Champions at the Capitol
By: Governor Kristi Noem
January 20, 2023

This week, we welcomed the South Dakota State University football team to the South Dakota State Capitol in Pierre. On January 8^th, the Jackrabbits brought home a Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) national championship win against North Dakota State University! This was not just any victory – it was a win against their rivals. And thanks to SDSU’s excellent play, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum has to keep a Jackrabbit helmet in his office for the rest of the month.

This historic win was the second time this season that the Jackrabbits beat the Bison. Back in October, SDSU won the Dakota Marker 23 – 21. The rivalry between SDSU and NDSU is one rich with tradition, with the first faceoff between the two teams happening way back in 1903. Since then, these rivals have met 113 more times. In 2004, the regular season match-up officially became the “Dakota Marker,” where SDSU and NDSU play for a 75-pound replica of the quartzite monument that marks the border between South Dakota and North Dakota.

NDSU is a well-seasoned veteran, having won a total of 17 national championships in program history. But SDSU did not let that shake them. Instead, they steamrolled into the championship game, beat the Bison 45 – 21, and won the first national title in school history. SDSU showed the grit and grind of South Dakota, and we couldn’t be prouder.

I want to talk a little about two men that helped lead SDSU to victory in different roles: Coach John Stiegelmeier and quarterback Mark Gronowski.

Coach Stiegelmeier is a native of Selby, South Dakota, attended SDSU himself, and has been the SDSU head football coach since 1997. In his 26 seasons with the Jackrabbits, Coach Stiegelmeier has built the program into a yearly playoff contender. He has led the team to the FCS playoffs 11 times. Now, he’ll retire as the winningest football coach in South Dakota State history after leading the Jackrabbits to a national championship victory. I want to wholeheartedly congratulate Coach John Stiegelmeier on being named the winner of the 2022 Eddie Robinson Award, an award given to the top head coach in the Football Championship Subdivision. And I hope he enjoys his retirement.

SDSU’s starting quarterback Mark Gronowski won Most Valuable Player in the national championship game. He completed 223 passing yards during the game and rushed for 57 yards. But what’s even more impressive than his skills on the field is Gronowski’s heart, his love for the game, and his determination.

In 2021, Gronowski led the Jackrabbits all the way to the national championship game. Then, just minutes into the game, he suffered a torn ACL. Gronowski spent the next year rehabbing, determined to get his team the national title they deserved. I admire the ambition and the work ethic of this young man, and I commend him on a job well done, a season of games well played, and a national championship well earned.

It is no secret that, as an SDSU alumna myself, I am a huge Jackrabbits fan. I’m so proud of this team and all that they have accomplished. When I met them, it was hard to contain my excitement. I shared with them how proud I am of their fantastic work. They have made history here in South Dakota. The dedication of the entire coaching staff, as well as of every single member of the SDSU football team, led them to victory. Congratulations to SDSU on their national championship, and, as always, GO JACKS!

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I’ve been getting reports this afternoon that the hard right Citizens for Liberty (CFL) group has taken over the Pennington County GOP, installing their candidates in county GOP leadership roles during county party elections. This will be interesting to see how combative the group is with the greater party in months to come.

Similar developments may be in store for the Minnehaha County GOP. The group is facing a “Sophie’s Choice” for chair elections where on one hand you have R. Shawn Tornow facing off against Rhonda Milstead. Just last weekend Milstead sent Steve Haugaard to the Central Committee meeting with her proxy.

Tornow versus a Haugaard ally? Is there a door number three?

Good lord.

South Dakota State Representative Phil Jensen has introduced a resolution – HCR 6006 – decrying the “medieval standards of living” for January 6 insurrectionists.

So, Phil feels the legislature needs to be concerned about the “medieval standards of living” for the insurrectionists who attacked the police, vandalized the US Capitol, and tried to prevent the certification of the 2020 election?

Lest we forget…

The names of hundreds of U.S. law enforcement officers, elected officials and military members appear on the leaked membership rolls of a far-right extremist group that’s accused of playing a key role in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, according to a report released Wednesday.

and..

Among the elected officials whose name appears on the membership lists is South Dakota state Rep. Phil Jensen, who won a June Republican primary in his bid for reelection.

Read that here.

Am I really reading that South Dakota Democrat State Representative Kadyn Wittman trying to intimate in a passive-aggressive manner that she is worried over being attacked by a Republican?

