out of headspace to rent to this story. devoting it to other things now.