Some of you may know that one of my many jobs includes working for an insurance company that’s literally the largest provider of insurance for campgrounds and RV parks in the nation. This South Dakota related story popped up in the last day or so involving a company that we’re affiliated with, and I thought I’d share.
The owner of Camp Native, a Spearfish based company, started off yesterday on a bike ride across America, promoting camping to people in the inner city, and bringing high tech to rural America.
Camp Native, a site dedicated to finding and reserving accommodations for outdoor adventures, announced that its Founder David Woodbury departed today for a 4,354-mile bike ride through nine Western states and 82 towns.
Woodbury will visit dozens of Camp Native campsites each week to promote the benefits of camping. He and non-profit partner Big City Mountaineers will also raise $5,000 to give the gift of camping to 100 under-resourced youth.
I’ve noticed, and had a couple of inquiries from people about Pierre reporter Bob Mercer’s “Pure Pierre Politics” website, as it has been down hard for a couple of days. One person was concerned that Bob might be suffering health issues again, and asked me to find out.
I don’t think it’s anything that serious, and I’ve sent off a note to inquire, but Bob’s website has seen better days. In fact, existing as a subdirectory under my605.com, the entire domain (owned by the Aberdeen American News) is offline, as in…
… as in it appears the entire server has been taken offline, and gone *poof,* which might be a corporate decision related to some of the recent things that have occurred in the ownership and management of the newspaper.
I’ve sent off a note to Bob to inquire. If I hear more, I’ll let you know.
If you’ve been following the GOAC hearings on Gear-Up at all, you might have noticed that State Senator Stace Nelson has been having a bit of difference with a committee member or two. Or all of them. Maybe staff, too.
As I’m told, the latest tiff got started because Nelson might not have been paying attention to the committee discussion. Or, you might say the committee had one conversation and Senator Nelson had one all to himself. And now he is claiming the committee changed their minds after the fact.
Nelson has been on a rant/attacking one of his fellow legislators from his District, Rep. Kyle Schoenfish, which he’s done regularly in a political context for several years now, but over the course of the last year, it was because Schoenfish’s father’s firm was hired to do the audits for Mid Central Coop. Nelson has been using that fact to try to attack Kyle, and demanding that he answer his questions, appear before the committee, etc.
The latest drama all started with a note from a member of the Legislative audit, as you can follow along from some of the e-mails that flew back and forth this past week. (my emphasis has been added in places to highlight important points)…
Honorable Committee Members – as was approved at this week’s GOAC meeting, members will prepare and send questions to staff for inclusion in letters to the following individuals:
Melody Schopp – Secretary, Department of Education
Tamara Darnall – Finance Officer, Department of Education
Randy Schoenfish – Schoenfish & Co., Inc. (my emphasis – pp)
Brinda Kuhn – BC Kuhn LLC
The Committee letters to these individuals will be approved and signed by both the House and Senate GOAC Chairs. In addition to requesting that these individuals provide written answers to GOAC in advance of the August 29th meeting, the letters will also invite them to attend the meeting. The letters will ask that they inform the Committee whether or not they will attend by August 21st (to facilitate the preparation of the final agenda).
The questions for Darin Bergquist, Secretary, Department of Transportation have already been approved by the Committee and this letter will also be approved and signed by both Chairs.
I would ask that you have your questions emailed to me by 5:00 p.m. next Tuesday, August 1st. Thank you.
Tim Flannery
Legislative Audit
Seeing who was being asked to respond from Schoenfish & co was not his regular target, Senator Nelson was unhappy, and made no bones about it.
On 7/28/2017 1:40 PM, S. Nelson wrote:
The committee voted and approved the calling of Representative Kyle Schoenfish, NOT Randy. It was explicitly discussed and decided on in an official motion and a unanimous recorded vote of the GOAC . Who has instructed you to change what was officially decided by the GOAC?
Senator Nelson
(Uh oh… ) Of course, Mr. Flannery responded,
On Tue, Aug 1, 2017 at 2:02 PM, Flannery, Tim <> wrote:
Committee Members – with regard to the follow-up survey I asked of the
Committee on Friday afternoon, regarding the letter to the audit firm of Mid Central Educational Cooperative, the majority of members present at the meeting on July 25, 2017 stated they wanted the letter to be addressed to the responsible person for the audit or the partner in charge of the audit. Based upon the wishes of the majority of the Committee, the letter will be addressed to Randy Schoenfish (partner in charge of the audit of Mid Central Educational Cooperative). Thank you for your clarification of this question.
