SCR 8 Measure calls for special prosecutor. Now that most of the work is done.

Pat Powers

This Senate Concurrent Resolution was filed recently in the legislature in an effort to compel the State Attorney General, Marty Jackley to appoint a special prosecutor.  Unfortunately, it’s a waste of money, and a stupid idea.

The AG’s office has been conducting investigations on both of these topics for considerable time, and is already prosecuting both to the extent that law allows.

I’m not quite sure how the legislature butting in and saying we need a special prosecutor a couple years after the fact is anything but grandstanding. Especially in light of the fact that the resolution refers to “failing grades from national groups.”  Adding that into the measure makes it seem positively doltish, in that none of those studies refer only to state government, and they’re hopelessly biased and skewed as a result of our small population.

The people who conducted one study spoke at length as to how the backers of Initiated Measure 22 lied about the study, and noted it didn’t apply because South Dakota was an outlier.  And let’s not ignore the study that noted South Dakota as one of the least corrupt.

Old news that’s long being handled properly and under the law, as well as discredited studies are no basis to form legislation or charge that the Attorney General isn’t doing the job that taxpayers hired him to do.

The measure is nothing more than grandstanding. And henceforth, a waste of taxpayer’s time and money.

11 thoughts on “SCR 8 Measure calls for special prosecutor. Now that most of the work is done.”

  2. I’ll take PP to issue on this one. I’m far from an expert on EB-5, but I’ve done some digging on GEAR UP. After more than a year, we still don’t have the auditor general’s report and confirmation on the status of a federal investigation (the feds almost never confirm an investigation in progress). AG Jackley has indicted three of the lower-level people involved in the scandal. GEAR UP is at significant risk of being compartmentalized as a local scandal involving an educational cooperative, despite publicly available evidence of broader culpability.

    1. Other states hire Special Prosecutors to investigate cases. This state is so small and everybody knows everybody so maybe it’s best to bring in somebody from the outside to avoid any conflicts of interest. It would be very hard to investigate someone that you are very good friends with or has appointed you to a government position or has given large sums of money to your political campaign. I am also referring to Democrats.

  3. In order to prosecute dead people I think we need a dead prosecutor. You can’t get more special than that.
    Maybe Bill Janklow will do it.

  5. ANY LEGISLATION BROUGHT BY LANCE &STACE IS VERY SUSPECT & PURELY BASED ON POLITICAL REVENGE , EGO AND AMBITION . THEY WILL ATTACK ANYONE WHO OPPOSES THEM .

    1. Nelson and Russell aren’t the prime sponsors of this. What’s your problem with those two?

  7. The fact that they brought this HCR 8 is a sign of Jackley’s incompetence. EB 5 & Gear Up proves this, millions of dollars are gone and no one is in jail. The tax payers are left holding the bag.

  8. Marty Capone needs to go away if he runs for Governor the Dems will have plenty of reasons why SD voters have to vote against corrupt politicians like this guy.

  9. Marty has proved he has no interest in moving quickly on putting anyone in jail over these issues.

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