In yesterday’s print edition of the Black Hills Pioneer, the newspaper published an unscientific survey of their readers on a number of races, including the top three on the ticket. The respondents came in pretty strongly, selecting US Senator John Thune over Bruce Whalen in a vote of 83-20, Dusty Johnson over Taffy Howard 77-41, and similarly Governor Kristi Noem blows the doors off of Steve Haugaard in the race to the second floor:Whoof. This might not be the night for the Haugaard consolation party to be a dry event.
Today’s election may go down as one of the wildest primaries in Republican annals with unprecedented levels of spending at the State Legislative level.
Sure, there were various factions in-state that pushed forward their own candidates. But what came as an utter shock was the level of money that out-of-state groups pumped into the State Legislative process. But one special interest group in particular dumped massive amounts of cash into the elections, and often on issues that had nothing to do with their issues, but with a goal in mind of ridding themselves of what they viewed as someone unsympathetic to their cause.
As one reader was kind enough to do the legwork, his research noted that the Convention of States made an unprecedented assault on the Republican Primary in order to try to buy their way into a legislature more pliable to their cause.
What did this mailer have to do with the convention of states? Nothing. Except they paid for it.
After a bit more digging into the funding of these various attacks, based on some filings of “Communications Statements” in South Dakota, and based on the data summarized below and in detail in the attached reports, I think we can safely say that the Convention of States Project, after being unsuccessful in swaying the Legislature in SD (their application failed 10 times in 9 years) through various lobbying efforts and marketing claims about their proposal for having a first-ever Convention process initiated for changing the US Constitution, has now resorted to and invested heavily in the “stick” approach to getting the votes they want to trigger such a convention. Namely, trying to eliminate their opponents politically. Plus they’re not very familiar with South Dakota.
What did this have to do with convention of states? Not a thing, except a dirty attack to try to take out a popular political figure.
5-18-2022 (Mailers opposing Johnson, Schoenbeck, Duvall, and “Reid” –should be “Reed”) $27,191
5-5-2022 (Radio Ads opposing Johnson, Schoenbeck, Duvall and “Reid”) $40,848
5-6-2022 (Radio Ad production against Johnson, Schoenbeck, Duvall, and “Reid”) $3,225
5-20-2022 (Radio Production and Mailers supporting primary opponents of Johnson, Schoenbeck, Duvall and “Reid”, plus mailers, digital cable ads, polling, and video production to oppose Johnson, Schoenbeck, Duvall, and “Reid”) $121,701.25
5-24-2022 (Digital, TV, Radio, mailers opposing Johnson, Schoenbeck; Reed just gets attack mailers and Duvall gets attack radio and mailers) Note: $8,516.44 spent on mailers noted for supporting “Matt Windshitl” of SD-36 should indicate an unfamiliarity with South Dakota. There is no Dist. 36, and Windshitl –rather unfortunate name– is from Iowa. Total SD Legislator Spending: $87,742.79
Grand Total of “Communications” expenditures from Convention of States Political Fund: $317,062.04
That’s about $80,000 each to get rid of four State Senate candidates. And the ads seem to not even mention amending the US Constitution, which is what COS is about.
Add to that the $21,750 in Convention of States South Dakota PAC direct contributions to legislative candidates ($10K of which came from COS Action, and $10K from some guy in Texas) and you have Convention of States pouring in $338,812.04 –Over a third of a Million Dollars!– into a state of about 840K people with one congressional district to change the legislative districts’ representation to changed the US Constitution.
Plus, the reports note that Convention of States Political Fund is headquartered in DC 3 blocks from the US Capitol at 500 New Jersey Ave., NW, Washington, DC
–bypassing Congress? Who is funding “COS Political Fund?” Who designed the postcards? Why do super-wealthy people from out of state want to change the US Constitution. What do they anticipate as a return on their investment?
Note: this does not include the $27,191.42 US Term Limits spent on Postcards trying to influence legislative races to try and get more legislators in SD who would support the USTL application for an Article V Constitutional Convention. USTL is out of Florida.
And the return address to the mailers is at this other fancy office building below in Phoenix 4600 E Washington St, Ste. 300, Phoenix, AZ (return address of attack postcards)
But apparently the $1K check Mark Willadsen got for his campaign (and later returned after seeing the attack ads) came from Convention of States South Dakota PAC with a return address of 9365 Counselors Row, Ste. 200, Indianapolis, IN FYI, Mark Meckler, President, Co-Founder, and CEO of Convention of States Project, claims the organization is headquartered out of his house outside of Austin, TX. However, the address for COSP per the website is the office building below in Houston, TX. And, per IRS 990 forms from 2018-2020 filed by COS Action, Meckler and family brought in over $1.3 M to their household (about 7% of gross receipts) over those 3 years. Average major donation to COS Action for those years was over $81K, comprising 54% of total donations. Obviously not a “Mom and Pop” operation out of one’s living room, basement, or garage. Nor are most donations from what one would call “average-income” Americans.
Perhaps your readers will find some of this information valuable. It seems the whole dispute over whether to have a “Convention of States” AKA Article V Constitutional Convention, has been taken to a whole new level in South Dakota.
We will know by tonight’s results, but in many of the races, the activities of the Convention of States group are not likely to have the effect they’re hoping on the composition of the state legislature.
If anything, I suspect it may have the opposite.
In speaking with several legislators, they had previously looked at the groups’ lobbying efforts not much differently than any other lobbying groups’. But with their somewhat questionable tactics and massive amount of spending, they’ve managed to garner a whole new level of attention from the State Legislature. This next session, I’d look for a couple of things to come about.
First, there are already calls for more disclosure in campaign finance for out-of-state groups pouring money into the state, as a result of this group trying to buy their way to the legislature they wanted.
Second, and more importantly, as a result of their tactics I have the distinct impression that the Convention of States will not find a very friendly legislature this next session.
In fact, I suspect their legislation will be DOA in South Dakota for quite some time to come.
Had a few minutes from being miserable from my cold to post some of the postcards in the mail this weekend.
And I am freaking miserable, so I went in and got tested. It’s not covid. It’s not strep throat. It’s not the flu. It’s something “viral,” so this weekend has been a waste for me, aside from a few moments of energy where I’m getting up and posting. Ugh.
Anyway, postcards.. here’s what I’ve got..
Ron Moeller in D31 sent this over, noting his endorsement from General Michael Flynn. Not sure if that’s an ad or a card..
In this card from Dusty Johnson’s campaign, everyone is looking for Taffy Howard, because of her propensity to not show up in the Legislature 14% of the time. And she should very deservedly take a hit on this.
On a more positive note, Taylor Rehfeldt is out with a biographical piece about her background, her family, and her issues in a re-election appeal..
Bryan Breitling in District 23 Senate is out in a positive piece this weekend talking about issues..
District 7 Republican House hopeful Roger DeGroot hits on a few issues in his pursuit of the office..
And for the same office, South Dakota Strong takes another run at D7 House hopeful Doug Post’s record in the legislature.
Rising Temperatures, Rising Prices By Sen. John Thune
I think it’s fair to say that in South Dakota, the unofficial start of summer begins when the temperature hits – and stays – over 65 degrees … give or take. It’s been another long winter and spring, and I think we are all looking forward to some warmer, sunnier days. Few things can top summers in South Dakota, and some of my fondest childhood memories are from our summer road trips to the Black Hills. We’re blessed to call South Dakota home, and South Dakotans quickly win the hearts of all who travel to the state. We are home to the Corn Palace, the Missouri River, the Badlands, Wall Drug, the Black Hills, the Crazy Horse Memorial, Mount Rushmore, and more. As they say, there is something for everyone.
