After sponsoring a measure to have women who have an abortion charged with murder earlier in the session, State Senator Tom Pischke is strangely pivoting from a controversial choice to protect children to not wanting to support them. Even after he found enough money to buy an apartment complex:

Representatives,

I’m asking you to vote NO on HB 1040.

If this bill were to pass, it would increase most child support obligations by 10%.   This increase hurts Non-Custodial Parents and their ability to be involved in their child(ren)’s lives as it puts an increased financial burden on them.

Please keep in mind, the Child Support Commission had multiple meetings this past summer and allow for public comments at each of them and allowed the public to email comments to them.  THERE WAS NOT ONE PUBLIC COMMENT ASKING FOR INCREASED OBLIGATIONS!!!!

The obligations for child support are already baked into the system and should not be increased.  As the parents make more money, the obligations amounts are already increase.  By passing HB 1040, your making the system even worse.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE…. Think about what you’re doing and fully understand how the child support system works before voting YES.

Child support should be used to keep single parents off Government assistance, not a wealth redistribution system and certainly not as a weapon to get back at your ex spouse.

Please vote NO.

Senator Tom Pischke
SD Senate – District 25
Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee – Chair
Senate State Affairs Committee
Senate Judiciary Committee
Senate Legislative Procedures Committee
Cell: 605-999-2948
Email 1: tom.pischke@sdlegislature.gov
Email 2: tompischke@hotmail.com

I hardly think the person who decided to become a property investor and bought an apartment complex is the one legislators should listen to regarding whether or not children of divorce need a long-overdue increase in what’s paid to support their care.

Or that Child support is somehow “a wealth redistribution system or a weapon to get back at your ex-spouse.”

The hyperscale data center that hosts Dakotawarcollege.com located in Salt Lake City apparently needed to swap out some batteries. So nearly 6 hours later, I’m finally back up and running.   Good gosh. It’s about time. I was experiencing withdrawals.

Do you remember the 2021 Anti-Thune event from a couple of years back, where a group of anti-Thune trolls had an event under the picnic shelter in falls park to have what they claimed would be a big rally to find a candidate to run against the Senator?

For an event they had months to prep for, it seems to have been a complete flop.

When Julie Korth, leader of the “Primary John Thune Facebook Group” spent weeks calling for her fellow facebook warriors, q-anon followers, and meme consumers to show up in Sioux Falls at the farmer’s market picnic shelter for a free event with their announced US Senate candidate and an out of state speaker they recruited in a show of force for their political movement.. this is what they ended up with:

Er.. yeah.

Read that here.

That was the event that went over like flatulence in the wind, and featured Bruce Whalen, whom caught COVID at the event, and was ultimately recruited by the group to run against Senator Thune.  As pictured above, their featured speaker at the event was Scott Presler, whose claim to fame is that he was one of the leaders of Gays for Trump.

Why do I bring this up? Because Presler is going on Fox News and social media, apparently threatening to come back to South Dakota if Senator Thune does not bring a vote on the SAVE Act.. which Senator Thune has already promised to do. But if our Senate Majority Leader doesn’t do things exactly as Presler wants.. he’s coming in March – Back to South Dakota – for a rally.

Well, good luck with that. Has he looked at the line up of candidates on the primary ballot? Who does he expect to be at events with? Justin McNeal?  Given the last time Scott Presler was here, maybe they’ll once again manage to put together a couple dozen people.

Is it me, or does the caliber of VIP’s coming to South Dakota for political rallies leave a lot to be desired lately?

I seem to remember several weeks back when Shad Olson completed an on-line anger management course to keep himself out of jail after a warrant was issued for his not appearing to comply with the terms of his sentence. If you recall the whole pleading no contest for domestic abuse thing:

According to Katie Hoffman posting on the Patriot Papers facebook website today,  I get the impression that Shad’s on-line course he took on “Anger Management: Mastering Emotional Balance” might not have left him with adequate anger management tools:

Go read the entire post here.

I know Katie and I probably don’t agree on a great many topics, but I would venture that there’s a meeting of the minds over Shad insinuating he’s ready to shoot someone. And claiming an ‘alleged’ accuracy with a rifle in conjunction with it is a little beyond the pale.   Not sure that claiming that he’ll shoot people in a driveway shows a depth of knowledge about how South Dakota’s Stand Your Ground laws work either.

