Thune on DHS Funding: Time Is of the Essence

“I hope our Democrat friends will remain at the table and give talks more time to mature. The alternative path should interest no one – and that is a needless shutdown that will see funding lapse for our Coast Guard, our cybersecurity, for airport security, and for disaster response.” 

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor:

Click here to watch the video.

That Senate candidacy didn’t last long.

California transplant and District 2 State Senate Candidate Manuel Luschas lasted only a short time in the State Senate race before becoming one of the first candidates to withdraw from the race this year.

According to the Secretary of State filings, Luschas backed out to run for House instead, where he is expected to face a primary.  We’ll see if he sticks around for this one.

I can’t say I’ve seen this before.

Former 32-year Democrat and current South Dakota Republican Party Chairman Jim Eschenbaum is apparently partnering with a group which includes a dark money fund for purposes of lobbying and endorsing candidates. And not just lending them support as a private citizen, but in addition to recording a video for them, is allowing them to use his Republican party title in their advertising.

 

Funny. I seem to recall the former 32-year Democrat chair saying something about using party titles for getting in the middle of campaigns..

“It has been brought to my attention this morning that Toby Doeden’s campaign is asking County parties to endorse him. It has been discussed many times that this would not be appropriate for the party to influence the election process, other than supporting Republicans…

What each person does outside of the the “umbrella” of the State or County party opertions is up to each individual.. but please avoid taking a collective position with the SD GOP, or County GOP title involved….

..please exercise that privilege outside of the “umbrella” of the party identity.“

Well,  I guess that was all just bullsh*t.

No matter who or what they supported, I don’t recall during my time that Joel Rosenthal, Dwight Adams, Craig Lawrence, Karl Adam, Bob Gray, Tim Rave, Pam Roberts, or any other chairs ever doing this.

Did they support people or causes privately? Yes. Did they ever record an ad for a lobbying group and specifically use their title as SDGOP Party Chairman in advertising for their group?

NO. Because it would be inappropriate.

Clearly, Eschenbaum sets down rules for others, but chooses not to follow them himself.  Rules for thee…

Just a little bit of housekeeping as we bring you the best – and sometimes it seems like the worst – in South Dakota politics; South Dakota War College is now celebrating another milestone as we turn 21 years old.

It’s far different than when we originated on the blogspot platform, but we’ve still managed to keep chugging along as we passed the twenty-year mark, and added another trip around the sun behind it.

Years ago, when thinking about a potential endpoint, I had envisioned that I wanted to make it through the 2026 election, and then hang it up with this year being the site’s swan song. But there’s so much happening to keep things lively. This is not a time to step back, but as many in the state’s political arena are doing, it’s a time to step up.

Somewhere in the last 20 years, or even more recently than that, people stopped talking about less government being the ideal. Now, when they talk about local control and freedom out of one side of their mouth, out of the other people they might be micromanaging posters and stickers on the walls of schools, and declaring it should be felonious to publish public documents.  That does not sound like the freedom I used to remember.

All the while ignoring that when they pass all these new laws, they increase the size of government, and what it costs to run that government.

Our state is at a crossroads and the Republican party is under a cloud of turmoil and divisiveness we have not seen for 100 years. Politics are changing. And I think we need as many people as possible to be involved in the future of South Dakota to set us on a productive path of growth. Not a reductive path of stagnation and NIMBYism.

If I were to ask myself again today about a future ending date for the SDWC,  my answer today would be.. I don’t know?  In 2031 when I am eligible to start taking Social Security? In nine more years when dakotawarcollege.com turns 30? Maybe? Maybe not. Someone could come in and offer to write me a reasonably sized check, and I’d give it some thought.

But after 21 years, SDWC is still standing. And will continue to do so for some time to come.

House Bill 1192 which I wrote about yesterday, Heather Baxter’s bill in to give kidnappers and murderers a potential “get out of jail” card for those sentenced to life in prison, seems to have been quickly yanked off the table.

This morning in House Judiciary, before any other bill could be heard, Baxter testified that the bill was not ready, and asked for it to be deferred until next year.  Which is good.  But I also have the feeling that election year politics have as much to do with it as anything.

