I was honestly a little shocked at this one. While not supported by Senator Rounds or Governor Noem, former political operative Paul Erickson was given a “get out of jail free” card by President Trump as one of his final acts of office:

The list of South Dakotans includes Paul Erickson of Sioux Falls, who was sentenced to seven years in prison in 2020 for defrauding investors. He was also the boyfriend of Maria Butina from Russia, who was deported in 2019 after serving time for failing to register as a foreign agent. Noem and Rounds were not listed as supporters of Erickson’s pardon.

and..

Erickson was accused of defrauding investors in a proposal to develop land in the North Dakota Bakken oil field by persuading people to buy real estate and build single-family homes. One person, identified as “D.G.” in the indictment, wired $100,000 to Erickson as an investment in the project. The money laundering charge relates to transferring $1,000 of that $100,000 to someone identified as “M.B.”

Read it here.

Not sure what to say on that one, but “wow.”

 

Delegation Urges President-elect Biden not to Cancel Keystone XL Pipeline

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) today urged President-elect Biden not to cancel the Keystone XL pipeline and the regional economic investment it will drive to South Dakota.

“As you begin your term, we know you will face many calls to cancel the Keystone XL pipeline, which for too many has become a symbol of America’s energy past,” the delegation wrote. “We implore you to recognize the potential for this modern infrastructure project to serve as a model for how America can rebuild and update our energy sector. We hope you will take this opportunity to set the tone for your term by defending American jobs and infrastructure.”

Full text of the letter below:

Dear President-elect Biden:

We write to you in the spirit of collaboration you espoused in your election campaign.  While we will undoubtedly have policy disagreements, we hope to work constructively toward mutually shared goals, including economic growth and energy security.  It is for this reason that we write to urge you reconsider your reported plans to cancel the Keystone XL pipeline.

The Keystone XL pipeline of today is not the same project first reviewed by the Obama administration.  In fact, pipeline operator TC Energy has, like much of America’s energy sector, adapted to address the associated environmental, social, and governmental (ESG) considerations of the project.  We believe these significant changes in the project merit due consideration by your administration and should not be dismissed out of hand.  Rather, the updated proposal for the Keystone XL pipeline should be upheld as an example of how American industry, especially in the context of revitalizing critical infrastructure, may approach ESG efforts to build a more reliable and resilient energy future.

Specifically, TC Energy has committed to operate Keystone XL with net-zero emissions, pledging to invest $1.7 billion to produce 1.6 gigawatts of renewable energy.  This would rank TC Energy among the highest corporate backers of renewable energy purchases, directly supporting your agenda to bolster green energy investments in the U.S.  We should encourage such private investment, which is driven by the market, not mandate, and will otherwise reserve federal funds for other necessary investments.

Additionally, the Keystone XL pipeline will support approximately 10,000 jobs over the course of its construction.  Approximately 2,000 workers are already on the job.  As America works to rebuild its economy after nearly one year of battling the COVID-19 pandemic, we can ill-afford to cancel such stable employment, nor overlook the $2.2 billion in wages it will provide.  Notably, the project would be constructed with U.S. steel and support over $3 billion in contracts with suppliers and contractors through 2021, underscoring the broader economic benefit of its construction.

The completion of the Keystone XL pipeline would also yield a significant economic impact in South Dakota, especially through a portion of the $100 million in property taxes the project will generate annually.  These revenues will be reinvested in our schools, rural communities, and local infrastructure.

Lastly, the Keystone XL pipeline fits into a broader discussion about how we can modernize our energy sector.  As you know, we cannot transition away from oil and gasoline overnight, regardless of the ambitions of some to do so.  Thus, it is incumbent on policy makers to engage in a realistic discussions about energy security and how to seize opportunities to cut emissions in a sensible way.  The construction of the Keystone XL pipeline is such an opportunity, as modern pipelines are inherently cleaner—and safer—with the added benefit of deepening our economic ties to Canada.  As you know, Prime Minister Trudeau supports the pipeline, including it in Canada’s clean energy roadmap.  While America has made great strides toward energy independence, we should be hesitant to dismiss opportunities to strengthen bilateral opportunities with our close trading partner and ally.  It bears noting that emissions from Canadian oil production have been cut by approximately one third in the last two decades, again reflecting that Keystone XL and the energy sector at-large have changed significantly since this project was first contemplated.

As you begin your term, we know you will face many calls to cancel the Keystone XL pipeline, which for too many has become a symbol of America’s energy past.  We implore you to recognize the potential for this modern infrastructure project to serve as a model for how America can rebuild and update our energy sector.  We hope you will take this opportunity to set the tone for your term by defending American jobs and infrastructure.

Sincerely,

###

From the Argus Leader, Senator John Thune believes that an impeachment trial would “further divide the country when we can least afford it.”

“In my view, using a constitutional tool designed to remove the president from office after he has already left could further divide our country when we can least afford it,” he said. “If the Democrat-led Senate proceeds with an impeachment trial after inauguration, I will uphold my oath, listen to the evidence presented and perform my constitutional duty as I have sworn to do.”

