Lost amongst the din of the current battles going on within the legislature, much of it caused by House Appropriations, is another House Committee, albeit one which has met sparingly over the course of session.
The House Select Committee on Investigation was formed to investigate whether sufficient grounds exist to move forward with an impeachment motion against the Attorney General for the circumstances surrounding the traffic accident in which a man was killed.
After Speaker of the House Spencer Gosch declared back in February 2021 – a full year ago – that “It is crucial that we create an open, transparent, and fair process for all parties involved,” to the general public, the process has been anything but.
With battles over the secrecy of who even voted for the special session, as well as executive session, after executive session, after executive session, it seems at most times that we’re not sure they’re going to move forward with any public decision, much less provide an open and transparent process during the 2022 legislative session.
In fact, based on what has happened to date, it seems like this process might just drag out through the party convention/nomination process itself.
In the meantime, the GOP appears to most definitely have activity in the race for Attorney General.
Former Attorney General Marty Jackley has been actively running for the office, announcing for the race in the Spring of 2021, and aggressively pursuing it. SInce then, Jackley has secured the endorsements of at least 59 State’s Attorneys, 63 Sheriffs, and has raised hundreds of thousands in campaign donations.
And in case you forgot, the Attorney General and Governor Noem put to rest any rumors of remaining rivalry over the 2018 election with mutual endorsements in the 2022 election.
But lest you think there isn’t a race at this point, put those notions away. Because by all appearances, while no official announcement has been made, there is very much an active campaign either on the part of the current Attorney General, Jason Ravnsborg, or on his behalf, with an eye to his re-election.
For months, while not always choosing to headline, Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg has been an active participant in many Republican events, speaking at the 2021 Young Republican Convention, and participating in this years’ Republican Day at the Capitol. Ravnsborg was also in attendance at a Trump Rally in Texas, where he received a shout-out from the podium by former President Trump.
And there has also been a concerted effort to place delegates favorable to the former Attorney General into the Republican Convention Nomination process which will take place this June.
Nebraska-based website “Dakota Free Press” noted in January that Ravnsborg was spotted meeting in Brookings “reviewing the South Dakota Republican Party bylaws and talking about county central committees, delegates, precincts, and open seats.” There have also been reports that members of the Patriot Ripple Effect group based out of Sioux Falls (with members in Brookings), have been actively working efforts to install Ravnsborg-friendly delegates in a stealth effort to prepare for his official entrance into the race.
Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg himself is remaining mum at the moment on any official announcement, which may be part of his legal strategy to rebuff efforts at the impeachment.
Given the pace with which the House of Representatives is conducting their investigation, versus the dwindling number of days until the Republican Convention (107 as of today), the strategy may be to run the clock down, and swoop in with a concerted effort to capture the nomination.
So far, that speculation doesn’t seem all that crazy.
He should quit while he’s behind. The vote will be embarrassing.
I think you are correct.
It’s not crazy at all.
John
Would he really have the support over a seasoned veteran AG like Marty? I don’t see this ending well for Ravnsborg, even with the Trump endorsement. I feel like Trump is starting to fade a bit, and as more information is released on his attempt to overturn the election results of 2020, it could do harm. On top of all of this, he killed a guy (unintentionally). Is this really the leader we want, inexperienced, ineffective, and irresponsible (at least with driving)?
In a primary, no way. At a convention where it comes down to who does the better job recruiting their supporters to become delegates, anything is possible.
This is hyperbolic. Ravnsborg will get 20% of the vote at convention or less. He knows it and he won’t run.
For his disdain and disrespect shown towards the victim’s family throughout this whole ordeal, he doe not deserve a vote even if he’s not impeached. One of my two state representatives told a group of us that Mr. Ravnsborg would either retire or resign his South Dakota National Guard commission (can’t remember which) should he win the AG election. He is currently a Lieutenant Colonel.
He has not and apparently his promotion to Colonel is in limbo(rightly so in my opinion) pending outcome of the impeachment process.