Of course, Nelson wanted to attack Kyle Schoenfish, not his dad. And was not happy with this decision by the committee, causing him to fire off a message to anyone (everyone) he might get to care:
From: Stace Nelson Date: August 1, 2017 at 3:10:46 PM CDT To: “Flannery, Tim” Cc: Representative Anderson , “Anderson, David” <[email protected]>, “Hunhoff, Jean” <[email protected]>, Representative Hunhoff , “Steinhauer, Wayne” <[email protected]>, Representative Steinhauer “Tieszen, Craig” <[email protected]>, Representative Tieszen , “Wismer, Susan” <[email protected]>, Representative Wismer , Senator Cronin , “Cronin, Justin” <[email protected]>, “Nelson, Stace” <[email protected]>, Senator Peters “Peters, Deb” <[email protected]>, “Sutton, Billie <[email protected]>, Senator Sutton, Senator Tapio, “Tapio, Neal” <[email protected]>, “Guindon, Marty” <[email protected]>, Angela Kenneke <[email protected]>, Bob Mercer <[email protected]>, “Ferguson, Dana” <[email protected]>, Brock Greenfield <[email protected]>, Jason Hancock <[email protected]>, Elizabeth May <[email protected]>, Lance Russell <[email protected]>, Todd Epp <[email protected]>, Cory Allen Heidelberger <[email protected]>, Sam Blackstone <[email protected]>, [email protected], Frank Kloucek <[email protected]> Subject:Violation of SD Constitution, Open Meeting laws, and SD Legislature Joint Rules
ALCON,
This inappropriate and illegal retroactive substitution of an admitted witness explicitly called by name via an official public vote of the GOAC (and reported by the press), by a secret unrecorded and unreported vote of unidentified members out of session, is a violation of our SD Constitution http://www.sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/Constitution/DisplayStatute.aspx?Type=Statute&Statute=0N-3-15
, SD’s open meeting laws, and SD Joint Legislative rules.Mr. Flannery, for the record, provide the names of those instructing the substitution of Representative Kyle Schoenfish, an admitted witness with apparent specific knowledge of the MidCentral audits, for his father who is reputed to have general information of his employee’s audits. Our legislative rules require such votes be made public, regardless that this substitution is outside of the law and rules.
Mr Guindon & Mr Hancock,
Please advise what your offices are doing to address this abuse of the committee process.
R/S
Senator Nelson
As you can tell, this e-mail from the LRC staffer did not make Senator Nelson happy, so he went howling to several members of the media, as well as a Democrat blog, and former Democrat legislator Frank Kloucek. Because…..
(Ok, I have no idea why Frank’s in on this, unless he somehow takes his marching orders from Frank, or something.)
In response to this rant, it wasn’t the chair, or a staff member who pointed out the error of Senator nelson’s recollections, it was State Representative Susan Wismer:
From: Susan Wismer <> Date: July 28, 2017 at 2:27:14 PM CDT To: “S. Nelson” <[email protected]>, (and everyone on Stace’s list – PP) Subject:Re: Committee questions
Stace,
I was afraid this would be an issue with you. I was sorry to see that the news picked up that it was going to be Kyle–but remember that Angela wasn’t there that day, so her source of information may well have only been your mention of Kyle’s name, as opposed to the full discussion. You mentioned Kyle in your request. At that point I remember quite distinctly that Auditor General Guindon responded to a committee question regarding who the appropriate party was to call. He was in the corner of the room, not at the microphone. Since both you and Bob Mercer were sitting with your backs to Marty, (Bob not facing him, as I was) you may not have noted his response. Marty indicated that the accounting firm signed the report, and the partner in charge speaks for the firm. Kyle’s father, Randy, is the partner in charge. At that point I expressed some concern about asking either to appear, to which Justin responded. I was satisfied at the end of the discussion that the committee understood that the partner in charge of the audit would be contacted. Kyle may very well know as much about the issue as his father; on the other hand he may not. Randy was the one present in Lake Andes at the initial hearing. It’s important for everyone that the same person speak for the firm on all inquiries. We also don’t know for sure whose name is on the E&O insurance policy that I hope they have–because no matter if they are found to have erred or not, their legal bills are probably going to be staggering for such a small firm.
Rep. Wismer
As was noted to me, the fact that Susan Wismer is even trying to make sure he understands is a pretty good illustration of what the committee actually discussed. Of course, pointing out what everyone else in the room understood as to how they would be proceeding did not generate a similar understanding on Senator Nelson’s part. Just another cranky e-mail blast:
From: Stace Nelson <[email protected]> Date: July 28, 2017 at 4:14:13 PM CDT To: Susan Wismer <s> Cc:(everyone else that Nelson had been blasting e-mails out to – pp)
Subject: Re: Committee questions
ALCON,
I would encourage you all to go to the official recording of the meeting as it should be listed on the Jul 25th GOAC meeting site, interesting enough it is not listed as of the time of sending this
http://www.sdlegislature.gov/Interim/Documents.aspx?Committee=172&MeetingDate=07-25-2017&Session=2017 even though the 24th does have it’s listed.