I also seem to remember that when most people are sentenced for a crime, isn’t the typical thing that most judges tack on to the sentence a line about being a law-abiding citizen?

This might be bumping up against it.

From Facebook, today Jason Green turned in his petitions to challenge Taffy Howard for D34 Senate Seat:

You can follow the campaign here, and donate here to help take back the seat for a pro-South Dakota candidate who wants to grow our state!

Attorney General Jackley Testifies in Opposition To Bill Repealing State’s Death Penalty 

PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley Wednesday testified in opposition to House Bill 1268 which would have repealed capital punishment in South Dakota.

“The death penalty is, and should be, used sparingly in South Dakota and in only the most extreme cases,” said Attorney General Jackley, who has consistently opposed repeal of the death penalty. “The death penalty protects the innocent including citizens, law enforcement officers, correctional officers, and other officers from the most dangerous individuals in our society.“

House Bill 1268 was tabled in the House Judiciary Committee by a vote of 10-1 with two excused.

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Sioux Falls City Council Candidate Oppenheimer submits signatures for June 2nd Ballot

Sioux Falls, SD – February 18, 2026 – Today, James Oppenheimer, candidate for Sioux Falls City Council At-Large, announced that his campaign has successfully collected more than 290 signatures, comfortably surpassing the requirement to appear on the June 2, 2026 ballot.

“We are thrilled to have reached this important milestone,” said Oppenheimer. “Collecting signatures from so many neighbors reflects the enthusiasm and support behind a vision for a more inclusive, collaborative, and forward-looking Sioux Falls. This campaign is powered by everyday people who believe in positive, people-focused leadership.”

“I am truly humbled that so many people have taken the time to sign their names in support. I am ready to bring Positive, Efficient, Transparent, Servant Leadership to City Hall. Let me take care of things like the budget, snow removal, potholes, and city zoning so you do not have to worry about it and you can enjoy living in this great city,” Oppenheimer continued.

Oppenheimer brings a track record of community leadership and nonprofit experience to his campaign. As CEO of the Sioux Falls YMCA and former the Executive Director of the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society and Director of Business Operations at Dakota Alliance Soccer Club, Oppenheimer has led teams of more than 200 people, managed multi-million dollar budgets, and delivered programs serving thousands of children and families each year.

Oppenheimer’s campaign is focused on building a city where families can thrive, with three key priorities:

• Sensible and Balanced Growth – Planning for the future of Sioux Falls in a way that helps families succeed, welcoming growth while protecting what makes our city strong.
• Public Safety – Supporting our first responders and ensuring safe neighborhoods across the city.
• Maintaining and Improving Roads – Investing in infrastructure that keeps Sioux Falls moving and makes daily life easier for families.

For more information, visit www.JamesForSiouxFalls.com.

Gov. Rhoden Thanks Supreme Court for Prompt and Thoughtful Opinion

 PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Larry Rhoden thanked the Supreme Court of South Dakota for its prompt and thoughtful advisory opinion on whether the South Dakota Constitution grants the Lieutenant Governor the authority to cast a vote in the event of a tie.

 “We answer the question submitted by the Governor in the affirmative – the South Dakota Constitution empowers the Lieutenant Governor, while serving as President of the Senate, to cast a tie-breaking vote in the Senate on any matter,” wrote the unanimous Supreme Court of South Dakota. The full opinion can be found here.

 “As elected officials, we have a solemn duty to respect and uphold the Constitution,” said Governor Larry Rhoden. “Thank you to the Supreme Court for providing a quick and diligent constitutional interpretation on this important matter. This opinion brings clarity to the process going forward.”

 Governor Rhoden previously requested this advisory opinion, following a Senate ruling that raised questions on the constitutionality of a tie-breaking vote.

 “As President of the Senate, my priority is to apply the rules fairly,” said Lt. Governor Tony Venhuizen. “I thank Senator Karr for raising this issue, and I thank the Court for quickly answering to bring clarity to this question.”

