We have some names to associate with the still mostly anonymous anti-immigrant group embarrassing Aberdeen with Ron Branstner’s wild-eyed lies. The “Americans First, Task Force” is now soliciting donations for a political action committee:
“AF,TF” directs donations to the new Keep South Dakota Safe PAC. Chair Amanda Hubbs and treasurer Jessica Carroll, both of Aberdeen, filed the statement of organization for this PAC just last Wednesday:
The folks pitching Hubbs and Carroll’s new PAC say donations will “help pay for educational materials, advertising and bringing additional speakers.” There is no mention of engaging in partisan politics.
Hubbs and Carroll say on their statement of organization that the PAC’s primary interest is “Keeping South Dakota Safe”… which seems strange, because AF,TF is the group making Aberdeen residents feel less safe by shouting curses at people they don’t like, threatening them with physical force, and enlisting goon squads to throw people out of meetings. Maybe now that Aberdonians are going on the record with their names and money, they’ll encourage the anonymous AF,TF to sober up, stop scaring people for no reason, pass on any more hateful misinformation from Ron Branstner, and change its tactics to more honest, civil discourse.
And maybe, just maybe, a committee dedicated to “Keeping South Dakota Safe” will recognize that we are safe, and we stay safe, thanks to the benefits of immigrants coming to our land, building our economy, and proving to the world that our American ideals can welcome people from everywhere.
This saddens to me to see these two on the papers for this. I know them both and thought them above this kind of fearmongering.
Mrs. Nelson, I’ve met Jessica. She attended and took video at our Democratic Forum meeting last month, when Brooks Briscoe spoke about policy and quite smartly and factually fielded her friends questions about immigration. I hope Jessica will use this PAC to promote honest discussion based on facts.
We can only hope.
Hope, and watch for their campaign finance reports (pre-general due October 27) to see who else throws their money toward this cause and what they use that money for.