More Bosworth trial coverage; Rounds sister-in-law part of the jury pool

@SoDakCampaigns

From the Capital Journal, some of the technical aspects of the jury selection, including a Rounds relative who began the day as part of the Jury Pool. It’s a great article – go read it.:

The 34-member pool happened to include a sister-in-law of Sen. Mike Rounds, who beat Bosworth and several other fellow Republicans in last June’s primary election. Bosworth and her supporters have blamed her prosecution on political ill-will fromSen. Rounds, formerly the governor, and Attorney General Marty Jackley, toward her and her husband.

and…

  The Rounds in-law said the family’s political activity would not make it impossible for her to hear the case against Bosworth fairly.

and…

Van Norman also probed potential jurors about the effect of what he said was an unusual amount of pre-trial publicity, including a front page story Monday in the Capital Journal.

 “I’ve had murder trials that had less publicity than this case,” Van Norman said.

and…

Prosecutor Mayer asked potential jurors if any had received “robo-calls,”  or automated telephone calls, from Bosworth supporters seeking donations or other support in the case.

and…The pool of 34 also included, interestingly, the head of the state association of trial lawyers, one of three or more attorneys in the pool. Facing several questions from Van Norman, the woman said she could give Bosworth a fair trial.

Read it all here.

If Bosworth’s attorney says that he’s had murder trials with less publicity, I think that’s something he should address with his client.

I suspect many would have been quite content to not have heard about the circus that wouldn’t leave town repeatedly over the past year.

South Dakota BOE adopted official Science Standards today

@SoDakCampaigns

The State of South Dakota, through the State Board of Education, officially adopted their science curriculum today, which you’ll find below.

sdSciStnd

In conjunction with the adoption and issuance of the report, the National Center for Science Education covered the occasion, and noted the following on their web site:

The South Dakota state board of education adopted a new set of science standards for the state on May 18, 2015. The new standards were developed in South Dakota, but include elements of the Next Generation Science Standards, which have so far been adopted in thirteen states — California, Delaware, Kansas, Kentucky, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and West Virginia — plus the District of Columbia.

and…

A recognition of the controversy appears (PDF, p. 6) in the introduction to the standards: “Through the public hearing process related to adoption of the South Dakota Science Standards, it is evident that there is particular sensitivity to two issues: climate change and evolution.” Nevertheless, the South Dakota standards on climate change and evolution are not significantly different from the corresponding standards in the NGSS.

Read it all here.

So, while they’re doing it with sensitivity, South Dakota’s standards for teaching climate change and evolution are fairly close to those of the Next Generation Science Standards.

After reading the document, what’s your opinion?

Boz jury impaneled

@SoDakCampaigns

From KCCR News, the people are chosen who will decide Annette Bosworth’s fate:

The 77 were narrowed down to 34 before lunch break at noon. That number was narrowed down to 14 by 3 p.m.

9 women and 5 men were chosen from across Hughes County to be on the jury, but remember that 2 of them will be alternates. Those two will not participate in the deliberation process.

Read it here.

Waldron group operated out of Sioux Falls PO Box issues press release attacking Jackley over Bosworth

@SoDakCampaigns

The Bosworth affiliated No Compromise Group fronted by Peter Waldron & operated out of a PO Box in the Sioux Falls UPS Store issued a press release this morning in their latest salvo against Marty Jackley.

NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release Contact: Peter Waldron
May 18, 2015

Bosworth Case: Attorney General Marty Jackley’s Obvious Conflict of interest

Christian Activist Calls AG Jackley’s role in the Annette Bosworth Case a serious conflict of interest

SIOUX FALLS: … South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley’s role in the investigation and prosecution of South Dakota physician/missionary Dr. Annette Bosworth is fraught with conflicts of interest.

Attorney General Jackley was appointed by then-governor Mike Rounds. The AG donated funds to the 2014 Senate Campaign of Mike Rounds. AG Jackley had an active role in a 2014 fundraiser for Senate-candidate Mike Rounds. In spite of the obvious conflict, the Attorney General rushed forward with an investigation of a 2014 political opponent of Senate-candidate of Mike Rounds.

“Forget about an appearance of conflict, there is substantial evidence that Attorney General Marty Jackley has serious conflicts of interest,” said Peter Waldron with the No Compromise Group, an organization that is committed to honest, open, free, and fair elections. He should have publicly recused himself from any investigation and prosecution of Dr. Bosworth. Sadly, his involvement in her prosecution appears to the reasonable citizen to be more personal than official.”

