As I’d noted early yesterday afternoon, former Democrat Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin was named the president of Augustana University.
We wish her good luck for a long, long tenure at the University. (It would be a shame to use such as position as a stepping stone).
From today’s Argus Leader:
Former Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin is reportedly in the running to be the next president of Augustana University.
Herseth Sandlin, 46, has been with Raven Industries since 2012, and currently serves as the company’s general counsel and vice president.
and..
Augustana University would give the Georgetown Law School graduate a prominent position both in the business community of Sioux Falls and the academic community. Just the sort of role that would suit somebody who wanted to take a run at the Senate seat held by Sen. Mike Rounds in 2020.
The word I’m hearing is that this deal may be all done except for the announcement.
As noted, it comes at a time when Herseth may be looking to raise her profile in preparation for a run for US Senate against Senator Mike Rounds.
The Club for Growth group announced today that starting today, they’re running a $150,000 ad buy urging Congresswoman Kristi Noem to oppose the Border Adjustment Tax being proposed in Congress:
Club for Growth Launches TV Ad Urging Rep. Kristi Noem to Oppose Border Adjustment Tax
“Congresswoman Noem’s constituents need to know if she will fight for them and oppose the BAT.”
Washington, DC – Club for Growth president David McIntosh released the following statement about a new Club for Growth TV and digital ad campaign that urges Congresswoman Kristi Noem (SD-AL) to oppose the Border Adjustment provision in the tax reform proposal put forth by House Republicans:
“The Border Adjustment Tax will drive up prices on everyday consumer goods like groceries, gas, clothes and shoes,” said Club for Growth president David McIntosh. “House Republicans have offered good tax reform proposals, like lowering rates, repealing the Death Tax, and cleaning up the tax code, but the Border Adjustment Tax will hurt American families. Congresswoman Noem has a key position in Congress on tax policy and her constituents need to know if she will fight for them and oppose the BAT.”
The Club’s new ad can be seen here and will begin broadcasting statewide in South Dakota on February 22, with an ad buy of more than $150,000 for TV and digital outlets.
It is expected to be the first of a series of ads that the Club for Growth will air on the BAT tax in states and districts across the country.
Here’s a story that further explains the Club’s opposition to the BAT: https://www.axios.com/club-for-growth-starts-hitting-republicans-on-border-tax-2277135661.html
The South Dakota GOP was nice enough to broadcast the 2017 Hughes County Lincoln Day Dinner via Facebook Video for those of us who couldn’t make it. And if you’d like to watch, check it out here:
I’m hearing between 50-60 people are in attendance. In case you’re interested, here’s the invitation that went out:
Nope, your eyes are not deceiving you. We do have a new advertiser, who is also old friend to us all, the South Dakota Republican Party, who will be with us for a while as part of their efforts to be a little louder in promoting “the brand.”
Right now, the ad goes to their donation page, so take a moment, and give them some monetary love!
I’m also talking with at least 2 other parties about coming on with an ad, so, the party is just getting started here at the SDWC for 2018!
I’m hearing from multiple sources that a last minute addition has been made to the Hughes County Lincoln Day Dinner program tonight, and that – allegedly – Jason Ravnsborg may be announcing his intention to run for the office of Attorney General currently held by Marty Jackley.
Aside from Marty being term limited out, he’s also busy running for Governor. Tonight will also mark the first event that both Marty and Congresswoman Kristi Noem will be appearing at as declared candidates for Governor.
If Jason announces tonight, he would be the first entrant into the race, which also has others eyeing it such as Assistant Attorney General Charles McGuigan, State Senator Lance Russell, and Lawrence County State’s Attorney John Fitzgerald.
From the Associated Press, Congresswoman Kristi Noem has asked incoming Attorney General Jeff Sessions for a sit down to take a hard look at the rising crime rate in South Dakota:
Republican U.S. Rep. Kristi Noem is asking new Attorney General Jeff Sessions to discuss rising violent crime in South Dakota.
Noem sent a letter Tuesday to Sessions requesting a meeting and urging the Justice Department to redouble its efforts to fight drug trafficking, gang proliferation and the “violent crime that all too often follows.”
She writes that violent crime levels have grown steadily in South Dakota over at least the last decade.
If I hadn’t had just gotten back from several days’ vacation, I know where I’d be tonight.
In one of his first big public outings as a SDGOP candidate for Congress, Dusty Johnson is the featured speaker at the Hughes County Lincoln Day Dinner this evening at the Ramkota in Pierre. If you don’t have your tickets yet, here’s the 411 on how to get them, and when to show up:
Hughes County Lincoln Day Dinner
February 21, 2017 @ 5:30pm – 8:00pm
5:30 PM Social Hour, 6:30 PM Dinner
Ramkota Convention Center in Pierre, SD
Keynote Speaker Dusty Johnson with introduction by Governor Dennis DaugaardTickets available for $30 by contacting Mike Melhaff at (605) 988-4488 or available at the door
House Bill 1196 is an odd little bill that came about as a hoghouse, ostensibly for the purpose of preventing teachers from becoming embarrassed by “memes.”
Seriously.
Parents or others who photograph or take video in the classroom without a teacher’s permission could face misdemeanor charges under a bill making its way through the Legislature.
The House Education Committee on Wednesday approved a bill that would make it a Class 2 misdemeanor for non-students to use electronic listening or recording devices in classrooms. That means they’d be subject to 30 days in jail, a $500 or both.
And..
Rob Monson, executive director of School Administrators of South Dakota, said he hoghoused Wismer’s bill to give school officials another venue to deter potentially unflattering posts parents or other visitors made of teachers without their consent.
Has anyone seen unflattering teacher memes out there? Anyone?
Sorry. “Unflattering posts?” That’s a red herring. And a ridiculous one at that. But what it seems to do is a bit darker – to criminalize parental attempts to document things without prior knowledge, such as this example:
When a 14-year-old special needs student in Ohio told her father she was being bullied at school, he figured it was something that many teenagers endure.
Then he realized it was his daughter’s teachers doing the bullying.
“We were shocked,’’ he tearfully said. “We couldn’t know. We didn’t know.’’
After being told repeatedly by school administrators that his daughter was lying about being harassed and bullied, he outfitted her with a hidden tape recorder under her clothes. For the next four days, she recorded a series of abusive and cutting remarks from a teacher and a teacher’s aide at Miami Trace Middle School in Washington Courthouse, Ohio.
What’s a more realistic scenario of what House Bill 1196 is actually trying to do? Criminalize recording in schools because someone may be made fun of? Or criminalizing it in an attempt to limit liability?
I could be wrong. Maybe I’m overly cynical. But I’m not buying what ASBSD is selling. And what they’re selling seems like poor, and a very self-interested justification for creating a new crime.