Wow.

Gov. Noem Signs Executive Order Blocking State Business with “Evil Foreign Governments”

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Kristi Noem signed Executive Order 2023-02, which blocks the State of South Dakota from doing business with certain telecommunications companies owned or controlled by “evil foreign governments.” The order also requires that every state contract include a clause certifying the contractor is not owned, influenced, or affiliated with these countries.

“It is critical that we protect South Dakotans from evil foreign governments,” said Governor Noem. “This order ensures that these countries cannot leverage telecommunications or state contract procurements to gain access to crucial state infrastructure and data.”

The order blocks business with companies associated with the governments of China, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Cuba, and Venezuela.

Two months ago, Governor Noem signed an Executive Order banning TikTok for South Dakota state government. Since then, dozens of states have taken action to ban TikTok, as has Congress.

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Gov. Noem Urges Investigations into Leak of Social Security Numbers

PIERRE, S.D. – Yesterday, Governor Kristi Noem urged investigations into the leaking of nearly 2,000 Social Security numbers by the January 6^th Committee. She pushed Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate the apparent violation of federal law. She also requested that the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability and the House Ethics Committee investigate the breach.

The leaked Social Security numbers included those of Governor Noem, Bryon Noem, Kassidy Peters, Kyle Peters, Kennedy Noem, and Booker Noem.

“This callous, unacceptable handling of our most sensitive information could have permanent, widespread damage to the lives of my kids and my grandkids, as well as the families of the many other individuals impacted,” Governor Noem writes in both letters.

The leak of these Social Security numbers is a violation of the Privacy Act of 1974, which provides that “[no] agency shall disclose any record which is contained in a system of records by any means of communication to any person, or to another agency, except pursuant to a written request by, or with the prior written consent of, the individual to whom the record pertains[.]” 5 U.S.C. § 552a(b).

The leak impacted several public figures, including Governor Greg Abbott, Governor Henry McMaster, former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson, and former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar.

“I am glad of your recent decision to appoint a Special Counsel to probe the apparent mishandling of confidential information by President Joseph R. Biden. This action indicates an increased willingness to investigate violations of law, regardless of the political affiliation of the lawbreaker. I hope that you will do the right thing and investigate this apparent violation of federal law,”Governor Noem concluded in her letter to Attorney General Garland.

You can find the letter to Attorney General Garland here. You can find the letter to the House of Representatives here.

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Try not to throw up when you read this.

After claiming to be independent, Larry Pressler now wants to pretend to be Republican again, and wrote an editorial in the Dakota Scout declaring he wants to reclaim the Republican Party.

My response to earlier iterations of this fiasco was to briefly leave the Republican Party. However, I have learned that to drop out of the party is to leave it to those least suited to govern. In the interest of promoting effective policy, serious Republicans have an obligation not to jump ship.

and..

So, to my fellow disaffected Republicans, I hope you will rejoin me in a new effort to reclaim the Republican Party from those more interested in creating sound bites than in governing.

You can read that of page 4 of the print edition of the Dakota Scout.

 

Let me offer the following in rebuttal:

 

1/28/2008,  Former GOP senator, vet backs Obama

Former Sen. Larry Pressler (R-S.D.), who was the first Vietnam veteran to serve in the United States Senate, is the latest Republican to back Sen. Barack Obama’s presidential campaign, Politico learned Sunday.

Read that here.

 

7/27/16, Former Republican Senator Pressler at Democratic Convention

Former Republican South Dakota Senator Larry Pressler — causing a stir last month –when he announced his support for Hillary Clinton.

Pressler is attending the Democratic National Convention tonight.

and..

It’s been almost 20 years since Pressler held political office. He says in the years since, both parties have gone to the extremes. He thinks it’s time for a new, centrist, moderate party.

Read that here.

 

and this..

2020, Former South Dakota Sen. Larry Pressler crosses partisan line again, endorses ‘close friend’ Joe Biden for president

Former Sen. Larry Pressler has endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden for president.

“As a former Republican U.S. Senator who sat adjacent to Joe Biden for 22 years on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I became a close friend of Joe and am now enthusiastically supporting him for President.”

Read that here.

 

And let’s not forget he also endorsed Billie Sutton for Governor in 2018:

Billie Sutton had one of his weakest pressers of the campaign this afternoon announcing “Republicans for Sutton.”

