Watch the State Capitol DiSanto/Johnson video for yourself

Pat Powers

So what actually happened?

Hot into my inbox comes the DiSanto/Johnson Video of security camera footage from the House floor on Wednesday, February 21, 2018 of the argument that sparked a complaint, and the withdrawal of the same complaint yesterday. Watch it for yourself:

74 thoughts on “Watch the State Capitol DiSanto/Johnson video for yourself”

  1. Maybe there’s something I’m missing…. but this is the lamest ‘heated argument’ ever. Looks like two people bickering on the House floor, and Qualm comes up and defuses it. (and that’s what Majority Leaders do when two people aren’t getting along)

    1. I agree. WOW! Kaiser blew this way out of proportion. Haugaard was standing right there. Haugaard is as conservative and laid back as it gets. Kaiser should have talked to him before going nuclear. He also should have watch the video.

      I’m told he’s running for Sheriff of Brown County? Might want to learn to do some investigations prior to acting as Judge, Jury and etc.

      Totally lame. Why did Johnson apologize?

      Why did Mickelson, Haugaard and Qualm all originally vote to form a committee? They should talk about this publicly.

      1. Johnson walked up way too fast and got way too close at 2:20, and DiSanto was clearly frightened enough to move behind the desk.

        Maybe DiSanto said something to provoke Johnson. I don’t know, but even if she did, she and Dan Kaiser clearly don’t deserve the vicious attacks they’re getting in these comments.

        I mean, Johnson was obviously a bit out of control. Qualm came from halfway across the chamber to intercept him.

    2. I’m not seeing any fight or even heated discussion. Is DiSanto the pantsuited biddy dead center of the screen at 2:10? Which of the gentlemen she is wagging her finger at (earlier) is the claimed aggressor and which is the diffuser? Honest questions, I don’t know the players.

      Thanks,

      1. Or is it having to do with the white-pants lady nearest the camera later in the video? The other lady is treating the two gentlemen near the center of the screen much more aggressively than anybody is treating white-pants lady. Who is who?

        1. Lynne is the one in the white slacks. Rep. May from Kyle is the dark haired lady speaking with Rep. Stevens and Rep. Bruner

    1. Did we watch the same video? She was sassing at him, he was sassing at her, and people standing there defused it.

      1. Yeah the part where he takes an extra step towards her and she then retreats a step back then a short time later moves around the desk. Its not much but it is there.

          1. Liberty,

            Haugaard was standing right there. Kaiser just made an epic mistake by not asking for evidence. This looks pathetic and like a mob lynching of a fellow legislator.

            I look forward to hearing more from Haugaard on this topic because I don’t see what was threatening. He did point his finger but never did he look like he was assaulting her.

            May also stood there and heard the entire thing.

            1. Thank goodness there was video or we might have a legislative equivalent to “hands up don’t shoot” like happened with Ferguson, MO.

              This is disturbing. Talk about overreaction by May and Kaiser.

              If Haugaard wasn’t making the motion then I don’t know why they felt compelled to do that.

              For the last week they lead us to believe Dave Johnson was climbing over desks and trying to attack Disanto.

            2. A quick review of the journal tells me Haugaard voted for the disciplinary committee… And so did May… Interesting… Unlike your analysis.

              1. Everybody except for Chris karr who voted for the committee to be formed flip-flopped in less than 3 days when nothing new happened… but hey they got important stuff like chislic done…. extremely disappointed how Republicans look this session

  4. This was a whole lot of nothing. I can’t believe that she and Kaiser pushed this at all. I’ve seen bigger arguments on a school playground that merely get kids separated.

    1. I’ve seen bigger battles at tea and crumpets let along coffee gatherings…

      Thank goodness this wasn’t a Pay Per View or we’d really be bumbed.

      A lot of us had money on Disanto cleaning his clock but if that is all that happened and she was threatened then I think the bookies would reconsider the odds and put them in Johnson’s favor.

