December 1 – 7, 2025

Welcome back to another edition of my Weekly Round[s] Up. It was another productive and fast-paced week in Washington as we move toward the end of the year. This past week, I announced my nominations to the U.S. Service Academies for the upcoming school year. Congratulations to all nominees for earning these highly competitive nominations through their dedication, leadership and academic excellence. They have bright futures ahead of them. Read more about this process and a full list of my nominees here. More on the rest of my week in my Weekly Round[s] Up:

South Dakota groups I visited with: Dr. José-Marie Griffiths, President of Dakota State University; South Dakota students with Jobs for America’s Graduates; Justin Tupper from St. Onge, President of U.S. Cattlemen’s Association; and Michael Pauley with South Dakota Catholic Conference.

Met with South Dakotans from: Madison, Martin, Mission, Presho, Sioux Falls and St. Onge.

Other meetings: Mike Gilday, Executive, Admiral (Retired), U.S. Navy and Josh Stiefel; Baju Bhatt, Founder and CEO of Aetherflux and Co-Founder of Robinhood; Moldovan Delegation; Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA; and Bimal Patel, General Counsel at PayPal.

Briefings: I attended one Senate Armed Services Committee briefing, two closed Senate Select Committee on Intelligence briefings and one Central Intelligence Agency briefing.

Introduced Legislation: This week I introduced legislation called the Developing and Empowering Our Aspiring Leaders (DEAL) Act that would increase access to capital for America’s innovators. The DEAL Act passed the House of Representatives unanimously this week. You can read more about it here.

Reagan National Defense Forum: This past weekend I attended the Reagan National Defense Forum in Simi Valley, California. On Saturday, I took part in a panel titled Forging Ahead with Speed: Transitioning to New Technologies at the Pentagon. It was a productive weekend reviewing ways to strengthen America’s national defense and continuing to build partnerships between the military, industrial base and congress.

Senate Bible Study: On Tuesday, I hosted our weekly Senate Bible Study in my office. We discussed the verse John 14:16.

Votes taken: 11 – This past week I voted on nominees David Bragdon and Lindsey Freeman, of North Carolina, to be U.S. District Judges for the Middle District of North Carolina (Yea). We also voted on Susan Rodriguez and Matthew Orso, of North Carolina, to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of North Carolina (Yea). I also voted on Senator Murkowski’s Disapproval of Biden Coastal Plain Program ROD CRA (Yea).

My staff in South Dakota visited: Deadwood, Ft. Pierre and Lead.

Steps taken: 69,925 steps or 33.86 miles.

Photo of the Week:
This week I met with South Dakota students who are participating in Jobs for America’s Graduates. I had a good time talking to them about the work we do here in the Senate.

Wilkinson to Testify Before Congress on Abuse of EAJA

DeSmet, SD — South Dakota rancher and attorney Todd Wilkinson will testify tomorrow before a United States House Natural Resources subcommittee about how some large environmental groups are misusing the Equal Access to Justice Act. Wilkinson is the past president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the first person from South Dakota to lead the group.

EAJA was created to help small farmers, ranchers, and families speak up when the federal government made a mistake. It was meant to level the playing field and give ordinary people a fair chance in court. Wilkinson will explain how big national groups now use this same law to file long lists of lawsuits, collect large attorney fees, and push federal agencies into costly delays.

“The law was written to protect small producers,” Wilkinson said. “But today it is being used by groups with huge budgets and teams of lawyers. This hurts the people EAJA was supposed to help, and it costs taxpayers millions of dollars.”

Wilkinson said South Dakota producers feel the impact when agencies use time and money on lawsuits instead of serving rural communities.

“Every hour the federal government spends in court is an hour taken away from work that helps families on the ground,” Wilkinson said. “I want Congress to see how this hurts the people who were supposed to have a voice.”

The hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, December 10 at 9:15 am CST. Watch the hearing at:

###

Governor Larry Rhoden was throwing cold water on a group of legislative proposals from the legislature to reduce property taxes led in part by one of his primary election opponents, as they only proposed tweaks around the edges, when they weren’t trying to blame state government for the problem.