And, I heard through the grapevine that the bill was set to be opposed by Attorney General Marty Jackley.  I’m sure that flavored the decision to yank the bill as well.

So, maybe the bill will come back next year? Maybe not.

But I’m sure it will live on as Baxter’s record is pointed out in both of her elections in June.

This was not on the bingo card for South Dakota political observers.

Dana Chasin,  who notes on his bio that he was former campaign adviser for Jon Tester and Tim Johnson had his name brought up in recently released files in the Epstein matter, according to Politico:

Dana Chasin — a Rockefeller heir who advised Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign as well as former Sens. Tim Johnson (D-S.D.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) — was listed on an invitation for the Washington event benefiting Osborn, who is running against GOP Sen. Pete Ricketts as an independent.

His name appears in a March 2024 email sent to a Justice Department attorney by Jeanne Christensen, a lawyer representing a young unnamed woman who alleged Chasin flew her on a private plane to Epstein’s Manhattan townhouse for sex with powerful men. The email, which details allegations of sexual abuse, also mentions a second flight with Chasin but does not make a direct accusation against him.

Read the entire story here.

Hot out of my e-mail box, the SDGOP sub-group of whiners is back to complain about public broadcasting, because they just don’t want SDPB to expose them to opposing views or things that hurt their feelings:

“WHEREAS SDPB is a division of the South Dakota Bureau of Information and Telecommunications, a state agency, which pays the salaries of SDPB employees, buys equipment for the network and provides space for the network operations through the University of South Dakota, a state-supported school, all of which are used to regularly report disparagingly of conservative Republicans and their values while reporting supportively of liberal Democrats and their values.

How do they know they’re reporting in a disparaging manner? Did the reporter not smile at the appropriate time?  So what country do they think this is, Iran?

That’s the darned problem with serving a diverse population. You might like some of the shows, but not others. Call the Midwife might be your jam, but the Antiques Roadshow isn’t.  The thing is, if we have it, it needs to serve everyone.

Here’s a novel idea – instead of whining, turn the channel.  And stop embarrassing the people registered as Republicans in South Dakota with this silliness. You’re hurting the brand.

February 2 -8, 2026

Welcome back to another Weekly Round[s] Up. This week, my DC office was especially full with South Dakotans who are in DC for meetings! It was good to see so many friendly and familiar faces in the office. One highlight from this week was hearing that President Trump called South Dakota native, Royce Williams to inform him that he will be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his heroic actions during the Cold War. Another exciting part of my week was joining members of Congress for the 74th annual National Prayer Breakfast hosted on Capitol Hill. More on this and the rest of my week in the Weekly Round[s] Up:

 South Dakota groups I visited with: Dakota Mainstem Regional Water System; Troy Wellman, Moody County Sheriff and Andy Howe, Clay County Sheriff; Associated School Boards of South Dakota; South Dakota Association of Rural Water Systems; Paul TenHaken, Mayor of Sioux Falls who was in town representing the MENTOR program; National Alfalfa & Forage Alliance; American Indian Higher Education Consortium; and South Dakota representatives from Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America.

Met with South Dakotans from: Aberdeen, Arlington, Beresford, Britton, Brookings, Bruce, Chancellor, De Smet, Egan, Flandreau, Howard, Huron, Kyle, Lake Andes, Madison, Miller, Mission, Mobridge, Murdo, Rapid City, Sioux Falls, Tea, Vermillion, Viborg, Volga, Waverly, White Lake and Woonsocket.

Other meetings: Christian Klein, CEO of SAP America, Inc.; Leena-Kaisa Mikkola, Finland’s Ambassador to the United States; Charles Murigande, Senator from Rwanda; Congolese Delegation; Ethiopian Leadership; Jonathan Gould, Comptroller of the Currency; Oana Toiu, Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs; and Bete Demeke, President and CEO of Project Mercy.

 I also had the opportunity to speak at Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) Intersect Summit with Julie Sweet, CEO of Accenture. We talked about artificial intelligence (AI) and its key role in advancing healthcare and shaping our future.