  7. DiSanto is a ridiculous drama queen. She claims she isn’t a snowflake? Sorry. We have the proof on video.

    She owes Johnson and the entire House an apology for this embarrassing situation.

    1. She has burned so many bridges I could see her audition for a Reality Show. What is that house they live in and conspire against each other and vote them out? Something like that.

    1. I am concerned with Kaiser’s judgement. Was this perhaps an overreaction?

      May should apologize to Kaiser so Kaiser can apologize to the House.

    2. accept that the cat actually touched the other cat.

      I’m not sure if Johnson even got close enough to disanto to breath on her or reach her with a long stretch.

      He certainly wasn’t the violent monster that she and others have portrayed him to be.

  13. Seriously? We almost convened a committee for discipline and expulsion over this? Holy cow! Grow up! Johnson was walking off and snowflake kept on badgering.

  16. Johnson should not have been angry and finger pointing, but it looks like she was an equal and willing participant.

    Isn’t she a whip in leadership? She should have had better judgement.

  17. If our political leadership takes place in ‘safe spaces’ so that words cannot hurt, we’re all in heap big trouble. Do we really believe this kind of thing hasn’t happened between male lawmakers for years without even a mention? Issue debates are impassioned, or should be. Civility is admirable, but there are times when emotions run hot. I see much adieu about nothing and a fragile princess who wants to play the victim. Again.

  18. It does show him approaching her and her moving so that she was closer to the other male she had been talking to AND the desk formed a barrier between them. This is an unconscious response to a perceived threat.
    There is no doubt she felt threatened whether she admits it now or not.

    1. She moved behind the desk as he was walking away. From the video, it almost looks as if she’s talking to the other gentleman again.

  19. I see her talking to Haugaard (is that who it is?) Johnson points his finger and says something to Haugaard, DiSanto turns and holds up an open hand to indicate “hold on” or “stop it” and Johnson approaches her. She moves into a defensive position around the side of the desk, closer to Haugaard, indicating she felt threatened. Is the other person there Liz May? She appears to not be threatened.
    A perception of threat is a very subjective thing, entirely dependent upon a person’s past experiences and self-confidence. Whether or not Johnson was threatening her is arguable but it is quite apparent that she felt threatened.

    1. Or it could be a ploy by DiSanto to give the impression that she was afraid. Based on her past social media posts, I don’t believe she was scared.

    2. After moving behind the desk, she then steps back around the desk to get closer to him to speak even more. This is nothing but posturing on her part. If she feared him, she would not have moved back into the argument after so called “taking a defensive position”. You are stretching Anne.

      1. Watch it again: she only comes back around the desk when Qualm approaches. And it is obvious whatever it was about, Johnson started it.
        Since the people who witnessed it seemed to be in agreement that Johnson was out of line, those of you who have never forgiven DiSanto for a white vinyl window decal of a vehicle running over a stick figure family will have to wait for something else to complain about.
        (Maybe she has a video of a Roomba running over LEGO people. )

        1. It took you four years to figure out that your German car has a multi-CD player. And you think you have their argument figured out? Ha!

          1. So? We have 15 vehicles, including seven German cars and don’t use the sound systems in any of them unless I am driving by myself. Why go looking for a device you have no use for?

        2. That makes it even worse. It’s like that kid who is running his mouth to a bunch of tough guys, sees they are moving towards him and begins to retreat. When he sees his buddies are now standing by him, the kid turns back to continue because he has his buddies to back him up. We’ve all seen that play out before. “All lives splatter” is not becoming of a legislature. In fact, her employer dismissed her because of it. Citizens of SD deserve better and they deserve someone who acts like a legislator.

  20. Drew Dennert fawned over Kaiser and told everyone at the Cracker Barrel in Aberdeen that Dan Kaiser was brave for making the motion to expel Johnson. (Liz May is sharing it on her facebook page to watch Kaiser’s explanation)

    Dennert might want to watch the tape to see if his hero actually had courage or if he just tried to get an innocent person thrown out of the legislature based on circumspect evidence that turned out to be completely exagerated.