According to the article by South Dakota Searchlight:

“I’ve realized that there’s not much I’ve seen that I could support,” Rhoden told South Dakota Searchlight during a visit to Rapid City last week.

and..

The speaker of the state House of Representatives, Jon Hansen, R-Dell Rapids, was the vice chairman of the Legislature’s Comprehensive Property Tax Task Force. He’s also one of the candidates challenging Rhoden for the Republican nomination for governor next year.

When the task force announced its 19 recommendations in October, Hansen framed high property taxes as a government spending problem. He authored two of the recommendations, including a request for the governor’s cooperation in cutting 5% of the spending from the state’s general fund.

and..

“I share the desire to cut property taxes,” Rhoden said in the speech. “But slashing health care, education and public safety is not the way to do it.”

Read the entire story here at South Dakota Searchlight.

The legislative property tax committee was not much more than a train wreck whose main solution was to tell state government to figure it out by cutting services, when they could not come to a consensus after throwing out numerous taxes to raise.

In case you missed the announcement earlier today from State Senator Casey Crabtree..

MADISON–Today, State Senator Casey Crabtree (R-District 8) announced draft legislation to update South Dakota law related to suppressors following federal changes with the One Big Beautiful Bill.

“I’m proud of my A rating from the NRA and proud to advance legislation supporting our constitutional right to bear arms,” said Crabtree. “Thanks to President Trump and Republican Leaders, the One Big Beautiful Bill was a major win for gun owners purchasing suppressors. This session, we will update South Dakota law to reflect this Second Amendment victory.”

Read that here.

Which is fine. But shortly after 5, Governor Larry Rhoden’s campaign came out with a tweet/video making sure that people know they mentioned it last Thursday:

Last Thursday, I announced that I’ll be bringing legislation to deregulate suppressors at the state level. South Dakota has the best 2nd Amendment laws of any state, and we’ll make them even stronger.

The NRA, National Shooting Sports Foundation, and law enforcement groups… pic.twitter.com/5kK0jYKNW6

— Governor Larry Rhoden (@GovLarryRhoden) December 8, 2025

Ah.. I might have expected that more if it were a Dusty/Rhoden thing, but coming on the heels of the Crabtree announcement?

Is Governor Rhoden drawing a line in the sand and letting everyone know that de-regulating suppressors is his issue?

Should it instead be called Toby Doeden’s Sanctimonious Christmas?  Or how about Toby Doeden’s Fanatically Judgmental Christmas?  Because I just caught a video on facebook for what they claim to be “Toby Doeden’s Rockin Western Christmas,” as they feature the people whom he considers his special guests.

Seriously, you have to watch this. Because it has all the makings of being the opposite of ..’rockin.’

If you blink, you’ll miss it, but it rolls through three special guests;  Phil Jensen, California Carley, and Taffy Howard. Yes. Those three.   

Phil Jensen needs little introduction, but in case you forgot..

Because, after dodging the draft, and asking that some doctors are able to be legally killed, Phil wants you to vote for Toby Doeden for Governor.

Once Phil has made an oath for Toby, you know he’ll keep it, since he’s also been a member of the far-right Oath Keeper Militia.

Read that here.

We also have John “California” Carley, who thinks we need the 10 commandments posted and taught in welding class, and to keep allowing 16 year old girls to marry 45 year old men, who will be helping Toby ‘rock’ in a western manner. Except in this California import’s experience, the west is not western South Dakota, but the west coast.

And god forbid we forget Taffy Howard‘s version of ‘rockin’ the night away. Which might be in reference to her thoughts about librarians at the end of a rope, as she called for violence against them when checking out books:

If somebody had knowingly given that to my children when they were little, I’d want them strung up from the nearest tree.

Read that here.

Can’t say I would use rockin as a descriptor for this party.  Not at all.

Crabtree Announces Pro-Second Amendment Legislation

MADISON–Today, State Senator Casey Crabtree (R-District 8) announced draft legislation to update South Dakota law related to suppressors following federal changes with the One Big Beautiful Bill.

