FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, September 16, 2021
ATTORNEY GENERAL RAVNSBORG JOINS 24 STATE COALITION DEMANDING PRESIDENT BIDEN DROP VACCINE MANDATE OR RISK LEGAL ACTION
PIERRE, S.D. — South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg has joined with 23 other state attorneys general to send a letter to President Joe Biden today, warning that litigation will follow the implementation of the proposed mandate on private sector employees to either get a COVID-19 shot, submit to weekly testing, or be fired. The coalition of AGs outlined their legal and policy concerns with the mandate, which will be carried out through an Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) emergency temporary standard.
“The policies of this administration will hurt the American people and business,” said Ravnsborg. “This President seeks more government control over the lives and choices of all Americans.”
History has shown that the judicial branch is highly skeptical of the use of OSHA emergency temporary standards because of concerns about federalism and the separation of powers. Further, the AGs raise concerns about the expansion of a federal regulatory agency and public perception of the order’s constitutionality.
The coalition of AGs goes beyond legal arguments to address practical policy considerations of such a sweeping order. Most concerning is the potential to drive individuals out of the workforce, particularly healthcare workers, who are most needed right now to fight the pandemic. Additionally, this mandate ignores the tens of millions of Americans with natural immunity and will drive further skepticism of vaccines.
Last, and perhaps most importantly, the AGs note there are alternatives to a broad, nationwide order. The letter states, “The risks of COVID-19 spread also vary widely depending on the nature of the business in question, many of which can have their employees, for example, work remotely. The one-size-fits-almost-all approach you have decreed makes clear that you intend to use the OSHA statute as a pretext to impose an unprecedented, controversial public health measure on a nationwide basis that only incidentally concerns the workplace.”
South Dakota was joined on the letter by the attorneys general of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
You can read the letter here: AGs letter to President Biden on Vaccine Mandate
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I’m torn on this one. I support the action, but not the person taking it.
Why??? Because we have an AG who continues to do his job even though he keeps getting attacked. I for one continue to enjoy seeing the good work Ravnsborg is doing.
So would you rather he continue to collect a check-which he has a right to do-and not do his job? If Biden were actually doing anything not stupid I would support it, despite it being done by an incompetent, corrupt, dementia-riddled old twit.
He should resign. He should’ve done it the day after killing Joe.
He didn’t kill Joe, it was ruled an accident. Get over it.
Strong letter of policy and legal analysis! Read the actual letter people, full of information!
Keep up the good work AG!
The letter glosses over nearly all precedent set by previous court rulings regarding vaccination mandates and fails to note how this differs. Jacobson v. Mass, Zucht v. King, the impacts of overturning these would be huge. There are fringe argument points such as enforcement agency, or vague personal liberties, but overall legislating from the SCOTUS bench would change the direction of policy in the US a great deal. On these issues of general public safety (species viability), saying the government can’t enforce this, or that states can only enforce this would set us on a track of major division. I know a lot of people want that division, but I for one want the union to stick together, separating us is what our adversaries want. Just grow up people, there are a lot of other things you can politicize, how about you let this one go.
Nope, not gonna let this one go; the left is taking far too much power away from the people, and even the dimmest bulb should be able to see that and shudder. However, for those of you who don’t care for freedom and want everything you do to be dictated by a dictatorial government, how ’bout you just move to China or Russia; I hear Cuba is nice this time of year as well.
Clearly you didn’t read it, did you?
It talks about Jacobson right in the letter.
Hasn’t Jason contributed to enough unnecessary death already?
Seriously, this again. Let me guess, is this Mary still upset that her husband lost for a 2nd time in the run for AG a few years ago. Attacking Ransvborg for something that a state attorney, just like her husband, determined was an accident.
Wow it’s like killing someone is all anybody thinks about when they think of Ravnsborg.
Perhaps that’s a good reason to resign.
Or feigned outrage like Noem has been exercising since the beginning…..but like National Review showed she is as fake as a three dollar bill
No, only the haters from day one of Ravnsborg and Nemo who wants her own person as AG keep bringing it up.
And by the way, he didn’t kill anyone. It was ruled an accident and we can bring up the same argument of how the individual should not have been on the road, overmedicated, stumbling all over the road in dark clothes.
I think there has been enough stories out this week to show how hard the AG is working at his job. Not distracted.
Still killed a guy.
No, he didn’t, it was an accident. Huge difference.
It’s all twits like yourself think about because you don’t have anything better to do. Get a life and try to accomplish something of value.
Is there anything that can be done along these lines protecting the military from being mandated to take the vaccine? Is that still being mandated for all military and when?
The pitiful last gasps of someone desperately trying to remain relevant before his unceremonious dumping by a much more competent attorney. Misplaced, pathetic, and without a legal chance in hell goes forward this malevolent political cause. Hopeful that a newly energized conservative court will overturn decades of strong precedent in order to deliver a much needed “W” for the “C”, such an undertaking is negligent practice at best, and barratry at worst. Yes, Mr. Ravnsborg, the shot clock is ticking, but rather than maintaining a cool head, you simply look like a hapless player who piddled himself while fouling out on the court.
Well, this is just an uneducated comment that has no barring on anything. Now go back to your room and let the big kids talk.
Jason isn’t competent? What have you done with your life? Let’s have a list of your accomplishments and we’ll compare. I hope you are using a rubber keyboard; I wouldn’t want you harming yourself.
Accomplishment number one: not killing another person.
You are right, Ravnsborg did not kill anyone. An unfortunate accident, but did not kill anyone. Thanks for the comment.
Accident or not he directly caused a death. Resign Jason.
Hyperbole, half truths, and repetition in the hope it becomes perceived truth to get rid of a duly elected person before the end of his term: Seems like I’ve seen this movie before.
Oh, yeah. The original was about a call to the Ukraine. Copycats always look small and petty. And in this case, the bit players don’t even have the courage to destroy a man by exposing their own reputation. Small and petty actually is more than they deserve.
Spot on Troy as always.
I think a lot will come out that the GOP/Noem will not want to hear about if this proceeds.
Jason Ravnsborg. South Dakota’s finest republican motorist. Better looking than 25 speeding ticket krusty noem and smarter than 47 ticket wild bill janklow. Please support my initiative to change the state official motto to “South Dakota Highway to Hell”