    Dennert needs to actually get some life experience so he can grasp what heroism actually is.

    1. That kid has been so sheltered growing up. Carl Perry has the potential to be an outstanding legislator. We need another that is established and has plenty of life experiences like Carl to replace Dennert. Those seats are extremely valuable to Brown County and NE SD and should not be wasted.

    2. The “innocent” guy being the one who apologized, admitted his mistake, has been kicked out of caucus and is enrolling himself in anger management? Johnson certainly doesn’t appear innocent.

  22. The House of Representatives has now become the Public Library.

    Shhh. Keep your voices down…

  23. Disanto, May and Kaiser’s apology to the body:

    Tick, Tock

    Waiting….

    Waiting….

    Waiting….

    Waiting….

    Waiting….

    Waiting….

    Waiting….

    Waiting….

  24. Well, that was a whole lot of nothing. No wonder our kids feel offended by everything when our leaders can’t even take a little arguing and finger pointing. Disanto’s social media post made it out to be something so much bigger. It’ll be ok snowflake.

    1. That is what the Democrat theme will be and with doing stuff like this and voting on chislic the legislature is looking ridiculous this session

  26. Dunno how y’all can be so blithe without knowing the facts. Mr. Johnson publicly apologized and got an assist from the Jesus Whisperer apparently. “I will murder you in your sleep” is a whole different context than “I hope your crackers go stale”. Until you know what was said, you can’t really tell squat from the video.

    1. For once, I actually agree with you 😉

      Don’t know what was said, or how it was said.

      As far as I’m concerned, the silent video raises as many questions as it answers.

      1. We would probably agree 90% of the time. That last 10% seems to give folks problems, though. More people need to ask themselves if this is the hill they’re willing to die on. Bipartisanship/Ecumenicality (that’s a word, right?) needs to make a comeback.

  28. “Lynne DiSanto says David Johnson came into the room shouting obscenities and she was asking him to be quiet when he came toward her, calling her names.”

    Stick and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me……unless you are a snowflake.

  29. Clearly, at the beginning of the argument Johnson was walking away at least twice, until she eggs him on again. If you’re feeling intimidated, one thing… irregardless if you’re male or female… that you might think of doing is shut up!

  32. I know it is not a talkie, however you can tell there was an exchange.

    Representative Johnson was very angry. You can hear it in his voice in committee hearing and on the floor speech.

    There are a few things I seen on the video that I didn’t see before. Keep in mind I just left shortly after DiSanto Walked up.

    1. A few seconds after I left, Representative Haugaard waves Representative Johnson over.
    2. Apart from Representative May and Representative Haugaard, no one was really paying attention.
    a. Representative Sue Peterson was right there; however, she was texting so fast you can barely see her thumbs move.
    b. A few other legislators look up, then went back to what they were doing
    c. The house clerks just went about their business.

    And now there is this:
    http://www.keloland.com/news/article/politics/disanto-felt-pressured-to-drop-concerns-about-confrontation-on-house-floor

    1. We really need to elect a whole new group of legislators in there. Enough of the self serving drama, division and distractions. Lets get people that can actually get things done for the state. Drain the swamp and change is long overdue.

      1. I just looked back eight years ago, and compared it to today… 78% of the legislators are new since then… Not much swamp left… You better find a new slogan!

    2. The last point was the one I was going to make…the clerks didnt even look up….

      a Mountain out of a moehill

  33. Pingback: What a difference a video and a couple of hours make. DiSanto has returned from Pleasantville, taking a detour through grumpytown. – South Dakota War College

  34. Why in this modern age do we not have audio ad video on all the proceedings? or at least the ability to go back and look at the tape with audio?

  35. This is security camera footage. it happened after session I don’t believe any of the security cameras has audio.

  36. Pingback: Michael Clark: The 2018 South Dakota Legislative Review – South Dakota War College

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