Politico Magazine is reporting an interesting story about Chinese government-run educational institutes which are opening on college campuses nationwide. and that includes one here in South Dakota at Northern State University:

But the Confucius Institutes’ goals are a little less wholesome and edifying than they sound—and this is by the Chinese government’s own account. A 2011 speech by a standing member of the Politburo in Beijing laid out the case: “The Confucius Institute is an appealing brand for expanding our culture abroad,” Li Changchun said. “It has made an important contribution toward improving our soft power. The ‘Confucius’ brand has a natural attractiveness. Using the excuse of teaching Chinese language, everything looks reasonable and logical.”

Li, it now seems, was right to exult. More than a decade after they were created, Confucius Institutes have sprouted up at more than 500 college campuses worldwide, with more than 100 of them in the United States—including at The George Washington University, the University of Michigan and the University of Iowa. Overseen by a branch of the Chinese Ministry of Education known colloquially as Hanban, the institutes are part of a broader propaganda initiative that the Chinese government is pumping an estimated $10 billion into annually, and they have only been bolstered by growing interest in China among American college students.

Yet along with their growth have come consistent questions about whether the institutes belong on campuses that profess to promote free inquiry. Confucius Institutes teach a very particular, Beijing-approved version of Chinese culture and history: one that ignores concerns over human rights, for example, and teaches that Taiwan and Tibet indisputably belong to Mainland China. Take it from the aforementioned Li, who also said in 2009 that Confucius Institutes are an “important part of China’s overseas propaganda set-up.” Critics also charge that the centers have led to a climate of self-censorship on campuses that play host to them.

and…

Instead, Confucius Institutes continue their forward march. In 2015, they opened at Tufts University, New Jersey City University, Southern Utah University and Northern State University in South Dakota.

and..

It seems that Beijing probed, and found a weakness: money. It may be intellectually indefensible for universities to host Confucius Institutes, but at a time of reduced funding, it makes eminent sense. How ironic that the ostensibly communist Chinese seem to understand financial imperatives better than we Yankees do.

Read it all here in Politico Magazine.

Well.. that’s not something I expected to read on a Sunday afternoon. Chinese Government Propaganda institutes at Northern State University. I’d say it sounds like a Lora Hubbel campaign line, but it’s actually coming from Politico Magazine.

If you want to see for yourself….

…click here to visit NSU’s information on the Confucius Institute.

As the writer of a political website, I do like to see it when I receive a notice of a trackback, meaning I see it when someone cites something I’ve written.  Today, I saw notice of a link from an attorney who is apparently representing the USD Law School Professor who has some strong positions against Trophy Hunting.

If you recall:

I simply thought I would let you know that my article on “trophy hunting” – the hunting for “sport” of rare species – has now been published.  You can download it from here, should you like to see it: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2822111 .  Feel free to share that link others.

 I advocate against continuing the practice of trophy hunting.  I address the issue from, mainly, a contracts point of view, arguing that the practice can modernly be held unenforceable under the common law for reasons of public policy (public opinion has, in recent years, turned against killing very rare animals). 

Read that here…

As we’re finding out today, predictably, that article generated a considerable amount of controversy, and as the professor’s attorney claims, may have played a role in the denial of tenure:

Many TFL readers may know Associate Professor Myanna Dellinger, or be familiar with her work.  Myanna is the Editor-in-Chief of the ContractsProfBlog and a rising star in legal academia. She is the creator of the Global Energy and Environmental Law podcast (also available on iTunes), a frequent speaker at academic symposia and author of a dozen law review articles and many other publications.