With the school year officially wrapped up, families are not only starting to fine-tune their summer schedules, but they’re having to revisit their budgets, too. Everything from sports camps, summer school, carpool duty, road trips, and nearly everything else in between – whatever keeps the kids busy – may cost more this summer due to rising gas prices and soaring inflation. For lots of folks, a summer road trip is a no-brainer, but the price hikes hitting Americans threaten to shorten plans or keep travelers home altogether. As I travel throughout the state, I continue to hear from South Dakotans who tell me about the tremendous toll these high fuel costs have on their household budgets.
The national average for a gallon of gas leapt over $4 in May and seems to climb higher each day. In fact, the national average for a gallon of gas is double what it was the day President Biden took his oath of office in January 2021. Heading into peak travel season, this means families are reprioritizing their spending and having to make tough decisions on whether or not they can afford to spend the day driving through the Badlands or having enough groceries to get through the week.
I am frequently asked what can be done to lower these egregious fuel costs. The short answer: an all-of-the-above energy strategy. Since taking office, President Biden has pursued a radical agenda that is hostile to conventional energy. The president cancelled the Keystone XL pipeline on his first day in office and he almost immediately froze new oil and gas leases on federal lands – sending a clear signal to oil and gas producers that his administration would be reluctant to work with them to increase American energy production. As we are seeing now, the only effect of curbing conventional energy production is to either force Americans to pay more for their energy or rely more on foreign sources for oil, like the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. The more we rely on energy from abroad, the more vulnerable Americans are to energy price spikes and global shortages.
The ongoing energy crisis hasn’t spurred the Biden administration to take action beyond raiding our Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which only minimally stunted rising prices. However, I am pleased that the administration recently permitted the summertime sale of E15 fuel, which went into effect on June 1. I have long advocated for the year-round sale of E15 as a way to offer American drivers a more affordable and cleaner option at the gas pump. Earlier this year, I led a bipartisan letter to the president calling for this very policy. It’s a step in the right direction, but President Biden needs to get serious about leveraging all American energy solutions. Failure to take meaningful action to reverse rising energy prices will cast a long shadow over the summer and our economy.
As families all across the country have to dig deeper into their pocketbooks in order to fill up their tanks and make ends meet, I will continue to press the administration to abandon its failed energy policies and put our country back on track to restore our energy security.
It Tolls for Thee By Rep. Dusty Johnson June 3, 2022
On Monday, I was honored to provide some remarks at the Sioux Falls Memorial Day commemoration. Memorial Day rightfully honors those who have died in service to their country, acknowledging their tremendous sacrifice.
But as I thought about those who have died, I reflected upon those they left behind. Each of them had families, friends, and neighbors. Death imposed a terrible price on the patriots who died, but not just on them.
“For Whom the Bell Tolls,” the 1940 novel by Ernest Hemingway, popularized the phrase “Ask not for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.” That line is often interpreted to mean that sooner or later death comes for us all. That’s true, but it isn’t what Hemingway meant. Instead, Hemingway was reminding us that because we are interconnected to one another, the death of any of us harms all of us.
The death of each of our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines leaves a hole that lasts for decades. There are Little League players they’ll never get to coach, church choirs they’ll never sing with, the girl or boy next door they’ll never marry, and the new hire at the office or factory they’ll never take under their wing. There are thousands of contributions, large and small, that their death denies to them, and to us.
The fallen men and women in uniform weren’t just war fighters or leaders-in-theater. They were also to be the leaders of so many neighborhoods here at home.
On Monday, when “Taps” played at the ceremony, I let it call to mind those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. But I also let it call to mind the countless families, worksites, churches, and communities diminished by those deaths. Our nation was made stronger by the service of those who died, but their absence leaves gaps that are hard to fill.
Ask not for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for all of us.
What Happened to America? By Governor Kristi Noem June 3, 2022
What happened to America? That’s the question that’s been on my mind.
Before the pandemic struck, America was experiencing a resurgence in global economic and political strength that hadn’t been seen since World War II. We had the lowest unemployment rate in more than 50 years – including record-high employment rates for Black and Hispanic Americans. We became the global leader in energy production. We were the third-largest exporter of cars and the second-largest producer of auto parts. It’s simple – we were putting America first.
