Last updated on 2019-06-26
Bob Mercer notices that Governor Kristi Noem has ended the Prostrollo family’s hold on the state Board of Economic Development:
The Prostrollo era that lasted through two generations on the South Dakota Board of Economic Development has ended.
Governor Kristi Noem recently chose Kevin Tetzlaff of Brookings to succeed Pat Prostrollo of Madison.
Prostrollo was appointed in 2012 by then-Governor Dennis Daugaard to state government’s business-lending panel.
He succeeded his father, Jerry Prostrollo of Madison, who had been a leader on the board for several decades and was reappointed by several previous governors [Bob Mercer, “Governor, Lawmakers Make Key Appointments to South Dakota Posts,” KELO-TV, 2019.06.22].
I notice that Pat Prostrollo joined the usual suspects from Madison in backing Marty Jackley in the gubernatorial primary last year, while Kevin Tetzlaff backed the right horse with $500 pre-general:
Teztlaff chunked another $250 into Noem’s kitty pre-general. I don’t see Prostrollo kissing and making up on Noem’s pre-general report.
Teztlaff also contributed $1,070.93 to Noem in 2017. Prostrollo gave Jackley $1,000 in 2017 and $2,000 in 2016.
But hey, at least Governor Noem is moving the Governor’s “Hunt” closer to both Madison and Brookings. I’m sure Teztlaff and Prostrollo will enjoy blocking for Noem together and driving back to Kristi’s big Sioux Falls concert in a nice Ford Excursion sponsored by the Prostrollo Auto Mall.
Kristi the VarmintHeart must have felt crushed to lose the support of someone with such a monumental collection of exotic game hunting trophies. Kristi’s “Crusade of Tails” stands alone!
Does Gov. Noem share President Trump’s “you’re dead to me” style of governing?
Noem has the whole “pay to play” thing down cold.
The first thing that I think of when I see articles like this is politics in South Dakota is cheap, you can get appointed by the governor to a political position for as little as $500.
And the thing is, Roger, Nick, Debbo, and Chris, is that this narrative of imperial pettiness is pretty easy to tell. South Dakota voters would benefit from having Kristi’s mystique pierced and hearing the hoenst story of her pettiness.
No one in the paid press is willing to point these facts out, because they’re worried they’ll get pressure the way Madison Howard did and lose their opportunities and paychecks. Perhaps instead of looking over their shoulder all the time, the press should consider that there are plenty of powerful people (Prostrollos, Jackley, Will Mortenson…) whom Noem is torquing off and who would support some honest journalism on the Governor’s revenge crusade.
I, of course, have received no Tip Jar rings from Prostrollo, Jackley, Mortenson, or any other of Noem’s primary targets. I’ll be as dogged in covering their corruption when they primary Noem and seize power in 2022 as I will continue to be in covering Noem’s rule here in Trumpistan.