A lot is currently written about ABC-TV personality George Stephanopoulos’ conflict of interest with the Clinton Foundation and concern for his objectivity in the upcoming 2016 Presidential Campaign. “We are talking about a TV host not a state attorney general,” Waldron explained, “Certainly much more caution must be taken in the official matters of state when it comes to the prosecution of a single citizen?”

“The Court should acknowledge Attorney General Marty Jackley’s conflict of interest, dismiss the charges against Dr. Bosworth, and assure the good and decent citizens of South Dakota that justice is alive and well in the South Dakota courts,” Waldron concluded.

###30###

So, that’s it?  That’s the sum result of the “investigation” that Gordon Howie was squawking about this AM? An brief, innuendo filled press release that’s less than accurate?

I had the invite here at SDWC that Marty was appearing as a host at a Pierre area fundraiser. And Bosworth herself raised the fundraiser issue herself in May 2014, except with slightly more clarity than Waldron, even though there’s no indication whatsoever that it affected Jackley’s decision whether or not to investigator not.

Also, as he spouts innuendo, Waldron neglects to mention that Marty was appointed, then stood for not one, but two statewide elections on his own merits.

I do notice that there’s no mention of how much money Waldron might be making off of all of this, or who paid for the robocalls he made.

Maybe that’s the biggest question that needs to be answered before they start rehashing old news.

May 18-22 is Boz week! Just like Shark Week, but much less coherent!

@SoDakCampaigns

The stage is set, and Jury selection begins today!  May 18-22 is Boz Week. Just like Shark week, except much less coherent, and you want this to be over!

We have 2 failed US Senate Candidates, one of which claimed she had to live in an RV with her family. We have a former Sado/Masochism photographer. We have an evangelical political organizer who spent time in a Ugandan Jail Cell for terrorism.  We have the husband of the accused who ran against her prosecutor as a third party candidate for Attorney General, despite lacking a college degree or Law School education.

And those are just the major players – I’m not even hitting the secondary supporters who think drivers license cameras scan our irises, or that there’s a plot afoot that robot bees are going to replace real ones.

I could go on, but I think you get the gist.  This week will likely mark a new low in politics in what is surely the most head scratching episode in South Dakota political history.

The trial didn’t have to happen. But not because of any prosecutorial zeal is involved. The charges were appropriate, especially in light of the fact that the accused admitted the behavior. It’s because the accused doesn’t want to take responsibility for it.

And over the course of nearly a year, we’ve been treated to attack after attack, and a campaign against prosecution that resembles any political one, complete with fundraising letters, press releases, press conferences, web sites devoted to it, robocalls, and busing volunteers & well wishers to the trial.

Or at least, they’re claiming they’re busing volunteers & well wishers.

All we can hope is that this week marks the peak of the frenzy, and that after her anticipated conviction, the whole thing will start to all die down.

It would be great if it just disappeared off the political map, but I’ve been around the block enough that it’s probably going to pop up here and there like a brush fire that’s dying off. And eventually, we might be able to say the Bosworth circus has finally left town.

Cap Journal: “no clear indication of Bosworth supporters reserving rooms.”

@SoDakCampaigns

From the Capital Journal, it sounds like there’s still plenty of room available at the Inn. And that Boz is refusing any deal that doesn’t involve things being pled down to a misdemeanor:

But last week, a county employee said there had not been serious discussion or expectations of a large crowd in town for the trial, expected to begin Wednesday after a jury is seated.

A cursory survey of motels in Pierre and Fort Pierre found no clear indication of Bosworth supporters reserving rooms.

and..

Evangelical groups across the nation have rallied to Bosworth’s cause, saying she’s being singled out for uber-prosecution because of her openness about her faith. Other evangelicals have countered with criticism of Bosworth for not being honest.

and..

Annette BosworthMany have questioned why a deal hasn’t been struck.

“There’s no deal that will take away any of the felonies, so of course it’s going to trial,” Bosworth said.

She has posted regular appeals for donations and prayers on her Facebook page.

and..

Hickey posted recently on a blog thread about Bosworth, in a reply to Howie’s attacks, on why he is adamant that she should be prosecuted: “As a Christian in the public sphere it is maddening to me that you and Boz – the most overt in displaying your Christianity – morning devotions put on Youtube – are known as the most unscrupulous. It’s a horrible witness. Boz in particular. She isn’t being persecuted for righteousness’ sake, as your recent post said. That’s ridiculous. She’s getting off easy.”

Read it here.

Gordon Howie, Annette Bosworth, and Voter suppression in “imaginary land.”

@SoDakCampaigns
Annette Bosworth
“Did I witness those signatures…. Um…. SQUIRREL!”

If you read Todd Epp’s story about the voter intimidation accusations coming from Gordon Howie and Annette Bosworth, and likening it to yelling “SQUIRREL” at your dog, you’re likely wondering what anyone is talking about.

What am I hearing? It’s more about unrealized expectations than any sort of intimidation, whatsoever.

If you recall in her petition foibles, which have ended up with an involuntary trip to the Hughes County Courthouse this week, there were some signatures that she (or someone) collected among the Hutterite colonies.

As I’m told, supposedly Bosworth had been providing medical services to at least one Hutterite colony, and she felt she had a close association with them. Emphasis on “she felt,” because the feeling may not have been mutual.

Why did she target Hutterites? Because they provided a solid block of Republican votes. And apparently, Bosworth may have somehow believed that she had a lock on those votes because she’d worked them as a Doctor.

But, alas, there’s always that troubling reality.

A very traditional and religious group, Hutterite leadership is quite conservative, and quite male.

pornahan-voter-intimidationIf Annette thought showing up a few times and doing vaccinations was going to earn her their votes, she might be a bigger fool than anyone thinks.

But, there’s evidence that’s exactly what she thinks. In an April facebook post, her one-time paid PR person, former S&M Pornographer Lee Stranahan claimed he was had a story coming on just that:

Coming this weekend: the untold story of the voter suppression of the Hutterites by team Mike Rounds & Mary Jackley in last year’s election.

I’ll be publishing new details on how (and why) Jackley stopped the Hutterite vote and how the South Dakota media–most notably KELOland–has continued to shill for Jackley to this day.

  • Lee “Pornahan” Stranahan – Facebook, April 25, 2015

Somehow this “untold story of voter suppression” that was promised nearly a month ago never materialized. I suspect because it only existed in “imaginary land,” and there are some stories so crazy that even ‘Pornahan’ won’t write them.

….And that’s when we cue up Gordon Howie. Howie is claiming that the baton of crazy has been handed off to the robocalling Peter Waldron, whom Howie claims is conducting his own investigations.  (I’m sure that’s going to be the epitome of objectivity.)

The truth is that Bosworth was not only fatally misreading the patriarchy, but among the residents of the Hutterite coloniess, she was also working against a 2-term Governor who had been very sympathetic to Hutterite’s needs, and over the course of eight years in office, was a good partner for these communities, and implemented initiatives that helped the colonies in terms of distance education, economic development, and more.

The colonies have a tendency to block vote, based on the opinions of community elders. And that fact isn’t lost on many candidates at any level. I’ve heard of it at least a couple of other times, and those that live in colony areas can probably relate several more.

Annette Bosworth wouldn’t be the first person who thought she had it all locked up, only to find out she didn’t, and she won’t be the last.

Most people don’t claim that it’s the result of voter intimidation and suppression. But then again, most people don’t falsely attest they witnessed signatures that took place while they were pictured half-ways across the planet.

Jury selection begins today in Pierre for Annette Bosworth’s criminal trial. Stay tuned for updates on the circus as they progress.

Epp: Howie & Bosworth yelling squirrel

@SoDakCampaigns

From Todd Epp at KSOO:

Whether sports or politics, if you get beat and it was fair and square, you graciously concede and congratulate the winning team, player or candidate.

And..

Annette Bosworth
“Did I witness those signatures…. Um…. SQUIRREL!”

Apparently, however, defeated Republican U.S. Senate candidate Annette Bosworth and independent Gordon Howie skipped that lesson in campaign school.

Instead, Howie says on his blog that Sen. Mike Rounds, who received over 55 percent of the vote in the Republican primary against four other opponents and then over 50 percent of the vote in the general election against three other candidates, somehow, allegedly, intimidated voters and suppressed the vote in the primary.

Never mind the election was nearly a year ago and this is the first anyone has heard of it.

And…

In the meantime, while the Bosworth trial gets started this week in Pierre, this stunt is the equivalent of yelling “Squirrel!” at your dog. It gets their attention and drives them a little bit crazy.

Read it here.

US Senator John Thune’s Weekly Column: Strength in Times of Adversity

@SoDakCampaigns

Strength in Times of Adversity
By Senator John Thune

John_Thune,_official_portrait,_111th_CongressSouth Dakotans are no strangers to the beauty and bounty Mother Nature can provide – landscapes, cropland, and seemingly endless outdoor recreation – and the devastation she can wreak – floods, blizzards, tornados, long winter storms, and summer droughts. These are facts of life in South Dakota. Generations before us not only persevered in the Great Plains through natural disasters and ever-changing weather patterns, they prospered. We’re doing the same today in South Dakota.

