Independent of the claim of sexual harassment, Abdallah has demonstrated his unfitness for public office with his public response to Campbell’s accusation. After taking four weeks to consider how to respond, this is what Abdallah decided was appropriate:
Gene Abdallah to anyone challenging his awesomeness: “Go to hell.”
“She can go to hell,” Abdallah said. “I’ll put my background of 37 years up against anything. If they believe her over me, I don’t want the appointment.”
…Abdallah said the allegations were aimed at generating notoriety for Campbell on the heels of a national movement to condemn sexual harassment and assault.
“I resent the fact that she’s using sleazy and gutter politics for some sort of personal gain,” Abdallah said in a phone interview Monday. “If she’d spent as much time trying to keep her family together maybe she’d still have them now.”
Just curious: suppose I had responded to Al Novstrup’s negative personal attacks in the 2016 District 3 campaign by telling the press, “Al Novstrup can go to hell” and “If he’d spent as much time focusing on his family he wouldn’t be such a failure as a husband and dad” (and let’s be clear: I’m not saying that now; I’m only trying to put Abdallah’s words in perspective). Would the general response have been, “Bit harsh, but I can see where he’s coming from”? I wouldn’t have heard such a mild response at my own dinner table, let alone in the blogosphere or on the street. I would not expect those words to reflect well on me. I would expect such a venomous, vituperous response to lose me more votes than it won.
I can understand words like Abdallah’s as an immediate, gut response, the kind of emotional reaction we expect all mature adults and especially public officials to restrain as they patiently consider an appropriate public statement. I cannot imagine such words as the product of four weeks of quiet deliberation. Abdallah’s response sounds more like he read Campbell’s accusation in October, thought, “Go to hell,” then gave it no further thought, thinking it would go away. When the press dared to continue pressing an esteemed lawmaker and law enforcer with 37 years of experience and reputation (do you see the sense of power and entitlement at work here?), Abdallah offered no thoughtful reply; out burst his Trumpian id with an injudicious and irrelevant personal attack.
Such thoughtlessness and personal vindictiveness have no place on the Board of Pardons and Parole. Senator Reynold Nesiba (D-15/Sioux Falls) has already said he will oppose Abdallah’s appointment. Contact Senator Lance Russell (R-30/Hot Springs), who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, and other members of that committee to tell them Abdallah’s vile public statements demonstrate he is unfit to hold public office.
Ms Campbell has a whole lot of credibility here with her allegation. She made an “outcry” statement at the time, and per usual, the good ole boys club (Rausch) deflected and blew her off. And then also in typical good ole boys “I’m not a harasser” fashion, Mr Abdallah decides to make a personal attack on her. (gosh Abdallah, how do you know anything at all about her family/divorce?) Mr Jackley, in being the “top cop” in South Dakota, should have full knowledge of/give credibility to outcry statements.
Did Mr Jackley speak with Mr Rausch, to see if he would confirm Ms Campbell’s 2012 allegation? I’m curious. Mr Jackley should proceed very carefully here. If Abdallah did do this to Ms Campbell, it isn’t the first time he has harassed women. Other victims may start coming forward due to the current climate and giving victims more confidence.
I agree, Cory. The way Abdallah responded to this is just…..in no way professional and in no way someone “we” would want in this position.
Abdallah, a former U.S. Marshal and state highway patrol superintendent, was representing Sioux Falls’ District 10 in the state House at the time. On Monday, he denied the allegation and said he never met Campbell…
Attorney General Marty Jackley said Monday that he would stick by his appointment despite the concerns from Campbell.
“If Senator Abdallah made such a comment, it would be inappropriate,” he said. “However, Senator Abdallah has denied making the comment”…
Campbell emailed Jackley’s campaign for governor on Oct. 27. A spokesman told her he would relay the message to Jackley. Campbell said she hasn’t heard back since then.
Not a good look, Marty.
mike from iowa
Sounds like Ab-whatever has been copying Stace Nelson when he gets irate. I’ll put my blah, blah blah up against your stopping at stop signs all the time.
Patrick Lalley on Abdallah this afternoon: “There are a lot of Gene Abdallah stories through the years. I don’t know what’s true and what’s not. Condemning a woman to hell for bringing it up is pretty outrageous. His time in public life should end. He is a relic.”