Read the entire story here.

Governor Noem Signs Executive Order on DANR Merger

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Kristi Noem signed Executive Order 2021-03 to merge the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, forming a new Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources (DANR).

“With this merger, we are fostering sustainable agriculture and conservation that we can pass on to our kids and grandkids,” said Governor Kristi Noem. “This merger will simplify life for South Dakota’s agriculture producers by creating a one-stop shop in state government. It will also save taxpayers money by streamlining the state’s regulatory bodies,eliminating redundancies, and creating a better customer service experience for all.”

Hunter Roberts, current Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources andacting-Secretary of Agriculture, will serve as the cabinet secretary for DANR.

“Governor Noem has a tremendous vision for the next generation of agriculture, and we’re excited to see it through,” said Secretary Hunter Roberts. “I’m excited for the synergies that this merger will create.”

Lieutenant Governor Larry Rhoden, who previously served as interim-Secretary of Agriculture, will continue serving in his current role of Agriculture Ambassador.

“Governor Noem and I are the only farmer/rancher duo in the country to be serving as Governor and Lieutenant Governor,” said Lieutenant Governor Larry Rhoden. “We are excited for the potential that this merger has to unleash the next generation of agriculture for our state. I look forward to continue working as an ambassador to the agriculture industry.”

In addition to other groups, the proposed merger has the support of the South Dakota Farm Bureau. Based on a vote of their convention delegates, representing county farm bureaus throughout the state.

“We believe this merger will make government work better for farmers and ranchers and will strengthen the future of agriculture,” said Scott VanderWal, President of the South Dakota Farm Bureau. “The agriculture industry is continually evolving, and thanks to Governor Noem’s leadership, South Dakota continues to be on the leading edge of that evolution. There is no better time than now to solidify agriculture’s role in protecting our environment and natural resources while ensuring our industry in South Dakota remains economically viable and growing.”

###

From Dakota News Now:

The South Dakota Farmers Union opposes the proposed merger by Governor Kristi Noem of the state Agriculture Department with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

President Doug Sombke told WNAX in Yankton, the organization is now working with lawmakers to write a bill that would put the State Agriculture Secretary position on the ballot rather than Governor Noem appointing the position.

Read that here.

Pointing out the last time that was proposed:

Senate Bill 194

Title: provide for the election of the secretary of agriculture.
Sponsors: Senators Kloucek, Hoerth, Jerstad, Katus, Maher, and Schmidt and Representatives Ahlers, Bradford, Elliott, Feinstein, Halverson, Miles, Street, and Van Norman

and..

02/01/2007 Agriculture and Natural Resources Deferred to 41st legislative day, Passed, YEAS 8, NAYS 1. S.J. 349

Read that here.

That idea was a dumb one in 2007. And it’s still a dumb idea in 2021.

Ag producers aren’t looking for a politician in that office, which is what they’ll get if it becomes an elected position. They want a thoughtful steward of the office, and they have the opportunity to vet them when those officials are confirmed by the Senate.

Enough said.

 

Rounds, Colleagues: Stop Illegal PPP Loans to Planned Parenthood

PIERRE—U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) joined U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and a group of senators in a letter urging U.S. Small Business Administrator Jovita Carranza to prevent Planned Parenthood affiliates from receiving illegal loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), as they did last year.

“Planned Parenthood affiliates are well aware that they are ineligible to receive PPP loans, on the basis of SBA’s letters and the frank admission of their political-action committee,”wrote the senators. “Their attempts to apply for PPP loans are naked attempts to defraud the United States government.”

In addition to Rounds and Cotton, the letter was signed by U.S. Sens. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.).

Full text of the letter:

The Honorable Jovita Carranza
Administrator
U.S. Small Business Administration
409 3rd St, SW
Washington DC 20416

Dear Administrator Carranza,

We write to urge you to take precautions so that affiliates of Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest and most notorious abortion provider, do not receive loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), as they did earlier this year in defiance of the law.

The coronavirus relief package Congress passed on December 21 authorizes a second round of PPP loans for certain small businesses and non-profits that received and fully spent a PPP loan earlier this year. Eligibility requirements for these “second-draw” loans are similar to the requirements for initial loans authorized under the CARES Act. Generally speaking, applicants for the initial waves of PPP loans had to employ no more than 500 employees across all of their affiliates in order to be eligible for a loan; applicants for a second-draw loan must have no more than 300 employees across all of their affiliates. As before, applicants for a second-draw loan must self-certify that they are eligible to receive such a loan; the Small Business Administration has written that “incorrect or false eligibility certifications by borrowers are subject to severe penalties.”

Planned Parenthood employs about 16,000 people nationwide. The group’s national organization, the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, jealously exercises control over local affiliates, subjecting them to uniform bylaws, accreditation, frequent reviews, and mandates about what services they must provide to remain part of the Federation, such as on-site abortion. Planned Parenthood affiliates thus are ineligible to receive PPP loans, as part of an affiliated group that employs far more people than the number allowed for an initial or second-draw PPP loan. This fact was admitted by none other than Planned Parenthood’s political-action committee, the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, which wrote that the CARES Act “gives the Small Business Administration broad discretion to exclude Planned Parenthood affiliates and other non-profits serving people with low incomes and deny them benefits under the new small business loan program.”