After previously endorsing Obama & Hillary for president, and taking part in ‘crowning’ Reverend Sun Myung Moon, Larry Pressler came back to town to read off of a script and to try to gain attention and spoke about endorsing Billie Sutton.

Read that here. 

 

Who exactly does he want to reclaim the Republican Party for? The Democrats he’s been hanging around with for the past few decades?

In response to his “new effort to reclaim the Republican Party” Larry deserves a salute from the GOP for his actions.

The kind of salute that cab drivers in New York offer to drivers that cut them off.  That might be the most appropriate one to offer him.

State Representative Mike Weisgram has introduced House Bill 1099, one of my favorite measures so far this session. An Act to permit the display of campaign signage in municipalities prior to the beginning of absentee voting, which actually standardizes the ridiculous patchwork of county and municipal ordinances that sometimes go so far as to be of questionable legality when it comes to when and how you can display campaign signs. Weisgram proposes a standard set of rules in House Bill 1099:

An Act to permit the display of campaign signage in municipalities prior to the beginning of absentee voting.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of South Dakota:

Section 1. That chapter 9-30 be amended with a NEW SECTION:

A campaign sign that is less than four square feet in area may be placed on private property in a residential zone adjacent to a transportation right-of-way by or with the permission of the property owner no more than forty-five days prior to the beginning of absentee voting in a primary or general election and may continue to be displayed through election day. A municipality shall determine the time after a primary or general election when campaign signs must be removed.

A campaign sign that is less than thirty-two square feet in area may placed on private property in a business, commercial, or industrial zone adjacent to a transportation right-of-way by or with the permission of the property owner no more than forty-five days prior to the beginning of absentee voting in a primary or general election and may continue to be displayed through election day. A municipality shall determine the time after a primary or general election when campaign signs must be removed.

A campaign sign may not be placed in a right-of-way and may not be placed in such a way as to obstruct or impede the visibility of the right-of-way. A municipality may impose reasonable regulations on the illumination of the sign or sound emanating from or in proximity to the sign to protect the safety of those who use a right-of-way against any encroachment by a campaign sign.

Advertising billboards, electronic signage, murals, or other larger permanent structures are exempt from the provisions of this section.

For the purposes of this section, the term, campaign sign, means a sign identifying and urging voter support or opposition for a particular election issue, political party, ballot question, or advocating a candidate for public office.

Read that here.

Now, I’l also be the first to point out that technically, if this would be passed, I think this law might be able to be fought on the basis of constitutionality, just as most all city ordinances could, because of the ruling in Reed v Town of Gilbert…

Government regulation of speech is content based if a law applies to particular speech because of the topic discussed or the idea or message expressed. This commonsense meaning of the phrase “content based” requires a court to consider whether a regulation of speech “on its face” draws distinctions based on the message a speaker conveys. Supreme Court precedents have also recognized a separate and additional category of laws that are considered content-based regulations of speech: laws that cannot be justified without reference to the content of the regulated speech. Those laws must also satisfy strict scrutiny.

Read it here.   Another good analysis is here..

Temporary yard signs are springing up all around town. Town council wants to reduce the clutter, but also wants to respect the free speech rights of the community. Council is considering new rules that will allow campaign signs during election season, event signs within a day of the event, and ideological signs anytime. It seems like a reasonable balance—allowing the signs but limiting them to a relevant time-frame. Can the town’s regulations distinguish among signs this way?

A recent U.S. Supreme Court decision says no. Such distinctions are unconstitutional content-based regulation of speech.

Of course, someone has to spend the money to litigate it if you really want a governing entity (whether it’s the city or the state) to budge on the rules.

But that doesn’t mean that I can’t like the legislation just for the fact that it applies some consistency to an utter mish-mash of regulations we have across the state.

Gov. Noem Gives Flexibility for Fuel Delivery

 PIERRE, S.D. – Today, in response to the winter storms across South Dakota, Governor Kristi Noem signed Executive Order 2023-01, which declares a state of emergency in South Dakota and exempts deliveries of propane from the United States Department of Transportation’s Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.

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From Twitter:

Mt. Rushmore has been the target of political attacks to change or forget our history. We’re not perfect, but erasing our past won’t make us better.

I introduced the Mt. Rushmore Protection Act to preserve this monument of our nation’s founding & unity. https://t.co/nO8wDRB6bU

— Rep. Dusty Johnson (@RepDustyJohnson) January 19, 2023