Francis Schaffer
Someone please point me to where he actually says in a quote it never happened. I read the information here and in the Argus leader story and the only quote remotely saying he didn’t do it is from Marty Jackley.
Jenny
When you’re drunk half the time sometimes ya just kinda forget them manners. (what a pig)
In a less partisan state that crude statement would end up hurting him but in sd it wont because he’s Republican and that’s all that matters.
Darin Larson
I’m glad he had a chance to simmer down after a month and not fly off the handle and make snide remarks about irrelevant personal family matters of his accuser. If this is the kind of person that represents the GOP in SD these days, then God help us all. He should stay retired and not impugn himself further.
Since he has opened the door to irrelevant personal attacks, let’s have the truth come out about his “37 years” and see how he likes it.
SVC
Agree with all that has been said about Abdallah, but I also struggle with the fact that Reynold Nesiba is repeatedly quoted as a defender of women’s rights and upholder of the moral high ground.
Lets not forget that he was almost not seated after his election because a woman had to call the police after he exposed himself to her, chased her around her apartment, pushed her against a wall, groped her, and refused to leave when asked. Nesiba’s response to the charges: he thought she was playing hard to get. Thats in the police report.
Nesiba was accused in great detail, confirmed the events, didn’t deny the allegations, and had zero consequences to his political or personal career. We’ll likely never know what exactly happened in the time between his acceptance of the allegations and the charges being dropped, but it sure left me scratching my head.
I wonder why his victim didn’t receive more support and how she must feel when he is continually quoted in these stories. I believe her the same way we believe Campbell. I just wish Nesiba would be held to the same standard to which he holds Abdallah. Dana Ferguson needs to find a more credible contributor to her stories about sexual harassment and assault because these are serious situations.
John
Great story, right on point.
Also, with a month to prepare…. He states that if she focused on her family life that maybe she would still have them. How does an incident in 2012, affect a divorce in 2010? Maybe he is out of touch with divorce rates in America today. 40-50% divorce rate. Getting a divorce does not mean that it was her fault. He talks about smear politics? Yet trying to smear her reputation is okay? He should be ashamed of himself. Not fit for public duty.
He states that he doesn’t even know her? I would ask for someone to look at her time as a lobbyist and his time as a senator. I’m sure someone can come up them speaking on the floor on legislation.
Tiffany Campbell
Cory, Tweet back at Lalley and let him know I am willing to answer any questions he may have. I would if I was on Twitter.
Francis, you are correct: Ferguson’s story does not contain exact words from Abdallah saying, “I didn’t do what Campbell says I did.” But Ferguson does say, “On Monday, he denied the allegation and said he never met Campbell.”
[Grudz, there is nothing pathological in Kurt’s methodical and verbatim references to the statements to which he is responding. His style is a careful and responsible practice that is especially useful in long comment sections where readers may lose track of context amidst multiple threads.]
mike from iowa
Matt Lauer fired by NBC. Garrison Keillor fired by MPR. What the hell is going on?
Roger Cornelius
mfi,
As Trump might say, “let’s stop all these allegations of sexual assault until we can figure out what the hell is going on”.
Francis Schaffer
I don’t know if Mr. Abdallah is a black out drinker or not. I do know and have read first hand accounts from such drinkers who remember nothing of his/her behavior when on a drinking binge.
Ms Campbell has a whole lot of credibility here with her allegation. She made an “outcry” statement at the time, and per usual, the good ole boys club (Rausch) deflected and blew her off. And then also in typical good ole boys “I’m not a harasser” fashion, Mr Abdallah decides to make a personal attack on her. (gosh Abdallah, how do you know anything at all about her family/divorce?) Mr Jackley, in being the “top cop” in South Dakota, should have full knowledge of/give credibility to outcry statements.
Did Mr Jackley speak with Mr Rausch, to see if he would confirm Ms Campbell’s 2012 allegation? I’m curious. Mr Jackley should proceed very carefully here. If Abdallah did do this to Ms Campbell, it isn’t the first time he has harassed women. Other victims may start coming forward due to the current climate and giving victims more confidence.
I agree, Cory. The way Abdallah responded to this is just…..in no way professional and in no way someone “we” would want in this position.