The AG’s office should be held by a person of high moral character. We all know there are no saints in politics, but we don’t need AGs the caliber of what we’ve seen in other states like California polluting the halls of Pierre.
One of the crazier arguments I’ve heard.
CA escapee, I don’t know what disdain and disrespect to the victim’s family you are referring to.
Really, what did he do to them?
Have you ever been involved in a fatal accident? It is generally understood, whether you are advised of this by the police, your insurance company, or your lawyer, that you should not have any contact with the victim’s family. You aren’t supposed to talk to them, send flowers, go to the funeral, nothing. If a family member is at the scene when the police arrive, they will separate you. When you call it in to your insurance company they will tell you not to talk to anybody. This will be repeated to you when get a lawyer.
Saying that somebody disrespected a grieving family because he didn’t do “something” ignores the fact that a prudent person in that situation doesn’t do anything, because any action can be construed as an admission of culpability.
Anybody who might face a criminal and/or civil action needs to keep his mouth shut. If that comes across as disrespect, so be it.
What’s the word on why he had a closed door meeting with the appropriations committee?
So he meets legislators and he is so contemptible they give him money? That doesn’t make sense.
Special prosecutors?
I’ve always been a Marty supporter and continue to be, so I’ll get that out front right now. What bothers me the most about this entire thing is that Jason does not appear to understand that he is hurting the Republican Party in South Dakota. There is no question that his actions involved with the incident are unbecoming the state’s top law enforcement official.
I understand that many think that the way the Governor’s office has acted in this situation is inappropriate, and there are grounds to make those arguments. But anyone who thinks that Jason should retain his job because they believe he was treated unfairly by the Governor are absolutely blind to the damage Jason is doing to our party. Say he does, inexplicably, pack the convention with enough people to get him to be the Republican candidate. Do people not understand that this is the best opportunity for the Democrats to put in a candidate that could beat him? All it takes is an attorney with reasonable skill and experience that hasn’t killed someone, and they have a real chance at winning.
And lets not forget that the national Dems would ache at the opportunity to install a blue candidate in one of the reddest states in the nation. They could dump millions of dollars into an anti-Ravensborg campaign that will do nothing but damage our state.
Someone close to Jason please tell him that for the best interests of the state that he should step aside, go back into private practice, and do some good helping those who need it, instead of dragging the Republicans of South Dakota through the mud.
It is all about him and not the party. Jackley will get 90% of the vote.
Jackley didn’t get 90 percent of the vote against Chad Haber.
81%? Haber didn’t kill anyone.
Haber would get 81% of the vote against Ravnsborg.
The GOP should condemn Ravnsborg.
Jason is in the good ol boys club though.
Would one of you soothsayers give me the lottery numbers? I want a sure bet.
Would this argument have applied if Jackley’s 2018 primary campaign against Noem had given Democrats a real chance to install a blue governor in one of the reddest states in the nation?
Which of Ravnsborg’s actions are unbecoming, and why would you say those actions are doing more damage to the state than the inappropriate actions of the governor?
At what point does the AG office staff resign? I have to believe they start walking out if he announces a run.
Borman and Natvig need to start telling him to say he won’t run. If not they are a part of the problem feeding his delusions.
Receiving a joking text message isn’t a bad action.
I’m gonna put the brakes on right here. Please refrain from arguing what you believe to be your take on the facts of the accident. This is a post about the campaign and the process..
So you’ll let him call my argument “crazy” but won’t let me defend it? The drug information is straight from the autopsy report.
It’s off topic, and I’m steering the conversation back.
Ravnsborg also was the only speaker at the YR’s Christmas party. A couple of years ago, Roetman hand-picked Larry Leutke for YR President when the organization was first forming. Now, Leutke & Roetman are using the YRs and Roetman’s new group (the Ripple Effect) to promote Ravnsborg. Ravnsborg is running… and they’re doing everything they can to help him win.