SDGOP Statement on Candidacy of Jay Williams

PIERRE – South Dakota GOP Chairwoman Pam Roberts issued the following statement following the announcement of Jay Williams running for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in South Dakota.

“John Thune is a champion for South Dakota in the U.S. Senate and I expect him to successfully make the case to voters this fall as to why we need him to continue fighting for us in Washington,” said Roberts.

“Jay Williams isn’t known to many South Dakotans today but as they learn about his passionate support for increased income, property and sales taxes on the rich and poor, young and old, I believe the choice for U.S. Senate will become very clear. We don’t need to send someone to the U.S. Senate who would be another vote for the Obama-Clinton-Sanders agenda,” concluded Roberts.

Watch the brief video of Williams passionately advocating for higher taxes referenced above https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=722Dr7OgArw&feature=youtu.be

 

###

Well, the worst kept secret in South Dakota, that Jay Williams would be the Democrat’s candidate is over. And as Drinking Liberally Sioux Falls quipped prior to the announcement, “it could have been Ron Volesky.”

The speech contained extensive detail on his life story, and I mean extensive, as it took up most of his speech, although at times, it veered into weirdness, as his first big theme was that everyone could perform a virtual baring of their buttocks at Washington by electing him. Yes, he actually called on them to “moon Washington.”  Oy.

And the speech continued in oddity, as he spoke glowingly of how the Mayor of Bogota Columbia fired all the corrupt traffic cops, and replaced them with mimes. Yes, Mimes. The white makeup wearing silent people who annoy park patrons in movies. Williams cited the use of mimes publicly shaming traffic violators as an ideal role model for social change.

No, I’m not kidding.

From there, he went into boilerplate rhetoric that you would expect from any candidate, and would have been written by any anonymous staffer for the SDDP. Lots of “me good, John Thune bad” stuff. His delivery was ok for a canned speech, but the real test will be when he’s put in unscripted circumstances.

Interestingly, at the announcement Ann Tornberg was trying to tell people that – since last June or July – Jay and Carol Williams had told her that they’re all in and would run.   But, if that’s case, then why would someone who has spent his life in the high tech and computer sector not have a lot of his web presence and social media ready to roll?

In fact, looking at his official website’s domain registration:

Why, JayWilliams2016.com website was not registered much more than a week ago, about the time we were all hearing that he was going to be the guy.  Created Date 2-10-2016.  And if you actually look at his website, which is utterly devoid of content…

Versus the basic WordPress template they’re using….

I’d be shocked if they hadn’t put it together in the few hours before Williams’ announcement.

Regardless of when the “if no one else would do it” candidate “actually decided,” the true test of his campaign will be how his campaign rolls out, and how he defines himself in his positions on the issues.

Because there’s a huge void at this point. Despite what any of the Democrats try to tell us.

Drinking Liberally Sioux Falls weighs in with the news that Jay Williams is the Democrat candidate for US Senate, and tries to make lemonade from the lemon that Chairwoman Ann Tornberg has handed the Democrat Party:

In South Dakota, Ann Tornberg introduces her candidate for the US Senate today. Rumor has it that it will be Jay Williams from Yankton. But, before you look surprised and ask yourself who Jay Williams is, remind yourself that it could have been Ron Volesky. There is ennui, and then there is deep ennui. Jay Williams may even represent progress. At any rate he will be the only Democrat with a chance to win the US Senate seat from South Dakota this year.

I need a Drink.

Read it here.

And Drinking Liberally, remember that there is another bright side to today’s announcement, besides it not being Ron Volesky. As Patrick Lalley from the Argus observed, since it’s taking place at the VFW, Scotch can be served.

Even though neither Jay nor the South Dakota Democrat Party will confirm any of it, what we’ve been talking about for the better part of 9-10 days now is going to become official.

At the Friday Noon Democrat Forum, Ann Tornberg’s “if no one else will do it” guy, Yankton County Dem Party Chair Jay Williams is set to announce his campaign against John Thune.

The Argus Leader will be live-streaming the announcement of Jay Williams as the Dem’s US Senate contender starting about noon.

You can watch it here, live, and participate right from your desks in the worst candidate rollout in South Dakota History, courtesy of the Argus Leader, and the South Dakota Democrat Party’s brain trust.

Update – Tom Lawrence has a piece pre-written called “SD Democrats’ long, long, long shot,”  predicting that it’s worth putting Williams name up, because you never know, Thune could be the VP nominee, or fall ill. But Lawrence concedes, “The odds of any of these things occurring are long, but for South Dakota Democrats, that’s the best shot they’ve got now.”

UPDATE – it’s on KSFY as well.

 

I think Democrats are already worried that their sacrificial lamb for US Senate may say something stupid.  (Besides the already stupid things he’s said about wanting to raise people’s taxes, and that we don’t pay enough in taxes.)

Why do I say that? Because they’ve put the media on notice that their golden boy who they believe can snatch the US Senate Seat from South Dakota’s Senior Senator John Thune…. will not be taking questions at his announcement.

According to the Democrat’s mouthpiece…

A South Dakota Democrat will announce their candidacy for U.S. Senate Friday, February 19, 2016 at the Democratic Forum of Sioux Falls weekly lunch starting at 12:00 PM. The event will be hosted at the Sioux Falls VFW.

…There will be no question and answer session after the announcement. Limited interview availability will be offered after the event.

So, Jay Williams is running. But not just running for office, but he will be also running from questions.  I suspect because most of those questions will likely stem from his love of taxes.