Fortunately, I was able to track the audio down and have copied it in case it disappears. I called twice for Rep Kyle Schoenfish to be called during the hearing as he has indicated that he has answers (see email chain below) to the questions I have adopted as my own that constituents and the media has for him regarding his knowledge of these issues that two of his constituent school districts are now being sued for. You are all in receipt of that January official email request for him to answer the questions which Ms. Angela Kennecke also posed of Rep Kyle Schoenfish specifically in this news story:
The GOAC discussed my specific request for Rep Kyle Schoenfish to be called to answer these questions. We only considered 3 stated names in the initial motion to invite persons to be called as witnesses: Melody Schopp, Brenda Kuhn, and Rep Kyle Schoenfish Time stamp 3:11:50
Randy Schoenfish was never named as a substitution to the witness I specifically cited and justified being called. Randy’s name was never discussed, and never approved to be called as a witness. Members questions about the matter did not change my request and did not substitute another person.
Tami Darnell was added as a witness after further debate at time stamp 3:22:00.
I categorically reject Rep. Tiezen’s inappropriate comments. Rep Kyle Schoenfish being a fellow liberal with Rep Tiezen is beside the point. I point out to my colleague with less operational investigative experience that ” The right person” to call is one who has already indicated that it is “fairly easy” for them to address the questions, as Rep Kyle Schoenfish has already explicitly acknowledged as indicated in his February 4th response below. I have two school districts being sued for this corruption on top of the deaths of the family and overall corruption of the program. They have a right to know what their elected representative explicitly knew about these crimes and what he did to protect their interests.
If others wish to call Mr Randy Schoenfish in front of the GOAC, they need to bring his name before the GOAC and provide specific basis for calling him as a witness. These proceedings should only be calling witnesses with an articulable reason that would show their testimony advances the understanding of the weaknesses of DOE (& contractual subservient MEC grant partner operating under DOE’s instruction & supervision) in regards to their phases of operation & fiscal affairs so the GOAC can recommend changes to statute and state employee ethic rules.
Conjecture and opinions at this point are moot. The audio record shows that Melody Schopp, Brenda Kuhn, Rep Kyle Schoenfish, and Tami Darnell are the only names requested, discussed, and approved.
Senator Nelson
Wait, what? “Rep Kyle Schoenfish being a fellow liberal with Rep Tiezen is beside the point?”
That might be the most telling statement in Nelson’s entire rant. As opposed to following along what the committee was actually doing, it’s about Nelson lashing out because he missed it, and specifically attacking Rep. Schoenfish and Rep. Tieszen as “being liberals” in a committee setting?
Disagreeing with one’s views has a place in the political arena. But when discussing procedure and business in a committee setting, what on earth does it have to do with anything?
As opposed to keeping things professional and attempting to resolve what Nelson has been pressing as some sort of crisis, Senator Nelson resolves to his default response of name-calling in a discussion of legislative business? Instead of admitting he missed something, he chooses to start with the name calling.
That should give the people who elected Nelson pause.
Great pause, because it seems more illustrative of buffoonery. Moreso than leadership.
Thune: Tax Reform Is Necessary for Economic Growth
“American families and businesses are counting on us to enact a tax system that works for them, not against them.”
WASHINGTON —U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), a member of the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee, today outlined his priorities for tax reform.
Thune has introduced several bills, including legislation to repeal the death tax, a bill to improve and modernize S corporations, the CHARITY ACT, the INVEST Act, and the NEW GIG Act, that he hopes will be included in the tax reform package that is being developed in the Senate.
To learn more about Thune’s tax proposals, click here.
Attorney General Ballot Explanations Released for Two Initiated Measures Increasing the State Tobacco Tax and Creating a Postsecondary Technical Institute Fund
PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announced today that Attorney General explanations for two separate proposed initiated measures have been filed with the Secretary of State. For each measure, the statement will appear on a petition that will be circulated by the sponsor. If the sponsor obtains a sufficient number of signatures (13,871) for each measure by November 6, 2017, as certified by the Secretary of State, the measure will be placed on the ballot for the November 2018 general election.
The initiated measures are entitled:
1. “An initiated measure increasing the State tobacco tax and creating a postsecondary technical institute fund for the purposes of lowering student tuition and providing financial support to the State postsecondary technical institutes.” (VERSION #1)
2. “An initiated measure increasing the State tobacco tax and creating a postsecondary technical institute fund for the purposes of lowering student tuition and providing financial support to the State postsecondary technical institutes.” (VERSION #2)
Under South Dakota law, the Attorney General is responsible for preparing explanations for proposed initiated measures, referred laws, and South Dakota Constitutional Amendments. Specifically, the explanation includes a title, an objective, clear and simple summary of the purpose and effect of the proposed measure and a description of the legal consequences. The Attorney General Explanation is not a statement either for or against the proposed initiated measure.
