Senator Jim Bolin and his fellow Republicans really do look at the Senate as their own little country club. They even charge dues.
A source somewhat more Republican than I shares with me the bylaws of the Senate Republican Campaign Committee, a PAC formed by Senate Republicans to recruit and fundraise for Republicans running for Senate. According to SRCC Bylaw 4.1, “Each Senator shall contribute at least $100.00 at the beginning of each year to the SRCC.”
Shall contribute? Part of me wants to switch back to being a Republican and win a Senate seat, just so I can walk into caucus and say, “Shall contribute? What if I don’t?” I think I’d withhold my cash, just to make the point that the only admission fee to the Senate floor is the majority vote of my constituents.
(If the Democratic caucus has any similar pay-to-play rule, I would issue similar ridicule and resistance.)
But as is their Trumpy-sheeple wont, most Republican Senators complied with this rule by giving $200 in 2017. Only rookie Senator Jordan Youngberg (R-8/Madison) fails to show any donations on the SRCC campaign finance reports for this past term (see below). Youngberg has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of SRCC support, receiving $10,000 in 2016 to unseat Democratic District 8 Senator Scott Parsley and another $10,000 this year to stave off Parsley’s comeback bid. (No one else has received five figures from the SRCC in the last two cycles; standard SRCC donation appears to be $2,000.)
Senator Margaret Sutton (R-10/Sioux Falls) hasn’t made a payment yet, but Governor Dennis Daugaard just appointed her in August, and SRCC Bylaw 4.1 says dues are due at the beginning of the year.
Senator Lance Russell (R-30/Hot Springs) skipped his 2017 payment but made up for it with $200 this year. Senator Bob Ewing (R-31/Spearfish) paid ahead in 2017, donating $200 then and skipping this year, when he got $1,500 back in a donation.
Senator (but no longer Majority Leader) R. Blake Curd paid $200 in 2017 and wrote no check this year; however, Curd also donated $835 in golf tournament fees, $470 worth of Senate pins, and $643.60 worth of golf balls.
Every other Republican Senator doubled the required donation, paying $200 in 2017 and again in 2017. Senator Jack Kolbeck (R-13/Sioux Falls) showed off by writing a $250 check in 2017.
Several Senators—Novstrup, Cronin, Partridge, Peters, Rusch, Russell, White, Stalzer, and Soholt—paid all of their Senate dues with campaign cash rather than personal funds. Senators Wiik, Langer, and now-resigned Haggar-Netherton used campaign funds to pay their 2017 dues but personal funds for their 2018 dues.
It is worth noting that frequent troublemaker Senator Stace Nelson (R-19/Fulton) paid $200 out of his pocket both years, and his own caucus still treats him like crap.
January 1 is coming fast. New Senators Sutton, DiSanto, Schoenbeck, Smith, and Blare, get your Senate Club dues ready! If you don’t pay up, they might send Majority Whip Youngberg to shake you down!
Campaign finance reports for the SRCC:
REPUBLICANS ARE GONNA BE INVESTIGATED!!!SIGN😊😎😇
“Trouble maker?” That’s one of the same things king George called our founding fathers…
The PAC has been a source of much concern, and discussion.
They have to sign a loyalty oath to the SDGOP over and above their constituents and the state constitution and pay $100. The stink of the rot in the SDGOP qualifies as an EPA Superfund site.
Speaking of dues.
Let’s discuss the SDEA mandatory dues and the ~90% payment of them going to the Democrat running for Governor in SD Debbo.
I’m just glad this PAC has no impact on the bills that are submitted in the legislature. That is what the citizens of SD care about.
The topic here is state government Jason. The PAC does whatever SDGOP owners, the Kochs, tell them to do. Any R legislators who don’t play by the SDGOP/Koch/Pootiepublican rules is going to be frozen out.
The PAC has everything to do with what becomes state law because that colluding cadre of cretins owns SD.
Debbo,
You don’t understand Government at all.
Any person elected to the legislature can introduce a bill.
The people of SD decide on that bill by calling their representatives to discuss that bill.
If some legislature decides to do something that their district doesn’t like, they will be voted out of office.
The people of SD decide what becomes law.
This PAC has no impact on SD law.
The people of SD do.
The fact that you think SD legislatures make laws against the wishes of their voters is stupid.
You are not very smart when is comes to life.
You should ask State what he thinks about voting against the wishes of his voters.
I know Jason. You’ve got the inside track on what happens in uber corrupt SD government. When it comes to bribery and blackmail, you know it inside out. I bow to your greatness.
Speaking of country clubs, I’m concerned about the focus of the serious conversation here getting off topic…..
So I would humbly like to ask…
Does anyone know if R. Blake Curd’s $643.60 worth of golf balls can survive the withering silence of Robert Mueller’s glare?.
Were they Radioactive Red Volviks?
Cause I’m convinced those golf balls may have influenced the outcome of this election. And could also have cost Curd his seat as Senate Majority Leader. Maybe his caddy is making a deal.
Spike, I see we can get a 15-pack of golf balls at Austad’s for $15. (A buck a ball? Really?) The caucus includes a lot of duffers, so Curd probably has to buy extra balls for all the shots that will be lost in the slough.
On SDEA: If I pointed out that Bill Janklow sped, Jason would point to lots of people on other highways speeding. That would not change the fact that Bill Jnaklow sped.
Many groups charge membership. SDEA charged membership, but it never compelled anyone to join. SRCC presumes to require every elected Republican Senator to join.
Cory wrote:
SRCC presumes to require every elected Republican Senator to join.
So what happens if they don’t join Cory?
The requirement for dues might be trickle down from Congress
If some legislature decides to do something that their district doesn’t like, they will be voted out of office.
How many wingnuts lost their seats by ignoring voter passed initiatives the following year? I’m guessing none.
Simply put, if a state senator opts out of the club, they won’t get financial help for their campaigns.
And that tit for tat, Roger, disgusts me. No one is under any formal, bylaws-able obligation to donate to any campaign or PAC.
That is disgusting, it doesn’t only happen on the state level, but the national level.
It is shaking down your own party members.
These same members that organize these PAC’s and clubs will also tell you that they want campaign finance reform.
You did try to win a senate seat, Mr. H, several times perhaps, against Mr. Novstrup, the elder, in the general election. If you switched to a Republican just so you could hope to stiff this caucus contribution you would have to take him down in a Republican Primary. That seems a really tough row to hoe for you. But it would be very entertaining. But I don’t think your dues are very much at risk, nor the caucus’s income from dues. If you do win a seat as a Republican, grudznick will donate your share of the dues.
Fortunately there is little to no chance of Cory switching political parties, again. If you recall, Cory was once a republican until he came to his senses and became a Democrat.
My point, Mr. C, is that if he can’t beat Mr. Novstrup in the general he is less likely to beat him in the primary. Unless, perhaps, he contributed his $100 dues.
That’s the point Grudz. The SDGOP won’t help unless candidates pay up first. In fact, I don’t know, but I wonder if they have a few dirty tricks up their sleeves to hinder those who don’t shell out to their private slush fund. Kinda removes the voters from the equation.
Debbo
Every congressional republican that goes to Washington, both newly elected and incumbents, are expected to spend a significant amount of their time during the week working the phones to raise money for the next campaign.
When Kristi Noem was missing votes on the floor of congress she was likely working the phones to raise money for her run for South Dakota governor.
Yeah. This Politicians for Sale thing has got to stop if the USA is going to retain any semblance of a democracy. Public funding is the only remedy I’m aware of.