We have no idea what Rep. David Johnson (R-33) said to his Rapid City neighbor Rep. Lynne DiSanto (R-35) on the House floor Wednesday that motivated the House to establish a Select Committee on Discipline and Expulsion yesterday:
State Representative Dave Johnson of Rapid City apologized to a fellow lawmaker, the entire body, visitors in the house gallery, any students in attendance and those listening on public broadcasting. Johnson’s apology stems from an alleged incident that took place on the house floor after the general session on Wednesday with Rep. Lynne DiSanto, also of Rapid City. Eyewitnesses who didn’t want to be identified tell us there was a heated exchange between Johnson and DiSanto that escalated into raised voices, foul language, finger-pointing and Johnson being restrained by a fellow legislator [Todd Epp, “Rapid City Legislator Faces Expulsion from House,” KTWB, 2018.02.23].
Republican Rep. Dan Kaiser, one lawmaker who moved to form the investigative panel, said DiSanto and two witnesses told him Johnson approached DiSanto loudly and with a posture that made her fear being assaulted during Wednesday evening’s incident on the House floor [“South Dakota House to Investigate Conduct of Rep. David Johnson,” AP via Rapid City Journal, 2018.02.23].
Raised voices? Foul language? Fear of being assaulted?
What, did Johnson wave Disanto’s “All Lives Splatter” meme at her?
The House convened no investigation of DiSanto’s vulgar, threatening public speech witnessed by millions of Americans. Speaker Mickelson named Representatives Johns, Bartling, Rozum, Greenfield, Wismer, Smith, Glanzer, Diedrick, and McCleerey to investigate Johnson’s ill-chosen speech.
KELO-TV digs up Johnson’s criminal record and finds protection orders filed against him in 2005 and 2007. KELO-TV also mentions earlier charges of which Johnson was acquitted, which under normal rules of due process means that mention should be irrelevant to the current investigation.
Updated 08:55 CST: Watch Representative David Johnson’s speech on the House floor after the House returned from caucus and immediately preceding the motion to form the Select Committee on Discipline and Explusion (2:29:45 in the SDPB video):
Well, I think I’m going to be talking to my caucus members, to my friends across the aisle, and to the people of South Dakota, and to Representative Lynne DiSanto.
The other day here on the floor, I made a big mistake. I confess to that. My emotions, my passion—go back and listen. I was—it got the better of me, o.k.? It’s on tape. I’d really like you to listen. It got the better of me. I made unfair statements to somebody that in the past has been a good friend. I truly regret this, believe you me.
I’m humilitated by the following actions, and I apologize across the United States of America to Representative Lynne DiSanto. I was wrong. I do not make any excuses. To the young people in this room: learn something. Let me be your teacher.
To my caucus, I apologize. To the Democrat friends, I apologize. I have been working wth my family on this already. I have been consulting with my religious advisors on this already, and I am truly sorry. This is me.
I welcome a committee, if that’s what this body decides it wants to do. I’ll stand here. I’ll take whatever this body decides that they want to do. Ladies and gentlemen in the gallery, ladies and gentlemen across South Dakota, and to my friends and colleagues, I am truly sorry [Rep. David Johnson, speech on House floor, 2018.02.23].
It’s ironic that Rep. DiSanto was concerned about the prospect of her own life splattering.
the lack of a gun
brought death to no one
how is that fair or fun?
the pistol packing mama
had her fill of drama
that led to no trauma
they’re coming fer yer guns, hon.
Ms. DiSanto is a very high maintenance lady who gets quite upset if she does not have all the attention of the room.
Senator Phil Jensen (R Dist. 33) says there is more to the story and that it was house conservative women that demanded the investigation. He is also upset because there are no conservatives on the panel.
I suspect that part of the hoopla is that Johnson is more moderate and his presence upsets the “true” conservatives.
http://www.kotatv.com/content/news/2-West-River-representatives-embroiled-in-controversy-475002633.html
Mr. Johns is as fair and conservative a fellow as you will find, even in Lead, from whence he hails. He’s a bowling champion at the Bedrock Lanes and trivia champ at Lewies. He will ensure a fair hearing. Ms. DiSanto will get her wish for attention and relevancy.
Ooooooo, imagine heated confrontation mixed with rising tempers and the availability of cold hard steel…….deadly mistakes are made of such ingredients.
I suspect Ms. DiSanto was packing illegally at that very moment. She missed an opportunity to drive home a point.
And with all lives splatter, isn’t it just like a clueless wingnut to show an auto being used for a purpose it was not designed for. Cars weren’t made to be kill massive amounts of people at one time.
Guns sure were, though, no matter how one side wants to package them.
More likely a hollow-point, Grudz. Messy, to be sure.
We residents of West River are privileged, proud, and pleased to provide political entertainment for all of SD. Pass the popcorn.
Johnson says he’s consulting his spiritual advisors. Does this mean the devil made him do it?
Which pistol packing wingnut mama claimed, awhile back, she had never felt threatened?
grudz is probably right about DiSanto packing illegally. Absent intervention she probably would have stood her ground, so to speak.
This is unfortunate. If only Mr Johnson had used his social media account when he “let his emotions get away from him”, he wouldn’t be going through this right now. I mean — that is the defense that leadership used with DiSanto when she posted that inflammatory meme on her F/B page.
———————————————-
The GOP’s state chair said in a statement that it does not tell members what is appropriate when it comes to what they post on social media.
“Each candidate and officeholder is individually responsible for their own social media, and it’s up to each of them to determine what’s appropriate,” Dan Lederman said.
From Argus Leader, Sept 2017, in reference to DiSanto F/B post that Cory referred to above.
https://www.argusleader.com/story/news/politics/2017/09/21/south-dakota-gop-wont-punish-lawmaker-controversial-facebook-post/688544001/
Given that the incident was severe enough to warrant a select committee investigation, we should expect the cause and the video of the incident to be made public.
But DiSanto appeared to declare the matter over and done at yesterday’s crackerbarrel:
So if the individual concerned has accepted the apology and asked to move forward, is there any cause for the Select Committee to pursue further action?
Hmmm. Interesting
You do bring up a good point, Cory. I’m not saying that Johnson is an angel and that he did nothing wrong. A line was obviously crossed (he had to be restrained) and he is admitting his “error” (somewhat) and is ready to receive the consequences of his actions. It is obvious that he does have a problem with women (past protection orders)
Does DiSanto just want to move this thing along so that no videos are shown? That would also show her behavior?
I dunno. Hopefully, SD media is all over this, attempting to get the video released. So we can see how the “adults” in Pierre actually behave. Good, bad, or indifferent.
Do we know what the subject matter of the heated exchange was?
We just can’t rule out the possibility that a few Trumptards could be exaggerating to the point of hyperbole, and David Johnston just might not be all that cut out for dealing with that kind of dishonest-craziness in conservative rural state politics.
I want to see the tape. However, until I do, I would rather err on the side of a pretty reasonable guy – and NOT on the side of radicals who are well known to lie for each other and click on BS like, “Obama ain’t got no birth certificate.”
Mr. Curt, it is not for us to know at this time. The trials will bring it all out. I expect Mr. Mickelson is deciding this very evening when he will allow them to commence.
The heated exchange was probably about what a ‘dingbat’ she is.
Drama seems to really follow Di Santo around. The other women in Pierre never have this much drama. She needs to follow their lead.