From the Argus Leader tonight comes a tale of the devil weed, and the people who want to make their gateway drug of choice legal. And their inability to write a ballot measure:
A writing error might cost a ballot measure campaign its chances of legalizing recreational marijuana in South Dakota next year.
And…
“We don’t believe that the way that it is written actually legalizes it except for paraphernalia,” Jason Hancock, director of the Legislative Research Council, said Monday.
Supporters could submit an amended proposal, restarting the clock, Hancock said, but that would void all existing ballot measure signatures.
“They’re going to have to start over for gathering signatures,” he said.
South Dakota’s United States Senators John Thune and Mike Rounds are both quoted in an article today at the Politico website, as they both weigh in on the stalled effort to repeal the much-maligned Obamacare:
Senate Republicans have no plans to revive their party-line attempts to repeal Obamacare this summer, despite President Donald Trump’s increasing frustration over the chamber’s failed attempts last week to gut the law.
“Until somebody shows us a way to get that elusive 50th vote, I think it’s over,” said Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, the third-ranking Republican. “Maybe lightning will strike and something will come together but I’m not holding my breath.”
and…
Some rank-and-file Republicans want to try and keep up the fight even as more senior members echoed McConnell’s “move on” comments. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) said the party must pursue “all avenues” to reform, including reconciliation.
“We have to continue working on it because come January 1, we’re going to see a huge increase in premiums,” Rounds said.
Union County GOP Announces Union County Fair Straw Poll Results
The Union County Republicans proudly announce the results of the Union County Republican Straw Poll, conducted among attendees of the Union County Fair for who they preferred in the Republican primaries for Governor and Congress.
“We do realize the poll might not be entirely scientific,” Union County GOP Secretary Merle Pochop admitted. “We allowed any interested party who attended the fair to cast a ballot. This might include Republicans, Democrats, kids, and various 4-H contest entrants. We do admit that some Democrats may have inadvertently decided they wanted to find out more about voting for the Republican candidates, since state Democrats showed up a day late, set up a video at their fair booth with no personal exchanges.”
The Union County GOP Straw Poll results are as follows:
The Union County GOP also announced the winners of the drawings for the raffle. Debbie Pease won the Kristi Noem autographed cowboy hat, and Milt Ustad is the proud owner of a John Thune autographed basketball.
The Union County GOP encourages all voters to participate in the process, and looks forward to everyone stopping by the booth again in 2018.
Fresh off talking to TAR’s and killing rattlesnakes, GOP Congressional Candidate Dusty Johnson is featured in an article in the Rapid City Journal discussing his campaign:
Q: So, where do you see this race going and what kind of campaign do you want to run?
A: Oh, competition’s good, right. Choices are good for voters. I was a high school track athlete. I wasn’t particularly good, and I really like running, but I liked the competition. And knowing that Matt Althoff, a great quarter-miler was going to be kicking my butt at track meets meant that I was gonna work that much harder to really get out and push myself a little bit. So I love a competition, and again, I think it’s good for voters. A worse thing for a voter is walking into the ballot booth and not having a choice, not being able to have their say. The bosses should be in control of our government and voting’s a pretty powerful way to exercise that authority.
We’re gonna run hard. I mean, I have a day job that does not allow me to campaign full-time. I work in the private sector, I work hard. I got a business unit that I run. Things are going really well there. But you do have to be willing to interview with the bosses. You are not gonna be able to interview for a job over TV commercials.
And everybody always wants to focus, focus on fundraising, and fundraising’s going really well for us. We’re ahead in the money game, but I am not gonna win this race on television. I’m not gonna win it even in newspaper ads, as horrifying as that might be for you to hear. This race is going to be won in the trenches, talking to real people, and having them put a finger in my chest when I’ve earned it and having them give me an atta-boy when I’ve earned it.
If you’ve been following the GOAC hearings on Gear-Up at all, you might have noticed that State Senator Stace Nelson has been having a bit of difference with a committee member or two. Or all of them. Maybe staff, too.
Nelson has been on a rant/attacking one of his fellow legislators from his District, Rep. Kyle Schoenfish, which he’s done regularly in a political context for several years now, but over the course of the last year, it was because Schoenfish’s father’s firm was hired to do the audits for Mid Central Coop. Nelson has been using that fact to try to attack Kyle, and demanding that he answer his questions, appear before the committee, etc.
From: Susan Wismer <>
Q: So, where do you see this race going and what kind of campaign do you want to run?