and…

Although it is not entirely clear why the Provost and President are so opposed to Myanna receiving tenure, there have been some disturbing signs that there are other factors at play in Myanna’s case beyond these administrators’ professed belief that lateral hires should not be promoted on the same schedule as homegrown faculty members.  In 2016, Myanna published an article in the Columbia Journal of Environmental Law Trophy Hunting Contracts – Unenforceable for Reasons of Public Policy, 41 Colum. J. Envtl. L. (2016) (SSRN Link) that was highly critical of trophy hunting.  Although the article was very well-received in the legal academy, the article was very controversial in South Dakota, where hunting, including big-game hunting, is still a popular activity.   The article ignited considerable controversy in South Dakota and the law school was criticized for allowing Myanna to publish it. Rather than encouraging Professor Dellinger’s colleagues to come to her support, the law faculty were directed not share their views externally and not to respond to comments posted on the USD Law listserv.  The Provost’s unsuccessful efforts to demote Myanna began shortly thereafter.

and…

We are hopeful of a positive outcome in the Court.  Certainly the facts and the law are on Myanna’s side.  Unfortunately, Myanna’s extended legal battles to defend her rights have put a severe financial strain on her.  USD is one of the lowest-paying law schools in the country (even third year Associate Professors like Myanna are still paid under six figures) so there is not a lot left over for legal fees.  Although I have done all of my work on the case either pro bono or at a deeply discounted rate, it is still a major struggle for Myanna to pay for the ongoing fees and costs of litigation.   Accordingly, Myanna has set up a Legal Defense Fund with Go Fund Me.  This fund will be used to pay for court costs (filing fees, pro hac vice fee, etc.), and past, present and future legal fees.  If the Court orders a hearing in the case, I have promised Myanna to represent her at the hearing pro bono, but the fund would be used to pay for my travel expenses to South Dakota, which is not the cheapest place to get to.  If you have a few bucks to spare and would like to support Myanna, please consider donating to the fund.

Read it here.

And as noted by Professor Dellinger herself at GoFundMe, she offers a few theories as to why they don’t want to give her tenure. As she goes into her spiel as to why people should help her raise the $8000 she’s seeking to sue the USD Law School:

Why are the Provost and President so opposed to me getting tenure?  Could it be because I wrote a law review article that was critical of the practice of trophy hunting, which created a local firestorm in this staunchly pro-hunting state?  Could it be because I made a presentation to the Academic Senate about the University’s arbitrary policies on prior service credit?  Could it be because I am an “outsider”?  – Or a female?  Only they know the real reasons.  But whatever their true motivations may be, both the Provost and the President have made it clear that they are opposed to my getting tenure this year. Since they know they don’t have any valid basis to deny me tenure on the merits, they have resorted to procedural mechanisms to try to block me.

As you can imagine, all these legal battles are not cheap.  I have an excellent attorney.  He’s donated dozens of hours of work on the case and is charging me a fraction of his usual rate.  But between last year’s fight to keep my title and this year’s tenure fight, I have already spent over $10,000 just in attorney fees, and this fight is far from over.  There are court filing fees, travel expenses and more attorney fees to come, and frankly, I can’t afford it.  It doesn’t help that the University of South Dakota pays its law professors among the least in the nation.

Read that here.

The questions she raises as she goes into her plea for cash regarding her denial for tenure ask if it is because she advocates against hunting, questioning if it’s because she’s “an outsider,” or because she’s “a woman?”  And complains that USD “pays its law professors among the least in the nation.”

I know the reaction of some USD Law School Alumni was NOT very positive towards the professor’s writings to “ban hunting as against public policy,” and calling “it’s participants part of a “shadowy subculture.”

With the lawsuit demanding tenure, I doubt the professor isn’t going to change their mind any time soon.

Democrat Candidate for Governor Billie Sutton released a pile of his e-mails to the Rapid City Journal, and in there were a few interesting items of a political nature:

State Sen. Stace Nelson, a Republican from Fulton, sent an email to the Democratic Senate leaders — Minority Leader Sutton, Assistant Minority Leader Troy Heinert and Minority Whip Jason Frerichs — seeking their help to force the funding for a proposed animal disease research and diagnostic laboratory at South Dakota State University to come from a governor-controlled pot of economic development money called the Future Fund.

