SD Gun Owners representative recruiting for cigarette tax increase ballot measure?

Pat Powers

I have to admit, this one came out of left field yesterday when I heard it.

Jordan Mason, who lobbied for the National Association of Gun Rights, and has been closely tied to the South Dakota Gun Owners group this past session has been advertising that he’s in the petition signature collecting business, seeking people to collect signatures.

I honestly hadn’t given it an ounce of thought, when yesterday I had a person note to me that they had been told that Jordan’s company is doing the soliciting to find people to circulate petitions on behalf of State Representative Mark Mickelson’s proposed cigarette tax initiative.

Wait, What?

I did a double-take, and that might have been spit take worthy if I’d had a mouth full of liquid.  I had to stop them, and ask for clarification, querying  “Jordan, who has been involved with South Dakota Gun Owners, is out hiring circulators on a petition for a tax increase?”   And the reply was “Yes. And he’s having Mickelson out to speak to the Wingnut group in Rapid City.”

Now, Mark has made no bones about his support for the measure to raise money for tech schools. But the possibility of Jordan working on the campaign is what grabbed me.

Why is this so shocking?  Mainly because of Jordan’s involvement with South Dakota Gun Owners.  If you recall this past election, they had a lot to say about people who they thought proposed or raised any taxes, and did so by letting their checkbook do their talking:

The SDGO has dedicated thousands upon thousands of dollars towards attacking people on the issue of tax increases by dumping cash into the SD Taxpayer PAC.  And now someone who was their spokesman as recently as this past legislative session may be working on a ballot measure to increase cigarette taxes?

This is the same Taxpayer PAC who went hard on the attack this past election here, and here, in some cases flat out lying about legislators records, specifically about raising taxes, and almost solely backed by the SD Gun Owners’ checkbook.

Dang, I can’t say that I saw that one coming.  (Does that mean they’re going to have to do a fluorescent postcard against themselves?)

8 thoughts on “SD Gun Owners representative recruiting for cigarette tax increase ballot measure?”

  1. Don’t understand why you are so shocked….politics today is any industry like any other business & those that are part of the industry will do business with whoever puts cash on the table. Unfortunately, the industry has blurred the lines between leadership and self agendas under the quise of good government. They also prosper on dividing our nation without accountability for the consequences.

  2. “Minimum signatures required due at end of contract” did Jordan just break the law by advertising that they are paying per signature? Isn’t this the type of thing Mickelson is fighting against? Should the AG investigate since they just incriminated themselves?

    1. That may be ok. I don’t think the law says you can’t fire someone who doesn’t meet a minimum standard.

  3. By advertising for signature gatherers does this mean they are getting desperate because they are short of the needed number by a lot? Maybe the voting is getting tired of the nu!ber of ballot issues or is getting smarter about signing; one can only hope.

    No on everything!

    2. Mickelson was quoted on KSFY saying they have 7,000 for the tobacco tax. That’s not a lot with 6 weeks to go.

      1. actually only 5 weeks…I believe they are due November 6

        Hoping many don’t make the ballot

        DON’T SIGN ANY BALLOT PETITIONS

  4. At the garth concert in sioux falls, circulators were trying to get the folks in line to sign for all kinds of measures and i noted that at least one of the circulators for mickelson’s issues was also collecting signatures for legalizing marijuana.

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