Nonetheless, at least 37 Planned Parenthood affiliates illegally obtained more than $80 million in taxpayer funds during the initial rounds of PPP by self-certifying their eligibility for the program. In response, the SBA determined that these affiliates were ineligible to receive PPP loans and issued letters informing them of the consequences of false certifications of eligibility, including repayment of loans, loss of loan forgiveness, and other civil and criminal penalties. Members of this body previously have urged you to investigate these false certifications of eligibility, recover the more than $80 million in funds, and seek appropriate penalties against Planned Parenthood affiliates that broke the law.

An equally urgent task is to ensure Planned Parenthood affiliates do not receive additional PPP loans intended for struggling small businesses and non-profits. We therefore urge you to inform participating lenders that Planned Parenthood affiliates are ineligible to receive second-draw PPP loans, and encourage them to immediately notify SBA if a Planned Parenthood affiliate applies for such a loan through their institution. Furthermore, we urge you to refer any Planned Parenthood affiliate that applies for such a loan to the Department of Justice for prosecution. Planned Parenthood affiliates are well aware that they are ineligible to receive PPP loans, on the basis of SBA’s letters and the frank admission of their political-action committee. Their attempts to apply for PPP loans are naked attempts to defraud the United States government.

Thank you for your tireless efforts to help small businesses and non-profits survive the Covid-19 pandemic. With appropriate precautions, we can ensure that additional relief funds go to those that need it, in accordance with the law, rather than to unscrupulous organizations like Planned Parenthood.

Sincerely,

###

 

According to KELOland, US Senator John Thune isn’t indicating how he’s going to vote one way or the other on impeachment.  But, he’s also not sure how you impeach a former President:

“I think the fact that the president for so long continued to try and convince people in this country that the election was stolen from him was a disservice to people, and it got people to believe something that wasn’t true, and I think that, you could argue I suppose, was partly the, at least at the beginning, the origin of a lot of this,” Thune said.

The senator is also looking into what will happen with Trump’s second impeachment.

“I think there are some very serious constitutional questions that we’re looking into on whether you can impeach a former president,” Thune said.

Read it all here.

From the Argus Leader, US Senator Mike Rounds would rather do things that have a real outcome, than impeach a President who has left office:

Rounds called a vote to convict Trump “hypothetical,” saying he would rather see the Senate focus on confirming members of Biden’s cabinet.

“I think if the question is moot, I don’t see a reason to convict,” he said.

Read it all here.

While some people don’t want to let it he Presidential race go, Senator Mike Rounds assures them on Dakota News Now tonight that it’s done:

“My message is I know it’s hard. I know you truly wanted to win it, but please. 60 different court cases, the attorney general himself Bill Barr, members of the United States House, and members of the United States Senate have looked at, and we truly believe that the election, while there were abnormalities, would not have changed the outcome of the election. Joe Biden is the legitimate president-elect of the United States.”

Read it all here.

Civic Education for the Next Generation
By: Governor Kristi Noem 
January 15, 2020

Across America these last several months, we have witnessed a very troubling situation where violent actors are trying to do an end-run around public discourse. This is done to intimidate and silence voices. These folks want to short-cut public debate through fear. They want to make people scared. This is un-American. And it certainly has no place in South Dakota.

Whether on the left or the right, political violence is not the answer. Our political process, though contentious at times, works because we resolve issues through discussion and rigorous debate. Sometimes, political debate will include peaceful protests. Assembly is a tool, enshrined in the Constitution, to help drive a point home. Every American has a right to protest peacefully. That right ends where violence begins.

We saw a similar situation play out on Capitol Hill a few days ago. We were all appalled by it. Frankly, it was horrible to watch. Today, we have an opportunity to address the root cause of this problem: we must reform young Americans’ civic education.

Students should be taught our nation’s history and all that makes America unique. They should see first-hand the importance of civic engagement. And they should have robust discussions in the classroom so they can develop critical thinking skills.

Our young people need more experience engaging with elected officials and practicing the art of debate. It is also our responsibility to show them how government works.

I have tasked my administration with creating instructional materials and classroom resources on America’s founding, our nation’s history, and the state’s history. We must also do a better job giving teachers preparational materials on these three subjects.

Through all of this, our common mission and key objective needs to be explaining why the United States of America is the most unique nation in the history of the world. With this knowledge as a foundational building block, every South Dakotan can then chart their own path in the future and pursue their own American Dream.

We all know that good education starts in the home. It starts with strong families. We have decades of research to show that families are the most critical influence on a child’s success in the classroom. COVID-19 underscored just how involved parents need to be in their children’s day-to-day education. It’s our duty to find innovative solutions that empower parents to set their children up for success.

Coupled with the tremendous work that South Dakota teachers are doing, I believe we can make immediate and long-lasting change in the lives of young South Dakotans. Together, my administration will work to support them and ensure that they are getting the very best materials to achieve that goal.

###