As we move past winter storms (hopefully) and signs of spring begin to pop up, this time of year is often associated with “spring cleaning.”

This year, the list might look something like this:

• Scrub the shower
• Clean out the closets
• De-clutter the drawers
• Part ways with old COVID-19 policies

Over the past several months, I’ve heard from many South Dakotans frustrated with out-of-date one-size-fits-all COVID policies. From the continued extension of masks on planes to the USDA Farm Service Agency and Social Security Administration offices that are still working remote—these policies don’t follow the science.

COVID-19 infection numbers are low nationwide, but there are agencies within the federal government that are still following “work from home” policies that were implemented over 26 months ago – that’s unacceptable.

These COVID-19 policies have affected so many of you—making it more difficult to contact an agency to get help with forms, loans, and taxes. As we approach the Tax Day deadline on Monday, it serves as a reminder of the immense backlog at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

As of January 28, 2022, there were 23.7 million unprocessed tax returns and correspondence filed in 2021 and 2022. The IRS remote work has made it virtually impossible for taxpayers to talk to a representative on the phone, or they experience long wait times if the call is even connected. If you’re facing an issue with the IRS, please connect with a caseworker in my Sioux Falls, Rapid City, or Aberdeen office.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel. The IRS recently announced they will be fully back in the office by the end of June. Last week, the Social Security Administration offices resumed in-person services for 98% of its offices for the first time since March 2020. I’m sure we are all relieved to see some agencies part ways with COVID-19 policies and return to the office, as these programs and services are best rendered in-person.

However, if you call USDA FSA offices you get a voicemail that says they are not accepting visitors because of COVID-19. I don’t think our South Dakota FSA offices want to be operating at a limited capacity – many of these policies come from the top in Washington. The primary job of an FSA office is to serve our farmers – how can they do so effectively if they are closed? Every day on the farm is different, and the unexpected will always come up. South Dakotans deserve better. These old COVID-19 policies have got to go.

Everywhere we turn, we see symbols of renewal and rebirth. Spring snows blanket Custer State Park while buffalo calves are being born on the prairie. Elsewhere, the snow has turned to rain showers — a blessing to all, especially our farmers preparing the fields for spring planting.

This Easter weekend, regardless of the weather, churches across our great state will be filled with celebrations for Jesus’ resurrection. We celebrate his sacrifice for our sins so that one day we all may enjoy the promise of everlasting life. Unfortunately, the promise of life on Earth is not so simple.

The Founders of this great nation understood that God endowed us all with certain rights that cannot be taken or given away. Risking their own lives in defiance of King George, 56 patriots boldly declared the unalienable rights to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Thomas Jefferson, who wrote those words, also said “the care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only object of good government.”

And yet across this country, many hold up abortion as an essential right, ignoring the inherent right to life of those unborn children. Those voices, though present, don’t echo as loudly here. South Dakota is a Pro-Life state.

It’s one of the few issues where there have been unanimous, bipartisan victories in the legislature on this issue. In 2021, lawmakers banned selective abortions on the basis of a Down syndrome prenatal test. That was a heartwarming moment for me as governor and as a mother. That same year, I signed the Born-Alive Protection Act to ensure that every baby, regardless of the circumstances of their birth, receives the same life-saving treatment when they are brought into this world.

In the last four years, I have signed more than a dozen new laws protecting life in South Dakota. I was the first governor in the nation to appoint an Unborn Child Advocate in my office. Since then, we’ve defined abortion in statute, criminalized causing an abortion against a mother’s will, and strengthened reporting requirements. This year, we passed the strongest law in the country banning abortion via telemedicine. We’ve also continued the fight against abortion in federal court.

Last year, I was the lead signee on an important amicus brief in the Dobbs v Jackson case. In that brief, I joined 240 female scholars, professionals, and others in pushing back on the Roe v Wade narrative that women cannot be both mothers and successful career women. Meanwhile, South Dakota continues to protect its pro-life standing, and the lives of mothers and children, in the decade-long legal battle in the case known as Planned Parenthood v Noem.

South Dakota is closer than it has ever been to banning abortion — but the work doesn’t end there.