Today, gas prices are surging, energy production has plummeted, and car dealerships are buying back two-year-old cars to keep their inventory stocked. The president is begging foreign companies to sell us oil and gas. Shutting down the world economy splintered the supply chain, too. And the Biden Administration’s spending policies have caused historic inflation, crushing the modern family.
Not only are we depending on other countries for oil production, but we’re also depending on them for our food supply. European countries are providing life-sustaining baby formula for America’s infants. Two of the four mega-beef packers are Brazilian-owned companies. China is buying up land and our chemical companies, and they’re producing our fertilizer.
What happened? Where did it all go so horribly wrong?
For starters, governments in other states jumped at the chance to seize power and crippled state and local economies. Then there was a change in leadership in Washington, D.C. On President Biden’s first day in office, thousands of South Dakotans and others working on the Keystone XL pipeline had their jobs taken away by the stroke of Biden’s pen. The damage didn’t stop there, either.
The curtailing of domestic drilling further hindered our energy dominance. Biden’s restrictions on timber are directly affecting West River jobs and sawmills and causing a cascading effect on the rising cost of home construction – another pain point driving historic inflation.
Despite all this, South Dakota is continuing to push back and provide solutions to stop these conditions from eroding or erasing our state’s economic gains.
Over the past two years, South Dakotans’ personal income has grown more than in any other state. During the pandemic, I fought to keep businesses open. That kept our economy rolling. We kept our citizens working, avoiding the catastrophic workforce issues other states are facing.
In the process, we made South Dakota one of the top tourist destinations in the country. Unlike other states, we did such a great job promoting South Dakota – and our dedication to freedom – that we’re seeing hundreds of businesses move here. That created even more demand for skilled workers, which is raising wages.
Last month, I joined other governors to call for fewer restrictions on ethanol production to slow the increase in gas prices. I have also joined nearly two dozen governors in pushing back against the Biden Administration’s anti-American approach to energy. South Dakota gave out grant funding to small- and medium-sized meat processors to provide more competitive market options for our Stockgrowers. Last week, I announced that we are investing in apprenticeship startups to get more companies training their next generation of employees straight out of high school and college.
In the last three years, we have increased funding to help our working moms and young families get a better start in life. This includes expanding the Bright Start program from a small pilot program to a statewide initiative to help new moms get training and assistance to raise a strong family. And we’ve put more funding towards mental health, including regional mental health centers so that South Dakotans in crisis can get the care they need close to home.
America used to pride itself on being a global leader. Other nations looked to us to solve problems. Through our efforts, we lifted entire generations out of poverty across the world by laying the foundation for industry in developing nations.
Maybe it’s time we put some of those practices back to work here at home. It’s working for South Dakota. I know by working together, we can restore the American spirit of innovation across the country. We can put America first, again, which will benefit South Dakota families.
There was a post today on the Primary Dusty Johnson Facebook group which found its way to me, where Taffy Howard’s sister notes something that may be a problem:
So, who cares that Taffy’s sister wants to get signs posted around a polling station? Well, nobody, but there was a tidbit in that passage that might indicate a problem..
“I’m working a polling station as a deputy, so I’m unable to plant them.”
Interesting.
Did you know that South Dakota State Law says you can’t serve on an election board when you’re related to a candidate on the ballot for that precinct?
12-15-14.3. Certain relatives of candidates prohibited from serving on election and counting boards. No person may serve on an election or counting board who is a candidate or related by blood or marriage within the second degree to a candidate who is on the ballot in that precinct.
Someone probably needs to send a note to the Lincoln County Auditor that one of their workers for Precinct Sioux Falls 2-13 may have some qualification issues.
On Tuesday, voters will have the opportunity to put the same requirements on ballot measures that would raise our taxes as tax measures face in the South Dakota State Legislature. Amendment C would place a higher vote threshold on passage of such measures, and is supported by the South Dakota Republican Party. Check it out:
And make sure you vote YES on Amendment C this coming Tuesday.
Whoof. This might not be the night for the Haugaard consolation party to be a dry event.