 The Supreme Court unanimously concluded that the two Constitutional provisions at issue can be harmonized and reasoned:

 “Implicit in the text of Article III, § 18 is the general principle that only members of the Senate may ordinarily vote on the passage of a law. Although the Lieutenant Governor is not an elected member of the Senate, Article IV, § 5 directs that the Lieutenant Governor shall be the President of the Senate and explicitly authorizes the Lieutenant Governor to vote when necessary to break a tie. Article IV, § 5 and Article III, § 18 do not stand in conflict. Instead, the two provisions complement one another.

 “Article III, § 18 describes what is required before a law may be passed—‘assent of a majority of all members elected to each house of the Legislature.’ Article IV, § 5 is more specific and expressly addresses a discrete situation in which a majority vote in the Senate is not obtained due to a tie. Article IV, § 5 resolves this impasse by allowing the Lieutenant Governor to cast a vote, thereby providing a method by which a majority can be obtained. Construing the text of the two relevant constitutional provisions together, we conclude that the Lieutenant Governor may cast a tie-breaking vote on the final passage of a bill. This interpretation gives both provisions effect and meaning.”

 ###

Hot off the press. The South Dakota Supreme Court sends the South Dakota State Senate back for a civics lesson, as they unanimously rule that the Lt. Governor is allowed to break ties in the Senate.

UJS Break Ties by Pat Powers

February 9-15, 2026

Welcome back to the Weekly Round[s] Up. It was another great week in DC because our office was full of South Dakotans again. I always appreciate it when folks make the trip to D.C. to share their perspectives on the issues that matter most to our state. In addition to these meetings, I attended several briefings, participated in a hearing and voted on President Trump’s nominees, a resolution to overturn a DC tax provision and a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill.

While we’d hoped to pass funding for DHS through the end of the fiscal year, Senate Democrats rejected it, opting to instead shut down the entire department. This means that Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the Coast Guard and other critical national security operations will go without funding until a DHS funding bill is signed into law. More on this and the rest of my week in the Weekly Round[s] Up:

South Dakota groups I visited with: Kevin Robling, Secretary of the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks; Ryman LeBeau, Chairman of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe; President Frank Star Comes Out of the Oglala Sioux Tribe and Kathleen Wooden Knife, Chairwoman of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe; South Dakotans with Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy; South Dakota Principals with National School Leadership; South Dakota representatives and athletes with the Special Olympics; Community HealthCare Association of the Dakotas; South Dakota Education Association; South Dakotans with the American Institute of Architects; and representatives from the Indian Gaming Association.

Met with South Dakotans from: Beresford, Brandon, Harrisburg, Martin, Pierre, Sioux Falls and Spearfish.

Other meetings: Alzheimer’s Association; enCore Energy; and a Banking Member Meeting with Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic.

Additionally, this week I received a 100% Action Award from the Family Research Council in recognition for defending South Dakota family values and supporting commonsense legislation to protect life at all stages.

Hearings: On Thursday I attended a Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee hearing on “Oversight of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.” You can watch me question Paul Atkins, Chairman of U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, here.

Briefings: I attended two classified briefings with the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence as well as two classified briefings with the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Senate Bible Study: On Tuesday this week, I attended Senate Bible Study hosted by Senator Tedd Budd from North Carolina. Our Bible study was on the topic of evangelism and the important call to share the gospel with those around us.

Votes taken: 6 – This week I voted on multiple different items. To begin, I voted Yea for Daniel E. Burrows, of Colorado, to be an Assistant Attorney General. Then I voted Nay on IRS Notice on Corporate AMT CRA and Yea for the D.C. Tax Disapproval Resolution. Additionally, funding for the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026 was on the table. I voted Yea on the legislation to fund critical agencies like FEMA, TSA, the Coast Guard and cyber defenses. Without support from Senate Democrats, this legislation did not pass and has now put us in a partial government shutdown. While Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) falls under DHS, they were provided with funding through the reconciliation bill that passed this summer to continue enforcing our immigration laws. Due to the nature of DHS operations, approximately 92 percent of the workforce is classified as essential. As a result, under this DHS appropriations lapse forced by Congressional Democrats, frontline personnel will once again be required to report to duty without pay for the second time this fiscal year.

My Staff in South Dakota visited: Hot Springs.

Steps taken: 60,453 steps or 28.6 miles.

Video of the Week: On Thursday morning, I went on KELO radio and spoke with Greg Belfrage about the SAVE America Act. Click the link to listen!