Yesterday was not Taffy Howard’s day. In the Senate State Affairs committee, her signature piece of legislation for 2022 wasn’t just defeated. It was savaged.
House Bill 1329, which would have required “a forensic audit of election results after each presidential general election” came out of Howard’s attendance at the looney “pillow guy” election paranoia forum this last year in Sioux Falls.
(If you recall the interview Howard and Julie Frye-Mueller did with alt-right website “Tru-News” back in September, where they called themselves the dynamic duo.)
You can watch the video for yourself by clicking here.
Howard claimed in committee that there were “anomalies” in South Dakota, but even with their ‘dynamic’ sponsorship on HB 1329, the measure unanimously went down in flames, with Senator Lee Schoenbeck pointing out that these wild eyed claims are what is causing the uncertainty, not because of any actual problems with the seniors who are behind the counter helping in our counties on election day.
This bill going down in flames is further noteworthy because it marks the third of the three bills sponsored by Taffy Howard this year which were all defeated.
Howard’s first bill, House Bill 1262, to prohibit discrimination based on a person’s vaccination status or possession of an immunity passport and to declare an emergency, was withdrawn by Howard on February 16th,
Her second bill, House Bill 1330, to limit the increase of assessed value of property for the purpose of taxation, and to limit the property tax due on property failed in committee on February 15th.
House Bill 1329 narrowly made it through the House of Representatives on a vote of 36-31, but as noted, failed unanimously in Senate State Affairs.
The failure of this measure means that Howard was skunked, and failed on all of her bills for 2022, passing ZERO bills. Unfortunately, this is more than just a trend for Howard. Because she failed on all of her legislation last year (2021) as well. Again, Zero.
In 2020.. same thing. Three Bills. Two withdrawn. One defeated. Zero.
2019.. of 5 bills, 1 passed.
2018.. of 2 Bills, 1 passed.
2017.. of 2 bills, 1 passed.
Literally, across the 6 years of her legislative career, Howard has gone from a 50% average grade, to a 20% grade, to zeros three years running. And more than a few of these measures have simply been withdrawn.
I have to say, if you can’t pass any legislation, you probably shouldn’t ask voters for a promotion to higher office, especially when you’re spending an inordinate amount of time listening to conspiracy theorists on facebook over those on main street.
it’s conspiracy
When a channel spells “True” as “Tru”, it’s anything but.
Isn’t it simple to pass bad legislation?
Also, in an election year, I’m sure there is no shortage of elected officials who would gladly swipe a good idea and take credit for it next year.
This illustrates the fallacy of reasoning behind the assertion that passing no legislation is damning.
Have you taken a poll on what South Dakota wants?
Do the majority of people want 1) medical freedom, 2) lower taxes, and 3) election integrity?
What you are talking about here is political hit-jobbery.
Will all three of these things be codified into law in SD eventually, and will Howard be given credit for being an insightful first-mover on these issues if/when that happens?
We’ll be watching.
Trying to do the right thing and failing is or is not better than doing the wrong thing and succeeding?