“Take a look at this and please help me in getting this drafted properly,” Nelson wrote. “I want every dime to come out of the governor’s slush funds.”

Cherry Blossoms, a Capitol Tour, and a Cup of Joe
By Sen. John Thune

The recent blizzard that blanketed communities across South Dakota with a fresh layer of the white stuff was a harsh reminder that Mother Nature’s winter grip remains strong. Punxsutawney Phil didn’t do us any favors either. So, while snow still covers a vast majority of the state, spring will be here before we know it. And not a moment too soon, I might add. With spring comes spring break, and with spring break comes a surge of vacationing families and students to the nation’s capital, which is as exciting and predictable as the change in seasons itself.

If your family or organization is one of the many that will be making the trek from South Dakota to Washington, D.C., this spring, we’d love to see you. Not only will you be able to enjoy some warmer weather (hopefully) and soak up the sights, like the famous Japanese cherry blossoms, but my office can assist you with things like booking tours of federal buildings, including the Capitol, Supreme Court, or Library of Congress. If you need help, just send us an email, give us a call, or stop by in person.

If you decide to stop by my Washington office, which I hope you do, I’d like to extend an open invitation to your family or organization for the South Dakota Sunrise Coffee, which I host weekly with Sen. Mike Rounds and Rep. Kristi Noem. It’s a free event that is open to any South Dakotan who is in town. While folks enjoy coffee and donuts, the congressional delegation will provide an update on what’s happening in Congress and then open it up for feedback to hear what’s on your mind.

If you’re interested in attending one of the upcoming events, call my office or visit my website, www.thune.senate.gov, and search “sunrise coffee” to sign up. It’s a great opportunity. More than 500 South Dakotans attended these events last year, and I hope we can welcome even more people, including you and your family, in 2018.

Already at this year’s Sunrise Coffees, in addition to the families that have been in town visiting, we’ve seen representatives from South Dakota State University, Oglala Lakota College, Sisseton Wahpeton College, the South Dakota Humanities Council, South Dakota Veterans of Foreign Wars, Sanford Underground Research Facility, the South Dakota Small Business Development Center, the South Dakota Corn Growers Association, and many more.

While my job as your senator requires me to be in Washington at times, a lot of the important work gets done when I’m back home in South Dakota, traveling the state and meeting with people in communities, large and small. So, if I don’t find you at a Sunrise Coffee, I’ll be sure to catch you back in the 605. Don’t be a stranger.

###

FARM Act Necessary to Prevent Farmers and Ranchers from Being Subject to Needless EPA Regulations
By U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.)

Farmers and ranchers in South Dakota work hard to grow and raise quality products for consumers. They also take great pride in caring for our natural resources and making sure they are available for future generations to use. The federal government should not needlessly get in the way of the work they do to help feed and fuel a growing population.

I recently co-sponsored the Fair Agricultural Reporting Method (FARM) Act, a bipartisan bill to protect farmers and ranchers from EPA reporting requirements for animal waste emissions. This legislation, which was introduced by Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and now has 33 bipartisan cosponsors, also prevents activist interest groups from attempting to redefine congressional intent related to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) in the future. Our bill would provide producers with greater certainty by reinstating the status quo producers have been operating under since EPA’s 2008 final rule exempting them from this reporting rule.

Let me take a moment to explain why our bill is necessary. In 1980, CERCLA was established to manage hazardous waste and respond to environmental emergencies and natural disasters. It was meant to be used to clean up land that was identified by the EPA as hazardous or contaminated, and make sure that local communities are able to safely manage hazardous waste. Animal waste contains ammonia and hydrogen sulfide, which are both considered hazardous substances under CERCLA, so in 2008, the EPA amended the rule to exempt animal waste at agricultural operations from CERCLA reporting requirements.