Since taking office, I have worked hard to support mothers and build stronger families. Two initiatives have seen great success in improving outcomes. This year, I was successful in funding the Bright Start program statewide so we can bring this life-changing program to more communities.

Bright Start helps pregnant mothers, their babies, and their fathers build a stronger family by offering training and services to teach young families how to raise their children in healthy homes and build a strong foundation for their futures.

Another way we are strengthening families is through our Stronger Families Together initiative. This program is making strong progress to reach its goal of enrolling 300 new foster families around the state. We are seeing tremendous success rates for reuniting families that were once in crisis. But there is always more work that can be done.

When we have finally secured the rights to life and liberty, all that is left is the pursuit of happiness. Springtime is a great reminder of how we can all get a fresh start on that pursuit — that includes helping others on their journey.

God bless you all and Happy Easter!

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District 14 State House Candidate is hosting a fundraiser in Sioux Falls on Tuesday, April 19 at the Barrel House in Sioux Falls from 4:30-6:30. They’re bringing in a particularly noteworthy guest of honor, as well as a number of others pitching in for our next State Representative:

With special guest of honor US Senator Mike Rounds, also co-hosting are former First Lady Linda and former Governor Dennis Daugaard. State Treasurer Josh Haeder is on the list, as is Sioux Falls City Councilor Alex Jensen, State Rep. and Tyler’s mom Tamara St. John, Representative Sue Peterson, Senator Maggie Sutton, and former Legislators Mark Mickelson and Deb Soholt.

Check it out!

Senate President Pro Tempore Lee Schoenbeck issued a statement this morning with regards to the process that the State Senate will be following with regards to the guidelines the Senate is following for the impeachment process, and how they intend to do everything in the light of day:

I try and answer all media requests within the bounds that they are appropriate and that I have the time. Hopefully this will assist your readers.

The good news is that South Dakota has no history of impeachment, like Arizona or Illinois, so we don’t have the established rules that they do. The bad news is, that we don’t have established rules like they do. Last year when this first arose, I asked Senator Wheeler to study other states’ rules  and work on a draft. He enlisted retired judges, current Senators, Rusch and Johns to assist him.  This week we took that draft and created a version that we think will work to provide South Dakota with a fair and expedient process. The LRC staff is currently reviewing that work product. When it is in final draft form I will distribute to the entire senate, and make it available to the public. The proposed rules will be reviewed by the Legislative Procedures Committee on April 26^th and the full senate will act on that committee’s work the same day.

I have added both the majority and minority leaders to this email. It is our intent to have this process very transparent. I envision documents posted on line for senators and the public to review in advance. When the rules are “done” (its only a draft until whatever form is adopted by the senate), they will explain it all. 

Lee

What do you think?

As I’ve noted several times, Taffy Howard missed almost 15% of all floor votes during the legislative session during the first quarter of the year. So where was she?

We still have no idea, because by the looks of her FEC report, she certainly wasn’t fundraising.

Taffy Howard 2022 1q FEC by Pat Powers on Scribd

With the primary election less than 60 days away, this was the financial quarter that State Representative Taffy Howard needed to put up some big numbers if she wanted to be taken seriously in her challenge against incumbent Congressman Dusty Johnson.

And she managed to maintain her status in the cheap seats, throwing peanuts at the main attraction hoping to gain his attention. To no avail.

With a burn rate of 52%, Taffy raised $83,954.44 but spent $44,178.75, leaving her with cash on hand of $153,714.97.

Which might give her a mailing, a week or so of commercials on the evening news, and to keep her consultants employed. But little else.

I did see in the report that Carl Perry gave her $100..

..and Stace Nelson donated a trailer worth $1400 for hauling signs, but those pickings are looking kind of slim, especially when she’s running her campaign into the homestretch like a car on half-inflated tires.

She might get down the road a bit, but you know things are definitely going to fail.

Dusty Johnson just put up some very strong fundraising numbers for the first quarter of 2022. Numbers that should give his primary opponent pause:

Dusty Johnson 2022 1q FEC by Pat Powers on Scribd

Our state’s lone Congressman might have to thank his opponent, because it has certainly motivated people to get out their checkbook.

Dusty posted a very impressive $462,158.57 in receipts, against spending of $125,916.08, leaving the congressman with $2,359,132.48 cash on hand to pummel his opponent over the airwaves with this primary election.

