In case you missed it as part of his weekly update (printed below), Congressman Dusty Johnson was reminding people to be safe on the roads this week, as he himself had ended up in the ditch while traveling back to the Sioux Falls Airport from Mitchell as a result of the winter storms and poor road conditions sweeping through the region:

Tuesday was Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. On Monday, I was headed to the airport to return to Washington, drove into icy road conditions, and ended up in the ditch. Thankfully, I was wearing my seatbelt and no one was injured. I was impressed with the professionalism of the state trooper that responded to the scene. I’m grateful for our men and women in blue who work tirelessly through all conditions to keep us safe. This winter weather is just beginning, so always remember to wear your seatbelt, travel with a winter weather survival kit, and pay attention to the road and weather conditions. It can save your life.

Read that here.

I heard that Congressman Johnson may have taken his car for a roll in the snow when he went off the road into the ditch, which is just scary. As noted, he was wearing his seatbelt and was thankfully not injured.

Dan Lederman, former chair and current member of the South Dakota Republican Party, was on Twitter yesterday calling out Aberdeen Resident Toby Doeden who has formed an exploratory effort for Congress for Doeden’s claim on Twitter this past April that hate crimes against Jewish-Americans were “fake news.”

As Lederman posted to his Twitter account:

This guy wants to represent South Dakota in Congress yet disrespects victims of anti-Semitism. No thank you, @TobyforCongress. Here’s a tweet from Toby Doeden’s recently deleted Twitter account: https://t.co/GFIduGbn5a pic.twitter.com/z4hvap3Pdc

— Dan Lederman (@danlederman) January 10, 2024

Dan Lederman led the South Dakota Republican Party over three terms/six years, helping to deliver the State’s elected offices for Republicans as well as to maintain the SDGOP’s legislative super-majorities in both Houses. Lederman, a former legislator and current Chair of the Union County GOP, is also active at the national level in the Republican Jewish Coalition, an organization which fosters ties between the American Jewish community & Republican lawmakers.

Prioritizing Safety
By Rep. Dusty Johnson
January 11, 2024

BIG News

Last Friday, a plane in Oregon was forced to conduct an emergency landing due to a door plug being ripped off shortly after takeoff. This is a major safety concern for this plane make and model. While Boeing 737 Max 9 planes in America have been grounded to investigate the issue, due diligence should be done to make sure this never happens again. Thankfully, in this case everyone was safe, but an event like this could be catastrophic. I joined Fox Business to talk about the incident and the need for Congress to pass the five-year aviation bill to improve safety in the industry. Watch the interview by clicking here or the image below.

BIG Idea

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology President Dr. Jim Rankin was in D.C. this week and gave an update of what’s going on at School of Mines. Last week, School of Mines was listed as the #2 recommended university in the Midwest by students and alumni, published in the Wall Street Journal’s 2024 Best Colleges in U.S. list. Their 83% student retention rate proves that ranking true, which is seven percent higher than the national average. With a 98% job placement rate in the graduate’s field of study, their continued success is obvious, and is one more reason for their high rankings.

BIG Update

Tuesday was Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. On Monday, I was headed to the airport to return to Washington, drove into icy road conditions, and ended up in the ditch. Thankfully, I was wearing my seatbelt and no one was injured. I was impressed with the professionalism of the state trooper that responded to the scene. I’m grateful for our men and women in blue who work tirelessly through all conditions to keep us safe. This winter weather is just beginning, so always remember to wear your seatbelt, travel with a winter weather survival kit, and pay attention to the road and weather conditions. It can save your life.

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From my e-mail box:

Senator Tim Reed of District 7, received the South Dakota State’s Attorneys Association’s annual award for legislative leadership. The award is presented to a legislator who shows a commitment to law and order in South Dakota.

First elected to the legislature in 2016, Senator Reed has authored numerous laws that have strengthened the protections for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. Recognized for his passion and dedication to find justice for victims, Senator Reed worked closely with prosecutors and victim advocates across South Dakota to understand the issues and find legislative solutions.

A ceremony was held in Pierre Wednesday where legislative leaders and members from the Senate and House judiciary committees were present. The award was presented by SDSAA President Dan Nelson, who is State’s Attorney for Brookings County.

“Senator Reed is a tremendous partner in our pursuit of justice for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. Because of his hard work and dedication, victims of these violent crimes have the support and justice they deserve. South Dakota communities are safer because of his efforts.” Said State’s Attorney Nelson.

Gov. Noem Proclaims 2024 as “Freedom for Life Year”

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Kristi Noem proclaimed 2024 as “Freedom for Life Year” in the state of South Dakota. You can find video of her signing the proclamation here.

