Julie Frye Mueller Scandal: why is her lobbyist husband a contact for her legislative matters?

Tonight’s committee hearing ended with no huge surprises. Expulsion was probably a leap too far to have the votes for, but I suspect her censure for the alleged actions with a LRC staffer will sail through.

But more than the allegations and the she said testimony against Frye-Mueller, there was something else that was testified to.

No, not Lee Schoenbeck’s dead cat. 🐱

It came up that Frye-Mueller’s husband is not just up as session as her spouse, but he’s a registered lobbyist for Citizens for Liberty. AND they admitted under oath that he is a designated contact for Frye-Mueller on her legislative matters with LRC. How exactly does his status as her legislative contact and a lobbyist for Citizens for Liberty work?

Haugaard attempted to walk that back by noting Mueller is “an unpaid lobbyist.” But why would that matter?  From his wife’s request, he has more access to LRC than any other spouse, and practically more access to LRC than any other Lobbyist.

There’s no wall between Mueller’s liaison and lobbyist roles. I’ve spoken to people with many years as legislators- they have seen it with no one else and it’s highly unusual.  In the past, there have been spouses who have lobbied. But no one has heard of the spouses getting the access and carte blanche as Mike Mueller has.

That might be another issue that JFM has to be called to account for.

12 thoughts on “Julie Frye Mueller Scandal: why is her lobbyist husband a contact for her legislative matters?”

  1. What LRC staff person, insaner than most, would allow Mr. Mueller into their office at all, at least not without recording devices or making him inject an RFDI tracking device? Perhaps those fellows need to rethink how much free access Mr. Mueller has to the files and offices and no doubt breakfast goodies available in the Council offices.

    1. You, sir, are absolutely nuts, along with every other fan of Dr Robert Malone, who is now bringing in an estimated $30,000 per month from his social media subscribers who listen to a guy who claims he invented mRNA vaccines which don’t work and he deserves a Nobel Prize, for inventing a vaccine that doesn’t work. Do I need to spell it out for you: why would the Nobel committee give somebody a prize for inventing a vaccine that doesn’t work?

      JFM did not berate a new mother out of “wholesomeness.” She has no idea why the LRC staffer is unable to breastfeed and it is none of her business.
      Her statements that vaccines cause autism, Down Syndrome, a pair of twins to “turn out different,” and the World Health Organization has released a video to tell the world that vaccinating babies is bad, is all false information. Everything she said was garbage.
      Then she brought religion into it, questioned the staffer’s faith in God and told her she was going to kill the baby. And then she justified this shitstorm by claiming “I thought we were friends.”

      1. This isnt how Mike works. Once you confront him with information he doesnt know how to respond to, he will just run from the topic or repeat the same points while never addressing critique (packet captures, 2000 mules). He’s a bit of a coward in that way.

      2. Anne, maybe you ought to listen to the actual recording of Sen. Frye-Mueller’s statement before the Senate Select Committee on Discipline and Expulsion from yesterday.

        1. I listened, her statement was very incoherent, she was lost in circles the whole time. I don’t know how a court usually works with regards to your client being on the stand, but Haugaard coached several of her answers.

    2. John we have much in common and have a group that would enjoy being on your show talking about time travel, alien abductions, chemtrails, UFOs and Bigfoot sightings in the Badlands and in Mitchell, SD.

      When can we be on?

      1. can you bring Dr Robert-I-deserve-a-Nobel-Prize-for-inventing-a-vaccine-that-doesn’t-work-Malone with you?

  2. The Rules must be suspended and The Red Book amended, now, stopping this obvious obstruction/intrusion of process by any spouse/lobbyist working LRC Staff over.

  3. Are there any other registered lobbyists with suckling privileges to state senators? This needs to be looked into.

  4. He may have more access. However, let’s not pretend that the spouses aren’t running rampant in Pierre. It’s terrible and not just a JFM problem. From doing meetings together to being in the halls of the Capitol all day to dinner/drinks all night, I don’t think the average South Dakotan has any idea how involved these spouses are. In fact, one ran for office (and won) this year and his rationale was “I’m there all the time anyway!”.

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