Ah, Republicans, standing for fiscal conservatism, gun rights, family values… and giving state flag thieves second chances:
Senator Deb Peters (R-9/Hartford), one of Governor Daugaard’s primary favorites, has Garrett DeVries helping her campaign. DeVries worked for the Secretary of State’s office during Jason Gant’s term, then swiped an original South Dakota state flag (because “it was cool“) on his way out the door to go work for Washington, D.C., attack PAC America Rising. After DeVries’s theft and disgracefully euphemistic quasi-apology (the Pierre paper agreed that his apology fell short), I thought the GOP would keep this flag-filcher as far from South Dakota politics as possible.
Never underestimate the Republicans’ capacity to forgive and stand by their party boys. Next up: a “Ban the Box” bill from Peters and the Republican caucus, right?
But District 9 voters, if you find you’re missing a flag from your yard, you can contact the Peters-DeVries Senate campaign here.
The photo wasn’t taken with an IPad was it?
Garrett DeVries represents clearly what disgusts me about slimy politicians and their operators. I read his apology. Maybe he should have addressed how stupid it was to steal the flag, and how he abused his position of trust in state government, and how stealing is wrong. And did he learn anything other than don’t get caught? What a pathetic little sleaze-bag from Canistota, South Dakota. His parents and community taught him well.
When is Gant going to face charges? I’m assuming the money is not accounted for…
Ms. Peters is simply showing some of her political naiveté which is common among pretty young women of her age. I expect if she runs for Governor or State Secretary she will not hire this flag thief fellow.
Grandma always said, “You are known by the company you keep.” and she was right.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, apparently Garrett DeVries is one of the anointed GOP wonderkids. We haven’t seen the last of him, maybe someday he’ll run some government grant program where he can skim real money off the top and accept kickbacks under the table at the same time. It sure beats stealing flags and fencing i-pads.
Grudz, your satire wears thin. Peters is clearly not naïve.
Nick, there’s no way this wonderkid ever appears on a ballot, is there? Why is he so popular with the GOPers? Family connections?
Garrett also assisted Greg Jamison on his mayoral campaign.
As for the flag incident, the AG, SOS, Pierre and the Media blew it out of proportion. I guess I have heard the other side. Did Garrett screw up? Yes he did, but it is more comparable to leaving sushi in your car overnight with the windows up on a hot summer night then anything. As the story goes, Garrett had the flag in his car because he had displayed it at an event. Forgot it was there, got mixed in with his other stuff while moving, and before you know it, it showed up in DC. By this time, Garrett knew it would cause a kerfuffle, so he tried to return it peacefully. Well, as we all know once the Silver Fox is involved, a five foot branch and 20 criminally immune heurterites couldn’t save you. Like I said, this is the version I got.
Well or course, you forgive and forget the GOP Christian way when it comes to one of SDs GOP boys.
So Garrett DeVries is a victim of the media, the AG, the new SOS. Kind of makes sense, if you don’t really think about the facts at all and if your BS meter is defective.
Monty, it would be hilarious if we could trace that photo to an iPad.
South DaCola—really? DeVries “forgot” that he was carrying around an important historical artifact from work? And when I clean my car out, I don’t mistake a big old flag for a dish towel from my last picnic and throw it in the duffel bag with my other belongings when I move.
Whoever told you “It showed up in DC” made a remarkable dodge. Flags don’t just show up. The proper, accurate phrasing would be, “DeVries took the stolen flag to DC.”
The boss hands me an important item from the office for use at an official event: I put that item in a box with all the other items from the office and make sure it goes right back where it’s supposed to that night or the next time that I report to the office.
An original state flag ain’t sushi. Neither are the missing iPads. Some things we don’t just “forget”. Even if we granted that unlikely excuse, it would still demonstrate the culture of irresponsibility bred by the SDGOP’s one-party rule.
Why is the original state flag being shuffled around to events by some low level, absent minded, incompetent staffer? What events qualify for the display of a rare state artifact? Why isn’t this one of a kind, irreplaceable artifact in the hands of the state museum and being properly curated?
The Republicans have shown by their actions, and scandals like EB-5 and Gear Up that they think they own state government. The mishandling of the state flag is just more of the same.
I would agree, he messed up. But it would take a pretty stupid person to steal such an artifact and think they could get away with it. I’m just saying.
I just repeated what I heard.
Well, SDacola, that’s the point of the critique. As Nick says, the corruption is so bad in Pierre that it allows pretty stupid people to do pretty stupid things and think they can get away with it.
An old state flag is an artifact? Talk about silly tribalism. While no state employee should take state property isn’t this extreme angst over a old piece of cloth a bit over the top?
I’d worry more about politicians, bureaucrats, or cronies (thanks Sibby!) that redirect (or refuse to levy and collect) tax dollars that could actually fulfill the hope and change needed by people that are hurting. Or those that want to leave the needy to their own efforts while hoarding what little they can try to keep away from any source that might help buy babies food, diapers, medical care or a decent education. Come on folks, focus!
Bear, I am worried more about such corruption. But notice that folks grasped the meaning of the flag theft immediately. It encapsulates the corruption we’re talking about in a way that doesn’t require explaining federal grants or subcontractors or immigration policy. The flag may not matter much compared to the loss of lives and millions of dollars, but it’s a parable that gets people in the door. When they buy into that story, I can then say, “GEAR UP? EB-5? Yup, same problem as that flag thing, but worse.”
Wasn’t that flag the original state flag?
Either the original or one of two made first; there is some dispute.