I can almost imagine him making a brief statements to the media, before Democrat Party staffers throw a coat over his head, stuff him in the back of a Toyota Prius, and hustle him away from danger in a hybrid electric car. Of course, that danger would have consisted of unscripted questions that they haven’t fed him answers for.

Apparently, Democrat’s “if no one will do it, I will” US Senate candidate thinks he can run AND hide.  At least as long as the Democrat party can shield him from the public.

As usual the parking lot is full of legislators working to find money for education at 615 a.m . pic.twitter.com/64wGZCDuVk

— Terri Haverly (@haverly_terri) February 19, 2016

The Argus Leader alluded to it tonight, and make no bones about it – Jay Williams was recruited to run for US Senate because he follows the Democrat line of raise taxes, raise taxes, and then raise them again!

If you’re in doubt, check out this video from 4 years ago where he tried to explain how “TAX is not a dirty word”

Jay Williams at Ignite Yankton from Ignite SD on Vimeo.

Watch for some of the Jay’s golden nuggets of wisdom. (otherwise known as his worst offending lines):

• We in the U.S. are under-taxed when compared to the rest of the developed world.”
• “Raising taxes will boost the economy.”
• “We must all agree to be taxed, forget about fairness. We must all, rich and poor young and old, prepare to pay more taxes than we are now.
• “Instead of looking for spending cuts, we must look for ways to increase tax revenue. Look at yourself, if you have property, ask for property taxes to be raised. If you have income, lobby for a state income tax. If you buy lots of things, go for a sales tax.”

Will Senator Thune beat his own record for the margin of victory running against this guy?

Proud to put my yes vote behind the teachers of South Dakota. Motion to reconsider has been made. #SDLeg pic.twitter.com/AJhjN0seoH

— Mathew Wollmann (@MathewWollmann) February 18, 2016

I can’t stop laughing at this article, as I couldn’t have written it better myself regarding tomorrow’s roll out of the Dem’s sacrificial lamb against US Senator John Thune. From the Argus Leader.

Williams, reached by phone Thursday, declined to comment but said he would be in Sioux Falls on Friday for an event at the VFW. Democratic Party spokesman Michael Ewald said the party would unveil its U.S. Senate candidate noon Friday at the Sioux Falls VFW.

and…

A lack of name recognition and an unsuccessful track record in legislative elections has some questioning Williams’ viability as a candidate.

Charlotte Gilson in 2010 ran against Williams for a pair of House seats that ended up in the hands of Republican Nick Moser and Democrat Bernie Hunhoff. A Republican, Gilson laughed when she heard Williams would be challenging Thune.

“It’s surprising. I don’t know what he’s thinking. He’s gotten trounced in everything he’s ever run for,” she said, speculating that he’s too liberal to resonate with South Dakota’s conservative voting base.

and…

Williams has a history of supporting higher taxes and has said Americans aren’t taxed enough.

“Look at yourself. If you have property, ask for your property taxes to be raised. If you have income, lobby for a state income tax. If you buy lots of things, go for sales tax,” he said during a presentation called “Tax is NOT a dirty word: A call for rationality” in Yankton in 2011. Video of his comments remain online.

Read it all here.

There was a part of the article that was a blatant lie from the Democrats, as they said Williams has not been running for office for the last 20 years like Thune has.

#1 – Thune hasn’t had to run all that much. They haven’t put up a candidate. 

And #2 – Just because Williams has gotten trounced is not an indication that he hasn’t run. Williams has ran, he just hasn’t won.

“Williams has a history of supporting higher taxes, and has said Americans are not taxed enough.”

You can probably kiss the Dem’s golden candidate Williams goodbye on that statement alone.

This might not be pretty to watch.

Did I miss something?

When I started reading the campaign finance report recently filed by Democrat Snake Oil salesman “Slick” Rick Weiland, who has been calling for a ballot measure and affiliated organization called “South Dakotans for Ethics Reform;” promoting removing PAC money from campaign finance, ethics reform, and empowering small donors, I swore I must have missed something.

Because what they group practices, and what they preach appear to be a valley’s width apart.  But, don’t take my word for it – read the report yourself:

South Dakotans who don't practice what they preach

If you look at Weiland’s group’s intake of funds, you would suppose that this is a grassroots measure, with small donors kicking in.

Wait? Is that a big goose-egg in the donations coming in as contributions from individuals?  Nothing from Slick Rick, nothing from Don Frankenfeld or Dave Volk, who has joined Weiland in this crusade. Not even $1 in unitemized contributions.

Zero. Zip. Zilch. NOTHING.

Which begs the question, who is promoting the measure?

ALL OF THE MONEY FOR “South Dakotans for Ethics Reform” comes from an organization called “Represent Us” out of Florence, Massachusetts.   Massachussetts. Not South Dakota.

So, we have no South Dakota donors backing this measure, but an out of state organization is putting in $228,250 for it to be passed?  Who are these guys?

Well, one independent news site went through the work of figuring it out, and came up with an interesting point. That they’ve seen them all before, in an article titled One Percenters trying to lead the Revolution:

The name of the movement, organization, idea and website is Represent.us or Represent Us. Registered as a non-profit charity, the group was launched in 2012 and is reported to have raised millions of dollars in donations. Their website is expensive and professional and their Board of Advisors is a who’s who of the 1%. In fact, the information provided by Represent.us said all the right things, but came from all the wrong places. The high priced grassroots campaign, an oxymoron in itself, looked very familiar to this author.  It took only a few seconds to remember where we’d seen some of the same names, corporations and wealthy donors before – Americans Elect.