Release: LAWMAKERS ADDRESS UNCONSTITUTIONAL MEASURE, SET STAGE FOR REPLACEMENT

Pat Powers

LAWMAKERS ADDRESS UNCONSTITUTIONAL MEASURE, SET STAGE FOR REPLACEMENT

Pierre, SD – January 23, 2017 – Today, South Dakota House State Affairs Committee members took action to repeal Initiated Measure 22 and replace it with a real, South Dakota solution. The Committee voted to send HB 1069 to the House Floor, which repeals the misleading Initiated Measure that went into effect last November and was ruled unconstitutional by a South Dakota Judge shortly after. 

“We need to send a message to outside groups spending millions of dollars in our state to change our laws and our Constitution,” said House Majority Leader Lee Qualm. “South Dakotans deserve an apology from the proponents of this measure. They knew IM 22 was unconstitutional when they submitted it, yet they spent more than $1,700,000 dollars on deceptive ads to mislead voters,” added Leader Qualm. 

Initiated Measure 22 supporters spent $1.73 million dollars to pass the measure. Of that, 98% came from outside South Dakota and 61% came from dark money groups that are not required to disclose their donors. One donor alone, Represent.us donated 57% of the money used in this campaign. Since the November elections, these same people have spent tens of thousands of dollars attacking elected officials in slanderous ads across South Dakota.

“South Dakota has a long history of good government and pragmatic stewardship,” said Speaker of the House Mark Mickelson. “We’ve become an inexpensive target for outside groups to test their agendas and introduce policies because of our low population and less expensive media market,” added Speaker Mickelson.

In 2016, seven measures were initiated and placed on South Dakota’s ballot. Three of them (IM 21, 22 and 23) would have changed South Dakota statute, while four (Constitutional Amendments S, T, U, and V) would re-write the state’s Constitution. 91% of the funding to support these measures came from out-of-state.

During the joint committee hearing, opponents of the effort to repeal and replace IM22 admitted that it would not have prevented or applied to the EB-5 or GEAR UP incidents in South Dakota.

10 thoughts on “Release: LAWMAKERS ADDRESS UNCONSTITUTIONAL MEASURE, SET STAGE FOR REPLACEMENT”

    1. How about a little honesty on this IM 22 “ethics” law? It is about much more than just ethics reform. Taxpayer funded campaigns comes to mind as one part of it. And since it addresses more than one issue, it has been declared unconstitutional. But of course MSNBC is not going to report honestly on this and on why it needs to be replaced. And what do you care anyway — you are living in Massachusetts, right? How about blogging on your own state’s blogs and your own state’s interests?

      1. The voters APPROVED IT—-‘”you people” lost and now “you people” and your wannabee tyrant hired hands think “We The People” don’t matter— Sir, you have just proven your stupidity in more ways than one.– the inability to know that voters rule– knowing what was in a news story you did NOT see–.the last being that I am I Ma… Do you EVER know what you are talking about?

  2. “South Dakotans deserve an apology from the proponents of this measure. They knew IM 22 was unconstitutional when they submitted it, yet they spent more than $1,700,000 dollars on deceptive ads to mislead voters,” added Leader Qualm. “– Who does this slimbag think he is— post the “DECEPTIVE” ads.. NO “you people” can’t do that any more that you can substantiate your claims of IM22 being found unConstitutional by the courts… I am momentarily at a loss of words for something this blatantly un-Amseican…

    1. Maybe Mr. Qualm should quit with the alternative facts and focus on all the corruption in his own district…the fleecing of millions of educational dollars, and possibly 6 murders open, shut case.

  3. A comment from the Argus Leader–
    “As a New Jerseyan who last spent time in South Dakota several years ago, I admit not knowing very much about your politics. However, I am somewhat familiar with the democracies-in-name-only that abound in other parts of the world.

    What SD Republicans are doing is what one would expect from politicians in the Balkans, in Central Asia, in many Indian states, in Pakistan, in much of Africa and the Middle East, especially Turkey, and, last but not least, in Russia.”–

    1. OK, you are from NJ? I could care less. Your hate-filled rants on this blog are doing nothing to further your cause. Now you compare SD GOP to countries where truly the rights of their citizenry are questionable and where women in many cases have no rights??!! Sorry, but I do have to laugh at that last paragraph above. Maybe you should remember that song from Mary Poppins – a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down – and just relax a little bit, chill out, whatever.

      1. Hahahahaha! Pat, I appreciate the attention. I am just having a little bit of fun. I am sure you noticed that I kept the same email address with this comment so as to empower you, the host, with my identity….. Its only fair…. 😉

        But what I do not understand is how “Anonymous” can comment as much as he or she does on this site, or is that just multiple commenters unwilling to divulge their unique identities?…….. 😉

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