Received this letter in the mail this last weekend from the Dave Natvig for AG campaign, so I’m sharing for your consideration:

The South Dakota Fraternal Order of Police issued an endorsement (via the Marty Jackley facebook page) endorsing the former Attorney General to return to the job:

In the middle of moving kids in and out, and across the country over the past couple of weeks, I got a call this morning that my 1889 Pierre for Capital broadside was finally done at the framing shop. One quick trip to Sioux Falls later, and I’ve got it up on the wall as the centerpiece of my collection.

Dang. That’s just nice.   Only issue now is that I need to go to Walmart and buy a pile of command strips so I can reset everything, and get the items back on the wall that I had to pull down to make room.

District 30 election recount schedule, impeachment, GOP Convention and more
by Rep. Tim Goodwin

Greetings!  It’s official.  The recount for District 30 Senate race is as follows: Pennington County Monday, June 27^th at 9am; Custer County Monday, June 27^th at 2pm; Fall River County Tuesday, June 28^th at 9am. All recounts are held at the respective county courthouses with the Auditor’s Office in charge.  All are open to the public.

Also, the property tax summer study is having its first meeting at 10am on June 27^th in room 362 in the State Capitol.

Working backwards chronologically, we are gaveling in at 10am Tuesday, June 21^st in the House of Representatives for a Special Session regarding the impeachment trial of our Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg (pronounced rounsborg).  The Attorney General was impeached on April 12, 2022, by the House of Representatives.  Now the Senate conducts the trial scheduled for June 21 and 22.

This is unprecedented ground as a State Constitutional Officer hasn’t been impeached since statehood November 2^nd of 1889.  The Senate’s job is to conduct the trial to determine if the AG is guilty of the articles of impeachment.  If the Senate decides that he is guilty, then their next job is to pass punishment which could include removal from office.  Since the impeachment, Attorney General Rovnsborg has been suspended from his official duties.

Another event happening soon is the State Republican Convention held this year in Watertown.  The dates are June 23 through 25.  The highlights of the convention will be selection of the Constitutional Officers to be on the ballot in the General Election held November 8, 2022.  There are two hotly contended races among the Republicans.  First is the Attorney General’s race.  Previous Attorney General Marty Jackley is running against David Natvig, the current Director of South Dakota’s Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI).  The other race is our current Secretary of State Steve Barnett running against Monae Johnson from Rapid City who has worked in the Secretary of State’s office in the past.

The rest of the Constitutional Officers include Lieutenant Governor Larry Rhoden, State Treasurer Josh Haeder, Auditor Rich Sattgast, and Public Utilities Commissioner Chris Nelson.  These each look to be unchallenged.  The remaining Constitutional Officer post is School and Public Lands Commissioner.  Ryan Brunner has served two terms, so is ineligible for re-election.  State Senator Brock Greenfield looks to be the only candidate who is currently running for that post.

Remember, at the State Convention only the delegates are eligible to vote, and they have to be present to vote, meaning no phone-ins or proxy voting.  I will keep you posted!

To the citizens of South Dakota and to the men and women in uniform, in honor of all who served, in respectful memory of all who fell, and in great appreciation to those who serve today, Thank You, for giving me the opportunity to represent you.

Tim R. Goodwin, District 30 Representative and candidate for Senate
Tim.goodwin@sdlegislature.gov

Impeachment is on the agenda this week, as most Senators plan on coming to Pierre for the hearing. I have heard that Julie Frye Mueller is not going to be there as a result of the death of her brother-in-law, but otherwise, most should be participating in this historic proceeding that our state has never faced before.

Senators will have limited passes for the gallery, as they are treating it much like proceedings in Congress or other legislatures, as you can note from this tweet from the Argus’ Joe Sneve..

Seating will be limited in the Senate gallery for the Ravnsborg impeachment trial. So these are being distributed ahead of Tuesday and Wednesday’s proceedings. pic.twitter.com/WNNTtUs3Kn

— Joe Sneve (@Argus_Joe) June 17, 2022

Most hope they can be completed in 2 days, but there are thoughts it could run into Thursday, which would place it right on top of the start of the Republican State Convention.

This is going to be a historic week in South Dakota. Keep on watching.

Record-high inflation and supply chain bottlenecks are driving up prices and hitting South Dakota’s economy particularly hard. While it’s true that supply chain issues and the reopening of economies after COVID shutdowns contributed somewhat to inflationary pressures, a big reason for our current inflation crisis is too much spending on Democrat priorities in Washington. Unfortunately, there is no easy fix for the inflation crisis, but, in addition to stopping wasteful and unnecessary spending, there are actions we can take to lessen the blow.

