Questions Raised about Jackley’s Stalling of Court-Ordered Payment to Victim
While Marty Jackley was delivering remarks at a press conference about how victims “deserve better protections and better rights,” he was simultaneously stalling a $1.5 million court-ordered payment to a woman who was retaliated against for reporting sexual harassment at the Department of Criminal Investigation (DCI), which he oversees.
After numerous instances of sexual harassment, former state DCI agent Laura Kaiser followed the normal grievance process. The grievance was denied by Attorney General Marty Jackley. In 2015, Kaiser then sued the DCI Director and a former DCI agent for the retaliation. In 2017, a jury sided with Kaiser and awarded her $1.2 million in damages, plus legal fees that bring the total to more than $1.5 million.
The payment for those damages were due on April 15, 2018, but according to a court order on May 18, 2018, the damages were yet to be paid by Marty Jackley’s DCI and a proposal was offered to instead make the payment “in early June.” A judge is now ordering the DCI Director to appear in court as a result of the proposed delay.
“At the very least, Marty Jackley’s delay shows a blatant disregard for the needs of victims,” said Justin Brasell, Kristi for Governor Campaign Manager. “At the most, it shows he’s willing to manipulate victims and the criminal justice system for his own political purposes. There are questions this revelation draws, and they need to be answered.”
This does not look good for Jackley.
Why is Gortmaker still the head of DCI after that verdict?
Maybe the best answer Jackley could have is to say:
SD voters are smarter than this. It’s two weeks before an election. Congresswoman Noem is losing. I’m SHOCKED! SHOCKED! (Fane outrage) That a politician would over simplify a matter to smear their opponent 2 weeks before an election.
Shocked. Shocked.
The voters are to smart for this DC politics and quite honestly they are tired of it.
That would actually be a terrible answer to the question of why Gortmaker is still head of the DCI. Maybe the best answer Jackley could have is to say:
Crony COP-italism.
“I’ll cover your behind if you’ll cover mine.”
Feign, not “fane”.
Because he is one of the “good old boys”.
This looks bad for Noem. Her internal polls must be showing her behind by at least five points if she’s decided to be the first to sling mud.
How is this slinging mud…Jackley should have fired someone after that verdict of the retaliation found by the jury….will he hold no one accountable if governor also?
Several people in Aberdeen no longer work there. Learn the facts.
Hopefully Milbrandt is the next to go.
And who in Aberdeen was fired as you are leading in your statement???? People may have quit but no one was fired or even disciplined for the sexual harassment and retaliation.
No he will not, that’s his style.
No, this looks bad for Jackley. This should have been done months ago. Noem is 100% right here…
All in good time. The payments are coming.
the check is in the mail
They could have appealed. They could have signed.
Noem is showing she is either losing or this race is way closer than she thought it would be.
And so it begins…
Was hoping it wouldn’t come to this, but not surprised that Noem shot first
Two weeks left, let’s see if it plays
Noem shot first if we don’t count the Jackley press release that told a $20,000 lie about her $90,000 lead in 2018 fundraising.
Why didn’t they appeal it? Can they still?
If so what are the reasons?
They say timing is everything. Looks to me like DCI was trying to keep the payment bottled up till after the primary to avoid another round of bad press about the judgment. That strategy could have worked if Zylstra Kaiser hadn’t gone back to court to press the issue. Now there is more explaining to do for not paying.
This no big deal on either side. Justin though needs to realize even the Governor isn’t an absolute monarch much less the AG.
Neither is the finance reporting issue. Jason need some to realize we don’t expect our Governor to be a bookkeeper.
Can we keep it on things that matter?
I think the big deal that I just read in the Argus Leader is one of the apparent reasons for the delay. They asked her to sign a non-disparagement agreement. While this may be standard in the business world, I am shocked that Marty and his attorneys would ask for this in the middle of a campaign. Not a great example of transparency in government.