However, in 2017, a court case against the EPA initiated by an environmental activist group resulted in a decision that reversed the animal waste exemption, leaving approximately 200,000 ag producers subject to burdensome, time-consuming and costly reporting requirements for animal waste emissions. Congress never intended these be imposed on family farming operations, who are already responsibly and safely working to produce enough food and fuel for a growing global population.

As the chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Subcommittee on Superfund, Waste Management and Regulatory Oversight, I recently held a legislative hearing on the FARM Act. We were able to hear from witnesses involved in farming and ranching about how EPA reporting requirements on animal waste have impacted their businesses, including Todd Mortenson who runs a ranch in Stanley County. Todd explained to the committee that the FARM Act will help make sure farmers and ranchers are able to focus on doing their jobs, rather than complying with unnecessary paperwork requirements.

South Dakota’s farmers and ranchers are some of the hardest working people I know. The FARM Act prevents them from being subject to needless regulations that have no environmental benefit – so they can focus on working on their land and feeding the world. I look forward to working with my colleagues to get it across the finish line in a timely manner.

###

Not for Sale
By Rep. Kristi Noem

There was a sting operation conducted in Watertown in February 2013. Undercover ads were placed on a website that’s known for trafficking young girls for sex called Backpage. Over the course of two days, the ad received 110 responses.

This is not a major city. It’s someone’s hometown. It’s a place with a sense of community – a place built on the idea of a strong family and an understanding of what’s right and what’s wrong. And yet even in this community, websites like Backpage have been able to facilitate the buying and selling of our children.

As we saw in the Watertown sting operation, criminals use the internet to hide their disgusting requests. In fact, studies have shown around 70 percent of child sex trafficking survivors were at some point sold online. Websites like Backpage are profiting immensely because of it.

By some reports, Backpage is responsible for 70 percent of prostitution advertising among the major websites that carry such ads. And it’s believed that more than 90 percent of Backpage’s profits come from their adult advertisements.

These “adult advertisements” may have contained adult content, but in many cases, it was children they were selling. According to court documents filed with the California Department of Justice, these sales earn the owners of Backpage between $1.5 million and $2.5 million a month in California alone.

With this evidence in mind, it’s clear Backpage is a standout in this area. Their business model relies on the buying and selling of human beings, and it needs to end.

Knowing this, the House passed the Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act, which I cosponsored. This bill aims to crack down on websites that knowingly facilitate the buying and selling of our children. It makes sure states and victims have the tools they need to hold these sickening websites legally accountable. After all, sex predators should never be able to find immunity by hiding behind a computer screen.

Additionally, work continues on legislation I introduced to expand housing opportunities for survivors. In many cases, those who have been trafficked require stronger security protocols and different support services than other victims of violence. My legislation is designed to extend transitional housing, healing and hope to many more trafficking survivors.

But not every solution to human trafficking is a federal solution. You too can play a role by learning what to look out for. The U.S. State Department includes these among the red flags: living with an employer, poor living conditions, multiple people in a cramped space, inability to speak to an individual alone, signs of physical abuse, and submissive or fearful behavior. For urgent situations, dial 911. You may also call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.

Every 30 seconds, a child is sold for sex. While we often think of it as a problem that primarily exists overseas, the reality is that it occurs in our backyards too. We have to fight back. We have to let the world know that our kids are not for sale.

2018 Legislative Session Accomplishments
A column by Gov. Dennis Daugaard: 

As I write this, the South Dakota State Legislature is concluding the main run of its legislative session.  This has been a productive year in Pierre, and I think South Dakotans can be proud of what has been accomplished.

Most importantly, our state continued its streak, going back to statehood, of a balanced budget.  Our budget is honestly balanced.  We used ongoing revenue streams to fund ongoing expenses, and one-time revenues only for one-time purposes.  We do not rely on accounting tricks.  We maintain a budget reserve fund equal to ten percent of expenditures.  It is for this reason that our state has earned and maintained a AAA bond rating, which speaks to our fiscal strength.