For more than a year now, foreign-flagged ocean carriers have been playing games with American agriculture exports. Businesses from Strider Bikes in Rapid City to Valley Queen Cheese in Milbank have been experiencing port delays, equipment access issues, and declined bookings for months. These delays have a significantly negative impact on our state’s economy. Last year, more than 2 million pounds of South Dakota lactose was sold and ready to ship, but it sat for months in Valley Queen’s warehouse waiting for an empty container to become available. On top of that, the National Milk Producers Federation estimates that export supply chain challenges cost the U.S. dairy sector nearly $1 billion in the first six months of 2021.

South Dakota farmers and ranchers feed and fuel the world, and consumers and businesses look to them for in-demand agricultural goods. American manufacturers support many of the essential parts and products that fill our homes, businesses, and store shelves. In the last two years, agricultural exporters lost at least 22 percent of foreign sales, yet carriers continue to report record profits, bringing in two-or-three-times the revenue they predicted. Many ag exporters in the state have also been dealing with increased costs to ship goods overseas and the effects of shipping container delays and cancelations. South Dakota businesses – especially small businesses, which have fewer resources to fight supply chain problems – are also struggling to meet the demands of their customers.

After unanimously passing in the U.S. Senate, our bipartisan, bicameral Ocean Shipping Reform Act made its way through the U.S. House of Representatives where it recently passed with strong, bipartisan support. With the help of U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and U.S. Rep. John Garamendi (D-Calif.), our critical legislation that will help ease supply chain pressures, particularly at our nation’s ports, is now the law of the land.

The Ocean Shipping Reform Act is the strongest fix to our maritime laws in a generation. The legislation will strengthen the authority of the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) by providing it with new tools to help level the playing field for American exporters and counteract anticompetitive behavior. The bill will also help FMC more efficiently resolve disputes between ocean carriers and shippers, while also taking actions at the U.S. Department of Transportation to alleviate strain across the supply chain.

Our legislation will help ease supply chain pressures by addressing unfair ocean carrier practices, speeding up the resolution of disputes over carrier fees, and improving the movement of goods at our nation’s ports. It won’t solve our nation’s inflation crisis, but it should help make life easier for U.S. exporters, importers, and consumers alike. Our bill isn’t a silver bullet, but help is on the way.

Finding common ground in Washington is no easy feat, and we are grateful that the House and Senate came to an agreement on these important reforms to our nation’s shipping laws. The Ocean Shipping Reform Act proves that Congress can still do big things in a bipartisan way. We are proud to show that South Dakotans know how to work across the aisle and deliver meaningful results for our country at a time when we need it the most.

###

Family is important. President Ronald Reagan once said, “if the family goes, so goes our civilization.”   

While our society has changed greatly since President Reagan spoke these words, kids still need a father in their lives. There is more than one path to fatherhood. There’s one I would like to highlight this Father’s Day weekend: Foster Fathers.  

Last year, Governor Noem created a new initiative called Stronger Families Together and set a goal of enrolling 300 new foster families every year for five years. The Stronger Families initiative was successful in reaching its goal in our first year, and I am proud to be a part of it.  

I want to thank all the families who have stepped up to provide this support for children and families in crisis. As the Bible says, “Iron sharpens iron.” Foster families do this by providing additional support and encouragement to the parents of the children they are fostering. They provide a safe, loving home for kids to live in while their birth parents work through their struggles. Sometimes, foster families become that forever home for the kids they help.   

Whether you’re a dad, a stepdad, a foster dad, an adopted dad, or even just a father figure in a child’s life, you are providing something that our children cannot buy. You are a protector, a mentor, a disciplinarian, a source of comfort, and whenever called upon, a friendly ear to listen. Their tiny feet find their way through the world by following your footsteps.   

My wife Sandy and I have worked hard as parents, raising our kids to be strong and successful. They are taking those lessons now and applying them to their own families. Just this week, Sandy and I were blessed with our sixth grandchild – a baby girl. There’s nothing more amazing than the day you get promoted to grandpa.    

My father was my hero when I was growing up. If on the day I die, my children have half as much respect and admiration for me as I did for my father, I will consider life a success. For those new fathers who may be short on experience, here are a few quotes from inspiring Americans on what it means to be a father:  

“My father used to say that it’s never too late to do anything you want to do. And he said, ‘You never know what you can accomplish until you try.’” — Michael Jordan  

“The greatest tribute a boy can give to his father is to say, ‘When I group up, I want to be just like my dad.’” — Billy Graham  

Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there. May God bless you and your families.  