 Hearings: I attended four hearings this past week. I gave remarks at Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hearing, where two of my bills to address issues within the Indian Health Service were heard, which you can watch here.  I also questioned Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in a hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee. You can watch that clip here. I attended a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing where I questioned Admiral (ret.) Charles A. Richard, USN; the Honorable Rose E. Gottemoeller; and Mr. Timothy A. Morrison. Click here to watch. Lastly, I went to a closed hearing in the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

 Briefings: I received two classified briefings.

Senate Prayer Breakfast: This week was a unique prayer breakfast. On Thursday, we held the 74th National Prayer Breakfast. This is an annual event that is an opportunity for Members of Congress and people of all faiths to pray collectively for our nation. It’s always a powerful event that brings people together with a shared purpose.

Votes taken: 12  – This week I voted on many federal judges including: Brian Charles Lea, of Tennessee, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Tennessee; Justin R. Olson, of Indiana, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Indiana; Aaron Christian Peterson, of Alaska, to be United States District Judge for the District of Alaska; Megan Blair Benton, of Missouri, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Missouri; David Clay Fowlkes, of Arkansas, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Arkansas; and Nicholas Jon Ganjei, of Texas, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Texas.

 Steps taken: 58,748 steps or 27.79 miles.

 Video of the Week:

Click here to learn more about Royce Williams being awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Gov. Rhoden Signs Bill to Protect Second Amendment Rights

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Larry Rhoden signed SB 2, which fittingly protects the 2^nd Amendment. SB 2 deregulates firearm suppressors at the state level by removing them from the definition of a “controlled weapon.”

“South Dakota is the most Second Amendment-friendly state in America, and this is yet another opportunity for us to pave the way and set an example for the rest of the nation,” said Governor Larry Rhoden. “By removing unnecessary state-level restrictions, we are standing up for freedom and protecting the constitutional right of law-abiding citizens.”

South Dakota is the first state in the nation to remove suppressors from the list of controlled weapons, sending a message of support for further deregulation to happen at the national level.

SB 2 was signed at a signing ceremony at Silencer Central with the bill’s prime sponsors, Senator Casey Crabtree and Representative Drew Peterson; Attorney General Marty Jackley; and other stakeholders in the Second Amendment advocacy and firearms manufacturing industries. You can find a photo of the signing here.

“I am proud to stand with President Trump and Governor Rhoden to support the Second Amendment,” said Senator Casey Crabtree. “Gun suppressors are hearing protection, not a weapon, and I’m glad that South Dakota will no longer be regulating them.”

“Firearms Suppressor’s primary purpose is to protect hearing and reduce noise, which makes firearm use safer for hunters, sportsmen, and neighboring landowners alike,” said Representative Drew Peterson. “Senate Bill 2 is a clean, common‑sense update. It reduces redundancy, respects federal oversight, and keeps our laws aligned with the actual purpose of suppressors as safety tools.”

“There already are protections in place at the federal level for silencers and removing an extra layer of government that serves no public safety reason makes common sense,” said Attorney General Marty Jackley. “Thank you to Governor Rhoden for his leadership on this legislation. I have and will always protect the rights of lawful gun owners.”

Governor Rhoden has signed 10 bills into law and vetoed one this legislative session.

###

After Rep. Andera, Phil Jensen, Dylan Jordan, Brandei Schaefbauer, etc. brought House Bill 1181, to prohibit weather and climate modification activities and provide a penalty therefor, days later it was “Withdrawn at the Request of the Prime Sponsor,”  We thought we might be safe from the jet chemtrail conspiracists this session.

But they came back.

In her new legislation, House Bill 1271, Rep. Andera accompanied by Rep’s Baxter, Jordan, Rice, and Sjaarda brought a further watered down measure, in case HB1181 was too crazy to deal with a made up peril from the Internet.

And this morning, after being supported by the sponsor, Rep. Dylan Jordan, anti-election machine zealots and other people who spend too much time on the internet, it was sent to the 41st day on a vote of 7-3.

But don’t fear. The climate crackpots have another bill in. This time to make it a felony to “remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.” (Sponsors: Representatives Andera (prime), Baxter, Jordan, Schaefbauer, and Sjaarda)

Do I have to point out the whole photosynthesis thing?

I’m guessing so, since they’ve stopped promising to shoot down planes.. and they’re just going to make us felons if we have trees in our yards.