Got this press release in my inbox tonight, where Janet Brekke didn’t like it when Mayor TenHaken told her to quit bugging city employees about putting a yard sign up.
But I don’t think it helped her:
April 4th, 2022 – Sioux Falls – “This morning, at 9:04 am, Mayor Paul Ten Haken texted my personal cellphone with a message regarding ethics and my campaign activities in a failed effort to intimidate me,” said Councilwoman Janet Brekke. “As Sioux Falls taxpayers know, I am not easily intimidated, nor am I one to back down from protecting our civic right to engage in fair and open elections.
Ten Haken’s Text Message: “My staff and city employees continue to get text messages from your campaign asking to place signs at their homes. I am choosing not to expose this ethics issue but if it continues I will have to do so.”
“There has been a pattern of intimidation toward individual city council members and candidates in this and recent elections, and it must stop,” added Brekke. “Therefore, instead of responding only to Paul Ten Haken’s text message personally, I am answering his message publicly so this and all further conversations related to it may be public and transparent.”
“Mr. Mayor, here is my answer to your text message: Expose away. I welcome a public examination by the Board of Ethics.”
FACTS:
1. I hired a nationally recognized communications firm specializing in direct communications with voters.
2. The nationally recognized firm is known for the legal use of text messaging and other direct-to-voter methods, a practice that’s hardly a novel concept in elections.
3. The nationally recognized firm used legal, commercially available contact information, including cellphone numbers, to contact each cellphone as required.
4. Voters were manually contacted with no automation.
5. A simple opt-in/opt-out option was included with each message.
6. The message had the appropriate paid by line.
7. I possess documented and timestamped records of each communication, outbound and inbound.
8. This campaign has not sent a text message in over seven days.
So Janet send out a preemptory press release in hopes of deflecting some possible negative press for bugging city employees for putting up yard signs.
But as part of that process, Brekke declares “I possess documented and timestamped records of each communication, outbound and inbound.” So, like they claim about Santa Claus, she’s telling everyone she knows exactly who she sent text messages to, and who did or did not reply.
I’m not seeing how that helps put City employees at ease over concerns that she’s not making a list and checking it twice as far as which city employees did or did not put up a yard sign for her.
Is Ten Haken asserting that city employees aren’t free to engage in public elections? Are they not voters too?
This actually makes it look he’s the one who should have an ethics investigation. He’s having city employees report other candidates campaign activities to him. Shameful.
Pretty sure he’s just asserting that city employees are complaining to him about Janet’s actions. Shame on him for trying to protect him employees, that’s a real jerk move alright.
No where does it say in his message that city employees were complaining.
I doubt he would’ve heard word one about it if somebody wasn’t uncomfortable getting that message.
Unless he’s on Reddit. I’m sure you saw the same thread Pat.
If you live in the city of Sioux Falls and have participated in some sort of activity, it is very probable your name and contact info is in a list that is sold by someone. This is a very common practice. Perhaps Emperor Tenhaken just believes Brekke has voted against his wishes too often. I am not sure what this blog has against Brekke.
I used to own a text marketing company. The “manual entry” rule is a huge loophole the FCC should close. Commercial messages require consumer opt-in. Political campaigns can send SMS messages without opt-in if the voter is “manually contacted”. One way around the rule is if the number was once manually keyed into their automated messaging platform, companies construe they comply with the law. The blasts sent are then completely automated after the database is built “manually”.
Building your own campaign SMS database is a great tool to keep your supporters energized and informed, but, only if you use the opt-in route. We found people HATE unsolicited texts (been to Vegas recently?) and it backfires on the advertiser / candidate. Ms Brekke is indeed trying to pre-empt the inevitable complaints.
I receive unsolicited text messages from numerous politically-oriented organizations to which I am not a member, nor contributor (e.g. Americans For Prosperity). As do, I suspect, many city employees. For a city employee to whine to Lord TenHaken about those might place that city employee on another list. Maintained by someone more directly to their employment (PTH).
Complete non-issue.
This post references Brekke’s release as “preemptory”, conceding that the release was out in front of a negative press campaign.
Perhaps somebody needs to tell the Wannabe Kingmaker of Sioux Falls to be quicker on the draw with campaign tactics … or quieter about the campaign stuff he is going to do.
Loose Lips are one of the ways in which you spend 100k+ on a measly City Council campaign and barely eak out a victory.
All of the three-ring-circus we dance around to make elections fair doesn’t actually protect the ballot boxes. In reality, it deflects and distracts us from the ballot boxes on election day.
I too think TenHaken is trying to be kingmaker. I did not appreciate his endorsements in this election and I am hardly the only one. He wants a council of rubber stamps.
Comfort levels don’t matter. He should realize that it’s a completely normal campaign activity in which voters can opt out. What’s next? Is he going to complain that people who work for the city are getting direct mail from candidates?!
Yeah, did no city employees get campaign material from Alex Jensen?