This morning’s Argus Leader is repeating much of what we’ve been chronicling lately, with Stace Nelson claiming he has evidence that DCI and the state is not fully investigating the Gear-up program, and the GOAC committee asking for him to show them his evidence:
Rather than relying on the Division of Criminal Investigation or the executive branch, he wants the committee to independently review how more than $1.4 million went missing at a Platte educational cooperative that managed state and federal grants.
And…
“They stand down and it’s a voluntary standing down,” Nelson said. “If the Legislature isn’t allowed to do its job, this sort of corruption is allowed to persist.”
And…
(Referring to the AG’s & DCI’s ongoing investigation) “We’re not going to duplicate their efforts, we are not going to make the taxpayers pay for us to repeat work they’ve already done,” Peters said.
Other members agreed the investigation of the money-funneling scheme is important, but unsourced allegations prevent the committee from advancing to other business.
“They’re consuming a lot of time that I’d like to see spent on getting our work done,” said Rep. Wayne Steinhauer, R-Hartford.
And…
“He says he has information that people lied to us and I need to know about it,” Peters said. “If he can’t produce that he’s getting in the way of the committee process.”
If you recall the latest, all the committee requested was that Nelson explain what he knows, which has led to his days-long tantrum over e-mail and social media. And a humorous e-mail from the LRC pointing out only he knows what he knows, so they don’t know why he needs staff for it.
In the article, Dana Ferguson does ignore rumors of Nelson’s actual motivation, that Nelson may use his claims of corruption without evidence to launch a bid for Governor.
Even if Nelson can’t produce that which he has claimed he already knows… it will be entertaining political theater.
Tapio needs to distance himself from the buffoonery or kiss his career goodbye.
We’ll see how tough Tapio is……Wasn’t he a Trump supporter? Well I am surprised more Legislators aren’t speaking out one way or the other. Liz May is the only one so far. Biggest political scandal in SD and these Legislators are hiding out. What’s your opinion about Stace Nelson MC? Do you think he is doing the right thing?
Apparently MC wants to be a Legislator but he doesn’t want to answer any questions referring to Senator Nelson and the Gear-up scandal.
I’m just trying to figure out who Tapio thinks should be in jail. Westerhaus who killed himself and his family?
“This is fraud. If I pulled this shenanigan in my business I would end up in jail,” said Sen. Neal Tapio, R-Watertown. “I stand with anyone who dares get to the bottom of this mess.”
Westerhaus ended up dead. He did much worse than steal money. He killed everyone he was supposed to love. Surely his punishment for fraud was not going to be so severe from the AG’s office.
Tapio needs to be more specific in who should be in jail. Phelps, Melmer, Moore, Schopp, Daugaard, Rounds, the entire department of education?
Where is he going with that kind of a statement and why didn’t Fergusen ask him who he thinks should be in jail?
And get to the bottom of this mess? Yes it’s a mess but again he’s very vague.
We have concluded two things from Tapio. He thinks it’s a “mess” and someone should be in “jail”
The who and how have escaped us.
I’ll be curious to see how this hearing goes.
He will have no career. As to the article. If you read it, it seem stace has support in pierre. If he does it’s a handful of people only. He’s a pariah and a joke. It’s all about him. Hard to pick that up in the fake news.
I think it’s more about the Gear-Up Scandal.
It’s not about glory, it’s about the story.
Bull$hit. If it wasn’t about the attention, he wouldn’t be perpetually on tour with the media. Lots of competent legislators don’t run to the press every minute, and manage to get the job done.
He’s very well qualified and competent when it comes to investigating. He made a career out of it being a Marine and NCIS agent.
Regarding Anon 914: Stace is not a joke but needs to joke more. And He is becoming a pariah because he is too angry. He needs to slow down, smile more, and find allies with people like Deb Peters — she is a great legislator and a decent person. He’s rendering himself ineffective because he is paralyzed with anger.
He’s a maverick, more of what we need in Pierre.
the way things are going Stace is going to have to sit at the same table with Lar and Bob at Tallys for breakfast except Stace will have his back to the door and won’t have to always keep an eye out for cops.
Bob usually storms out in a rage and stomps around the block before breakfast is served. Lar does keep his back to a wall and his beady eyes dart about incessantly.
Sometimes we just need to get a handle on what the people want and where they want focus and effort.
In 2014, we had a referendum on EB-5 in both the Senate and Governor’s race. Dauguard and Rounds won both the primary and general handily.
In 2018, Lora, Stace and/or Neil can give us the came clarity on Gear-Up. If it is a matter the people are concerned about, they can ride the issue all the way to DC and Pierre. If not, we can stay the course and allow DCI and GOAC to do what are doing.
Governor and Congress are both open seats and good time for primaries.