### 

Great mail day today for me. Not only did I pick up a couple of pins from Bryce Healy (a 3in McGovern pin, and a George Cunningham for US Senate pin), I picked up a great example of a very rare pin I did some horse trading for:

I traded one of my two “one of a kind” Taft Day – Edgemont, SD Ribbons for it, and I think we’re both pretty happy.

It’s in the “top ten” of South Dakota/presidential pins for values realized and has gone for as much as $250, according to Anderson Auction, one of the mainstay sources of political collectibles. Although, many collectors peg it closer to $125-150.

This pin was issued in 1908 in every state at the time for the purpose of organizing those who had voted for the first time, as noted in this article from 1908 in Idaho:

The South Dakota versions of Presidential items can tend to be rare, because they just didn’t/don’t make as many for our sparsely populated states in comparison to a New York or Illinois. And especially in this era, political pins were still somewhat new at the early part of the 20th century, as opposed to ribbons which had been around for a while at the time.

A great addition to the collection.

 

Thune: Rural Communities Must Have Access to Quality, High-Speed Internet    

“I will continue to work to support every side of the 5G equation – from physical technology to spectrum to a 5G workforce – so that the United States can stay at the forefront of this internet revolution.”

Click here or on the picture above to watch the video.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), ranking member of the Subcommittee on Communications, Media, and Broadband, today spoke on the Senate floor about his efforts to ensure rural communities in South Dakota have access to broadband services. Thune discussed his Reforming Broadband Connectivity Act, legislation that would help guarantee a stable funding stream for the Federal Communications Commission’s Universal Service Fund, which promotes universal access to broadband and other telecommunications services. Thune also noted that his STREAMLINE  Act would make it more affordable to bring 5G to rural areas by addressing the costs of small cell deployment.

Last week, the communications subcommittee held an oversight hearing on the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), one of the leading agencies charged with expanding rural broadband access and promoting wireless access. During that hearing, Thune pressed NTIA Assistant Secretary Alan Davidson on removing unnecessary burdensome requirements when distributing broadband funding.

I received a letter in the mail today from Secretary of State candidate Monae Johnson, where she explained her platform as a candidate for Secretary of State. Unfortunately, I’m not getting the impression that she researched the issues she’s running on very well, because one of the major parts of her platform she’s running on has been held as being unconstitutional:

Johnson throws out the canard that “Residency requirements should be tightened so that non-South Dakotans cannot register to vote using campgrounds, mail forwarding services or businesses like Walmart as their residential addresses.”

Ugh. The problem with her platform of disenfranchising a group of people because they might travel in RV’s? It might be a trendy talking point for the “my pillow” crowd, but in her quest to strip voting rights from a group of people, she doesn’t note that it has been tried before. And courts had held that you can’t do that.

I’d written about this topic back in 2016, and the same ruling from the US Supreme Court is still out there, last I’d checked, as per Dunn v. Blumstein:

Durational residence requirements completely bar from voting all residents not meeting the fixed durational standards. By denying some citizens the right to vote, such laws deprive them of ” `a fundamental political right, . . . preservative of all rights.

and…

This exacting test is appropriate for another reason, never considered in Drueding: Tennessee’s durational residence laws classify bona fide residents on the basis of recent travel, penalizing those persons, and only those persons, who have gone from one jurisdiction to another during the qualifying period. Thus, the durational residence requirement directly impinges on the exercise of a second fundamental personal right, the right to travel.

“[F]reedom to travel throughout the United States has long been recognized as a basic right under the Constitution.”

and…

In sum, durational residence laws must be measured by a strict equal protection test: they are unconstitutional unless the State can demonstrate that such laws are “necessary to promote a compelling governmental interest.

and…

Preservation of the “purity of the ballot box” is a formidable-sounding state interest. The impurities feared, variously called “dual voting” and “colonization,” all involve voting by nonresidents, either singly or in groups. The main concern is that nonresidents will temporarily invade the State or county, falsely swear that they are residents to become eligible to vote, and, by voting, allow a candidate to win by fraud. Surely the prevention of such fraud is a legitimate and compelling government goal. But it is impossible to view durational residence requirements as necessary to achieve that state interest.

Read it all here.

The effort to preserve the “purity of the ballot box” by keeping those RV residents out has been attempted, and declared out of bounds by the US Supreme Court.  There are also those who consider these requirements to be violative of the equal protection clause.

There’s also the question of why on earth we would want to bar people from establishing residency in this state? If people who travel the country want to establish their home base here, pay license registration fees here, get a driver’s license here, after we market this state as having no state income tax, and low fees.. why would we then put up an artificial wall and declare we do not want them?

This is just bad policy. And an even worse campaign plank.

If we’re going to send someone to Pierre, it should be someone who speaks to our aspirations. Not on the basis of some ginned up xenophobia to outsiders.