“In order to live a healthy life, we must first have the Freedom to get off to the right start,” said Governor Noem in her State of the State Address. “That Freedom extends to every single South Dakotan – before they are born; after they are born; until the day they die.”

We must take care of both moms and their babies before birth and after. The first 1,000 days of a child’s life are the most significant days for their development. And we have resources dedicated to helping moms, families, and their babies throughout the life of a child.

“All human lives are precious from the conception of an unborn child until natural death. We recognize this fact scientifically, legally, philosophically, and morally and takes steps to educate the public accordingly,” wrote Governor Noem in the proclamation. “It is fitting and proper for the Governor to celebrate South Dakota’s Freedom for Life; make moms, families, medical professionals, and others aware of available resources; hold events recognizing these facts; and do all that I can to take care of moms and their babies both before birth and after.”

More information on South Dakota’s “Freedom for Life” resources can be found at Life.SD.gov.

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Governor Kristi Noem was mentioned again as a front-runner in the Veepstakes in an article today from the Hill speculating who Trump’s pick for VP might be, as it came up in a Town Hall that the former president participated in while campaigning in Iowa yesterday.

Trump has largely been mum about who he might choose as a running mate, though he has named South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) as an option he’d consider. The former president is not expected to pick his previous running mate and vice president, Mike Pence, for another campaign.

Trump allies have pushed for a female running mate, with Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) and Haley among others mentioned.

Read it here.

Senate Passes Thune-Rounds Resolution Honoring SDSU’s Back-to-Back Football National Championship

 WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today announced that the U.S. Senate passed their resolution honoring the South Dakota State University (SDSU) Jackrabbits football team for winning the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Championship Subdivision title.

“Congratulations to the SDSU Jackrabbits football team on another remarkable season,” said the senators. “It’s a privilege to lead the Senate in recognizing the accomplishments of the players, coaches, and staff, and we commend them for bringing another NCAA Division I national championship back to South Dakota.”

On January 7, 2024, the Jackrabbits defeated the University of Montana Grizzlies in Frisco, Texas, to win their second consecutive national title.

Text of the resolution is available here.

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Republican Jamie Huizenga of Pierre announced this week he will be running for re-election to the Pierre City Commission, according to KCCR Radio:

Pierre City Commissioner Jamie Huizenga is looking to keep his place on the Commission dais at the Pierre Municipal Building. His term expires this year and he’s planning to seek another.

Huizenga says he wants to continue to help growing Pierre into the future.

Read (and listen to) the story here at KCCR Radio.

(Yes, we know it’s a non-partisan office. But, we also like to give credit when credit is due for those who carry water for the elephant!)

Couple of new filers for State Senate, both coming from the blue side of the aisle.

In District 11, Democrat Steve Natz has filed a statement of organization to run for State Senate. From a brief search of the internet, Natz appears to be a USD Law School Grad, and Commercial Real Estate agent in Sioux Falls. This would be running for the open seat being vacated by Jim Stalzer, who is prevented from running for the Senate again as a result of term limits.

In District 14, Democrat Sandy Henry has also filed a statement of organization to run for State Senate. Bio information from the Internet notes her last position as a Curriculum Coordinator at Sioux Falls Public Schools.  This would be for the seat currently held by Republican State Senator Larry Zikmund.

What else is out there?

It appears that hard-right candidate John Carley, who lost the 2022 primary election for District 29 State Senate by over 500 votes has filed his petition signatures to take another run at the office in 2024 against current State Senator and former Speaker of the House, Dean Wink. On his website, Carley lists disgraced State Senator Julie Frye-Mueller and State Rep. Phil Jensen as two of his biggest supporters.

Keep watching this space for more updates!

Gov. Noem Holds Ceremonies During State-Tribal Relations Day

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Kristi Noem held a signing ceremony for the Gaming Compact between the State of South Dakota and the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe during State-Tribal Relations Day at the Capitol.

“I’ll do all I can to keep building the relationship between the State of South Dakota and the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, as well as all of the tribes in our state,” said Governor Noem. “I hope that we can continue to work together to make decisions and solve problems.”

Governor Noem also held a flag-raising ceremony and displayed the flags of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe and the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in the Capitol Rotunda.

Three years ago, Governor Noem signed legislation allowing South Dakota’s nine Native American Tribes to have their respective tribal flags hung in the Rotunda.

“Our tribes are part of who we are as South Dakotans,” continued Governor Noem. “And we will respect their heritage and honor them here in the Rotunda of our State Capitol.”

You can find photos from these ceremonies honoring State-Tribal Relations Day here and here.

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