Troy , you are assuming that the democratic process is not broken:
http://www.joeplummer.com/
BAH to Mr. Jones.
If anyone honestly thinks the Gear-Up misappropriation of funds is the largest scandal to ever hit South Dakota you either haven’t lived very long or have a very short memory.
Or you are gunning for not being the coldest beer in the fridge……
What is the biggest scandal Charlie???…EB-5?
I think Jack McCall shooting Bill Hickock in the back of the head was a bigger scandal
I would say the deaths of 6 people in Platte tops all scandals.
Tara, the deaths are not pertinent to the issue. They are actually a a tragedy, not a scandal, which Stace keeps grandstanding on. Scott Westerhuis was a family annihilator. He would have done the same thing if his wife had served him with a divorce. Focus on the conspiracy to commit fraud. That’s the scandal, And it’s not that big a deal. I think the voters will grasp the difference. Nobody is going to win an election by riding on it.
You are assuming that the democratic process is not broken.
Jack McCall shooting Bill Hickock is not pertinent to the issue. We finally have someone who is tough on crime. Tuesday will be an interesting day. Remember, Scott allegedly killed his family which leaves doubt in many people’s minds.
He acts as if he is in charge of something. The boy is out of the military but the military is not our of the boy…He’s got about 6 people in Pierre who shine his boots and hang on every word he says, other than that he is insignificant. He has no real interest in listening as he has fallen victim to believing he is the smartest man in the room. Stace is a fraud and most rational people recognize that. However, I will be listening on Tuesday for the entertainment value alone.
I hope everybody tunes in tomorrow. He wouldn’t be wasting hundreds of hours of his time if he didn’t have real evidence The guy is a pro…..NCIS
Steve,
I can’t remember who said something like this but I believe it.
“A republican democracy is the worst form of government, except all others.”
Are we perfect? Nope and never will be.
Are there dire challenges? Yep and we have to take them serious. But, I’m ultimately confident my fellow citizens can and will find their balance and fix things. And, one of the first keys to starting finding a balance is to be civil to those we disagree with and give every benefit that their motives are as pure as mine.
Troy, from my experiences, I know this is true:
“Perhaps most unsettling, Quigley reveals that real power operates behind the scenes, in secrecy, and with little to fear from so-called democratic elections. He proves that conspiracies, secret societies, and small, powerful networks of individuals are not only real; they’re extremely effective at creating or destroying entire nations and shaping the world as a whole. We learn that “representative government” is, at best, a carefully managed con game.”
http://www.joeplummer.com/
And Quigley also said that both parties are managed by the same so-called network. I learned all of this in 2008 when the National Education Association gave the South Dakota Chamber of Commerce one million dollars to preserve the system of legalized corruption in Pierre. I also know how the SDDOE operates as I have been fighting them for the last several years on pre-school and Common Core issues. Both issues are set up for the benefit of the “network” Quigley exposed. More investigation needs to be done on Rick Melmer’s relationship with British globalist Sir Michael Barber.
Steve,
From my experience, I reject wholly the premise of Quigley and Plummer and their conclusions. Thus, I think what they assert is false, in whole and in part.
Further, the connections they think “prove” something are built on the propositional logic fallacy of “affirming the consequent” and at least 10 informal logic fallacies.
Troy I understand your response. This explains it:
Since these disturbing truths contradict nearly everything our government, education system, and media have taught us to believe, many will immediately dismiss them as nonsense. “Only wild-eyed conspiracy theorists believe such things,” they will say. However, there is one big problem: Carroll Quigley was no wild-eyed conspiracy theorist. Quite the contrary, Quigley was a prominent historian who specialized in studying the evolution of civilizations as well as secret societies. He studied history at Harvard University, where he earned his bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD degrees. He taught at Princeton University, Harvard University, and the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. He worked as an advisor to the US Defense Department, the US Navy, and the Smithsonian Institution.
http://www.joeplummer.com/
Sorry Troy, you can’t a candle to CPA Steve Sibson.
There isn’t a Gear-Up scandal. This is a Mid-Central scandal. NO FUNDS from Gear-Up or the state went missing. I swear… people pay attention to only what they want to see or hear. I have now seen how gullible and painfully reckless people are with words hiding behind their electronics over the span of this. Isn’t this really about Common Core? Funny how all the same people are part of “draining the the so-called swamp.” The sooner people speak out for the actual issue, the sooner something may be done about it.
Talked to a good friend that went to the Rep Trey Gowdy fundraiser in Rapid City for Kristi Noem. He said that is was so well attended that they had to move the event from the Vertex to the Ballroom, and the Ballroom was at capacity. He also said that they had to have raised a boatload of money.
Not sure how your comment relates to Stace Nelson, but does that surprise you? Trey Gowdy rocks and if you believe all the people who attended will be voting for Noem, your naive.