“I’m proud of my A rating from the NRA and proud to advance legislation supporting our constitutional right to bear arms,” said Crabtree. “Thanks to President Trump and Republican Leaders, the One Big Beautiful Bill was a major win for gun owners purchasing suppressors. This session, we will update South Dakota law to reflect this Second Amendment victory.”

The One Big Beautiful Bill reduced the federal tax stamp/tax that was required under the National Firearms Act for suppressors from $200 to $0. The proposed South Dakota legislation removes suppressors from the state’s definition of a controlled weapon as state regulation is unnecessary. This change removes state regulation of suppressors, and means South Dakotans will only need to comply with federal law.

The legislation is supported by the National Rifle Association (NRA), the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), and South Dakota-based company Silencer Central.

“Silencer Central is proud to support South Dakota’s proactive deregulation of suppressors as ‘controlled weapons,’ and we hope the federal government will quickly follow our home state’s pro-gun, pro-freedom initiative,” said Brandon Maddox, founder and CEO of the Sioux Falls-based suppressor retailer. “Earlier this year, we won a huge national victory as the One Big Beautiful Bill removed the $200 stamp fee on suppressors and other common firearms. Now, Senator Crabtree’s bill carries that momentum forward for South Dakota.”

The 2026 Session begins on Tuesday, January 12, 2026.

###

Attorney General Jackley Unanimously Elected President-Elect of National Association of Attorneys General

PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley has been elected unanimously to serve as President-Elect of the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) for a second time.

Attorney General Jackley was elected to the post Monday by the nation’s Attorneys General at their annual meeting in Washington, DC. He had been serving as Vice President of the National Association of Attorneys General this past year.

“I am honored to serve alongside my fellow Attorneys General as we enforce our state laws and promote sound law enforcement policies for our communities,” said Attorney General Jackley.  “Serving in this leadership role will strengthen my ability to address issues on a national level that are important to South Dakota.”

Attorney General Jackley was first elected NAAG President in 2015, the first South Dakota Attorney General to lead the nation’s Attorneys General.

NAAG members are the Attorneys General of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealths of Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands, and the territories of American Samoa, Guam, and the Virgin Islands.

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong is the NAAG President this year, District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb Vice President, and New Hampshire Attorney General William Formella Immediate Past President.

-30-

One of the last giants from the golden age of the South Dakota State Legislature before term limits, having served as Senate Minority/Majority Leader from 1971 through 1988, G. Homer Harding of Pierre celebrated his 100th birthday yesterday and was joined and celebrated by current Senate Majority Leader Jim Mehlhaff:

Homer also served as the South Dakota State Treasurer for a term from 1991-1994. For more specifics, according to the South Dakota State Legislature :

– Minority Leader 1975-1976
– Majority Leader 1977-1988
– LRC Executive Board member 1979-1984
– State Treasurer 1991-1994

Congratulations and celebrations for Homer and his family on reaching this incredible milestone.

The Christine Erickson for Sioux Falls Mayor campaign is hosting a $30 fundraiser in Sioux Falls on Wednesday, December 17th at Gib’s Sports Bar in Sioux Falls, where they will have sign up sheets to volunteer for the campaign, as well as helping people in getting registered to vote.  (There will be a taco bar included for the event, if you need to grab a bite to eat on the way home.)

Let’s Taco ’bout it, head to Gib’s sports bar in Sioux Falls, and join the fun in the campaign to lead South Dakota’s largest city a week from Wednesday!

…. can’t stop the eye rolling….

Good gosh, I hadn’t realized that after Annette Bosworth left the state, she is still trying to proclaim her innocence. .. or at least trying to impress upon people that the felonies she committed weren’t that bad.

Such ridiculous BS. The part she skips over in her silly, overdramatized narrative is that none of the charges were brought forward until after the election.  So the part where she claims that the charges were brought because her opponent (Mike Rounds) and the Attorney General (Marty Jackley) were buddies and she somehow outperformed his campaign in fundraising?

Complete nonsense and silliness, because by that time, she had already lost. And certainly didn’t outperform anyone, because her campaign had long imploded by the date of the election, where she came in a very distant 4th place.