When I proposed a state budget in December, revenue growth was very slow.  For that reason, I was not able to propose inflationary increases for education, Medicaid providers, or state employee salaries.  Fortunately, our state’s economy has ticked upward in the last three months, so the state budget we passed will include increases for all of those recipients.  We were also able to allocate dollars to the state employee health plan, to keep employee costs as low as possible.

The budget also includes funding to continue the dual credit program for high school students, to contribute toward a new Precision Ag facility at SDSU and a health education building at Lake Area Tech, and to construct a state veterans cemetery near Sioux Falls.  The Building South Dakota economic development also received a reliable, long-term revenue source.

This year, the legislature passed numerous bills to modernize our state’s alcohol industry.  The emerging micro-brewing industry will be able to expand and to sell their products to bars and consumers.  Farm wineries gained greater flexibility to operate as well.  For the first time in decades, the entire alcohol title was rewritten, increasing clarity and easing the regulatory burden.

We also recognized that the open waters compromise, which the legislature passed last summer in a special session, is working, and we passed legislation to make the compromise permanent.  Although access to public waters will always be an issue, after twenty years we have finally brought certainty and found an answer that is working for landowners and sportsmen.

Bills were also brought to strengthen our ties to our tribes.  Legislation was passed allowing tribal governments to extradite their members back from county jails, if they choose.  We also passed legislation recognizing the right of tribal members to wear traditional regalia, such as an eagle feather, at high school graduations.

Significantly, every single accomplishment I have mentioned was passed on a bipartisan basis.  With the partisan gridlock in Washington, South Dakotans can be proud that our legislature takes on big issues in a practical, bipartisan fashion.

I first came to Pierre for the legislative session in 1997 when I was first elected a state senator.  I spent six years as a senator, eight years as lieutenant governor, and now eight years as governor.  Over those twenty-two sessions, I have served with hundreds of good people – men and women, Republicans and Democrats, farmers, teachers, nurses and attorneys.

South Dakota’s legislators are not career politicians.  They come to Pierre for a few weeks to serve their friends and neighbors, and then they return home to live amongst the people they serve.  In the coming days, if you happen to see one of your legislators, please say thank you for a job well done.​

-30-

Sioux Falls Mayor Mike Huether apparently sent Lora Hubbel a Cease and Desist Letter for libeling him on facebook:

A South Dakota gubernatorial candidate has been accused of making libelous social media posts that say Sioux Falls Mayor Mike Huether has committed treason and loves the Muslim Brotherhood.

The Argus Leader Thursday obtained a copy of a cease and desist notice sent last year from Huether’s private attorneys to Lora Hubbel, a Republican candidate in the 2018 South Dakota governor race, for a series of Facebook and Twitter posts allegedly calling Huether “treasonous,” a “lover” of the Muslim Brotherhood, and “selling our state to the Islamic cause.”

Read it here.

Mike Huether is accusing Lora Hubbel of going on Facebook and saying ridiculous, offensive things? Perish the thought.

Say offensive, untrue things? Lora would never do that.

Maybe.

Gov. Daugaard Orders Flags At Half-Staff To Honor Hal Wick

PIERRE, S.D. – Gov. Dennis Daugaard is ordering flags to fly half-staff  at the State Capitol on Tuesday, March 13, to honor the life of former state Rep. Hal Wick on the day of his funeral.

Wick, of Sioux Falls, represented his district in the South Dakota House of Representatives for a total of 20 years; serving from 1977 to 1980, 1995 to 1998, 2001 to 2008, and 2011 to 2014. Wick also served as House Majority Whip from 2003 to 2004 and 2011 to 2012.

Wick was 73 years old and passed away on Wednesday, March 7. His funeral will be held on Tuesday, March 13, at 10:30 a.m. CST at Christ the King Church in Sioux Falls.

-30-