Let me guess. Gene IDOLIZES Trump!
Dana Ferguson writes:
Not a good look, Marty.
Sounds like Ab-whatever has been copying Stace Nelson when he gets irate. I’ll put my blah, blah blah up against your stopping at stop signs all the time.
Splendid performance.
Patrick Lalley on Abdallah this afternoon: “There are a lot of Gene Abdallah stories through the years. I don’t know what’s true and what’s not. Condemning a woman to hell for bringing it up is pretty outrageous. His time in public life should end. He is a relic.”
Someone please point me to where he actually says in a quote it never happened. I read the information here and in the Argus leader story and the only quote remotely saying he didn’t do it is from Marty Jackley.
When you’re drunk half the time sometimes ya just kinda forget them manners. (what a pig)
In a less partisan state that crude statement would end up hurting him but in sd it wont because he’s Republican and that’s all that matters.
I’m glad he had a chance to simmer down after a month and not fly off the handle and make snide remarks about irrelevant personal family matters of his accuser. If this is the kind of person that represents the GOP in SD these days, then God help us all. He should stay retired and not impugn himself further.
Since he has opened the door to irrelevant personal attacks, let’s have the truth come out about his “37 years” and see how he likes it.
Agree with all that has been said about Abdallah, but I also struggle with the fact that Reynold Nesiba is repeatedly quoted as a defender of women’s rights and upholder of the moral high ground.
Lets not forget that he was almost not seated after his election because a woman had to call the police after he exposed himself to her, chased her around her apartment, pushed her against a wall, groped her, and refused to leave when asked. Nesiba’s response to the charges: he thought she was playing hard to get. Thats in the police report.
Nesiba was accused in great detail, confirmed the events, didn’t deny the allegations, and had zero consequences to his political or personal career. We’ll likely never know what exactly happened in the time between his acceptance of the allegations and the charges being dropped, but it sure left me scratching my head.
I wonder why his victim didn’t receive more support and how she must feel when he is continually quoted in these stories. I believe her the same way we believe Campbell. I just wish Nesiba would be held to the same standard to which he holds Abdallah. Dana Ferguson needs to find a more credible contributor to her stories about sexual harassment and assault because these are serious situations.
Great story, right on point.
Also, with a month to prepare…. He states that if she focused on her family life that maybe she would still have them. How does an incident in 2012, affect a divorce in 2010? Maybe he is out of touch with divorce rates in America today. 40-50% divorce rate. Getting a divorce does not mean that it was her fault. He talks about smear politics? Yet trying to smear her reputation is okay? He should be ashamed of himself. Not fit for public duty.
He states that he doesn’t even know her? I would ask for someone to look at her time as a lobbyist and his time as a senator. I’m sure someone can come up them speaking on the floor on legislation.
Cory, Tweet back at Lalley and let him know I am willing to answer any questions he may have. I would if I was on Twitter.
Darin Larson writes:
But since Jackley is appointing him to a powerful government office, Abdallah’s lifelong absence of personal integrity is actually relevant.
“SVC” writes:
However disturbing Nesiba’s behavior may have been, at least he never publicly smeared his accuser the way Abdallah is smearing Tiffany.
Kurt, do you ever just use your own words without having to say “Mr. SoandSo writes: all this stuff and then I refute it?”
Do you ever? Just answer yes or no, in a single post, without saying “Mr. grudznick writes….”
Or is it another pathological thing with you?
Francis, you are correct: Ferguson’s story does not contain exact words from Abdallah saying, “I didn’t do what Campbell says I did.” But Ferguson does say, “On Monday, he denied the allegation and said he never met Campbell.”
[Grudz, there is nothing pathological in Kurt’s methodical and verbatim references to the statements to which he is responding. His style is a careful and responsible practice that is especially useful in long comment sections where readers may lose track of context amidst multiple threads.]
Matt Lauer fired by NBC. Garrison Keillor fired by MPR. What the hell is going on?
mfi,
As Trump might say, “let’s stop all these allegations of sexual assault until we can figure out what the hell is going on”.
I don’t know if Mr. Abdallah is a black out drinker or not. I do know and have read first hand accounts from such drinkers who remember nothing of his/her behavior when on a drinking binge.