Delmont is the latest community to face adversity, as they continue to deal with the aftermath of an EF-2 tornado that hit on May 10. The tornado destroyed homes, businesses, and community buildings, but thankfully no lives were lost during the storm. The long path to recovery continues today for many of the 200 South Dakotans who call Delmont home.

Last weekend’s storm is a good reminder that the government has an important role to play in preparing for and responding to natural disasters. Severe weather watches and warnings ahead of potentially dangerous storms help communities prepare for the worst, while they hope for the best. When those hopes are not realized, federal disaster assistance helps communities rebuild after the storm strikes.

Like any federal program, federal disaster assistance programs can be improved, too. I’m working every day to do so. Over the past few years, I’ve helped enact permanent, standing agriculture disaster assistance that provides help to producers when disasters strike, rather than years later when Congress may or may not choose to enact ad hoc disaster assistance.

Today in the Senate, I’m working to modernize our National Weather Service through my proposal to redirect taxpayer resources away from supporting outdated bureaucracies and toward improving the accuracy of severe weather watches and warnings and modernizing how those warnings are communicated in the Internet age.

However, while these services are critical, federal programs play only a small role in rebuilding South Dakota communities in the wake of disasters. In Delmont, first responders were on the ground before the clouds had even cleared – despite the fire hall being completely destroyed by the tornado. Neighbors are helping neighbors search for belongings scattered across the county. South Dakotans are driving from miles away to help the recovery and serve food at an area shelter. Families whose homes were spared by the storm are opening their doors to friends and relatives who were not as fortunate. And although the walls of the 100-year old Lutheran church were completely destroyed, the congregation was strengthened, and will no doubt continue to serve the people of Delmont for the next 100 years.

South Dakota is routinely ranked among the most charitable states in the country. We understand that for as strong as Mother Nature can be, our communities and our families are even stronger. The people of Delmont will need that generosity once again.

###

US Senator Mike Rounds’ Weekly Column: Reliable, Affordable Energy

@SoDakCampaigns

Reliable, Affordable Energy
By Senator Mike Rounds
May 15, 2015

Last summer, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a proposed rule to reduce carbon emissions from existing power plants. Self-titled the “Clean Power Plan,” the rule would require power plants across the country to comply with costly new rules and regulations that would reduce energy production and raise electricity rates – with little environmental benefit. South Dakotans could see their electricity rates double due to the Clean Power Plan. For those of us who oppose higher taxes and believe in a comprehensive “North American” energy policy, stopping the Clean Power Plan is an important first step.

As a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, which has jurisdiction over EPA, I recently joined my colleagues in introducing bipartisan legislation to roll back the President’s Clean Power Plan. The Affordable Reliable Energy Now Act (ARENA) would make certain consumers have reliable and affordable access to energy, put jobs and our economy first and curb federal overreach. It would protect ratepayers from rate increases and prevent EPA from enforcing overly burdensome regulations on American consumers. It would also force EPA to submit a report to Congress describing the quantity of greenhouse gas emissions the Clean Power Plan is expected to reduce, as well as show the science used to develop the rule.

Most importantly, ARENA would give states more flexibility if the Clean Power Plan is enacted by allowing them more time to comply with the regulations. It would also force EPA to issue state-specific model plans demonstrating how each state could meet the required emissions reductions under the rule. State highway funds would also be protected in our bill by preventing EPA from withholding the highway funds from any states who are in noncompliance.

In South Dakota, the Clean Power Plan threatens the existence of the only coal-fired power plant in South Dakota at Big Stone, which is already in the midst of a $400 million compliance upgrade. If the proposal is enacted, Big Stone would only be allowed to operate at an annual capacity factor of just 23 percent, which is both uneconomical and practically impossible. This would essentially shut down the plant, all while it’s in the middle of a major, expensive upgrade to comply with a different set of EPA regulations.

Not only does this threaten the nearly 100 jobs at Big Stone, but it would increase energy costs for South Dakotans and reduce energy reliability.  The hundreds of millions of dollars currently being invested to comply with EPA rules would be a stranded investment.

Americans must continue to have access to reliable, affordable energy. People deserve to know that their homes will be heated in South Dakota’s freezing cold winters, and that their lights will turn on when they flip the switch. The ARENA legislation would help provide peace of mind for ratepayers. It would provide reliable energy to power South Dakota’s agricultural and manufacturing industries. It also goes one step further in limiting the number of burdensome, unnecessary regulations imposed not by lawmakers, but by unelected bureaucrats at the EPA. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has indicated his interest in bringing ARENA to the Senate floor for consideration. I look forward to having that debate.

###