What did opponent Taffy Howard do?  Well…

Flags at Half-Staff at State Capitol in Honor of Former State Senator Jim Peterson

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Kristi Noem ordered that flags be flown at half-staff at the State Capitol from sunrise until sunset on Saturday, April 16, in honor of former State Senator James “Jim” Peterson. Peterson served in the State Senate from 2005 to 2010 and from 2015 to 2016, and in the State House of Representatives from 2001 to 2004 and from 2013 to 2014.

Funeral services for Jim will be held on Saturday, April 16, at 2 pm at Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer in Watertown, SD.

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John Thune might be running against the island of misfit toys in the primary. But it has not slowed his fundraising.

Because he put away $1.25 million this quarter, raising his cash on hand to over $16 million.

Seriously, his opponents are little more than jokes at this point…and that’s about all you can say.

I find this a particularly challenging column to write, because I don’t know anyone involved in the GOP who wishes anything ill for Attorney General Ravnsborg. I and many others have always found him to be a good and decent person.

And like many others, I only want good things for Jason moving forward. He’s an intelligent and thoughtful man who has found success in various aspects of his life, especially in his military career. But I do not think he’s going to find further success in politics.

It has been evident for quite some time, and I think there are others who would agree that his path forward for another term of office as Attorney General in South Dakota is not in the cards.

An almost insurmountable challenge in running for another term as Attorney General was set in his path when he was involved in a traffic accident a year and a half ago which resulted in the death of Joe Boever.  It became even more challenging for him when former Attorney General Marty Jackley – a man who was almost Governor – decided to challenge him for the office, and quickly captured the base of law enforcement which put Ravnsborg in the office.

With the hearing in the House of Representatives this week, Jason finds himself as the only official since the inception of South Dakota as a state ever to be impeached by the House of Representatives.  And now a Senate trial is looming, one which will speak to whether he should be removed from office entirely, and has been scheduled to be held the very week of the Republican Convention.

Jason is not walking the path of someone who is destined to return to that office in January of next year.

There have been challenges for incumbents in the past at the Republican convention. Some successful. Some not. Delegates are recruited by candidates with aims of having them committed and feeling some sense of fealty to the people who have recruited them. You can count on some of those people being loyal. Maybe.

It’s said you can tell how a delegate will vote. Until they do. When it comes down to brass tacks in a GOP Convention fight, the argument has always come down to the successful candidate’s electability in the fall election.

When they choose who their candidate will be, in each and every convention I’ve been at since I started going in 1988 I’ve seen the delegates ponder one question in their minds: “Can this person win as our candidate for this office in the general election this next November?”  Because while the party nomination is among the GOP, the fall election isn’t just among Republicans. It’s among Republicans, Democrats, Independents, and the others who are registered to vote.

And in this instance, when Republican delegates look at the choice for the two current Republican contenders for Attorney General, Jason Ravnsborg and Marty Jackley, and question which one they have a better chance of winning the election with, I suspect most of them are not going to go with the person who was involved in a traffic accident where a person lost their life, and who was the only person in state history to be impeached in the House of Representatives for “certain crimes and malfeasance” in office.

The thing about the political life is that for 99% of people involved in it, it really isn’t forever. It will end at some point, and there will be another chapter that has nothing to do with being elected to something.  A person might try to drag it out as long as possible and get 2 more or 4 more years somehow. But, it’s going to come to an end eventually.

It’s at this point I suspect the Attorney General finds himself and is doing some soul searching on how best to proceed.

I’d say “change is hard.” And people avoid change. But I’d argue that if you see that change is coming like a freight train; if you can see that the end is coming no matter what you do, you might also do some soul searching as to “why are you prolonging something that you know is going to end?” Because sometimes it’s just better for a person’s own mental and spiritual health to just begin that next chapter.

You can’t control what other people think. But you can control what you do for yourself. Jason should find a path where he’s able to do what makes him happy and brings him success. I hope he is able to do that for himself and his own peace of mind.

But I don’t see that his path will have him appearing on the November ballot as the GOP’s nominee for Attorney General.

Looks like Tony Venhuizen found some capable hands to help him put some signs up today: