Senator Stace Nelson (R-19/Fulton) is quitting the Legislature and politics in general. The Fulton Fulminator says neither his body nor his wife can any more of his long roadtrips to Pierre:
In an email sent to area newspapers Sunday afternoon, Nov. 17, Nelson said he is retiring from politics, effective Dec. 10, for reasons that include being slowed by military service-related injuries.
“While not the only reason for my departure from politics, it is a contributing factor,” he wrote. “My family has been after me for years to get out of politics; my beloved wife has been more than patient despite how unfair it has been to her over the years. I will no longer leave my wife home alone for days on end while in session in Pierre” [“District 19 Senator Stace Nelson Retiring from Politics,” Freeman Courier, 2019.11.17].
He’s also tired of the waste, unresponsiveness, and corruption that forty years of his party’s mostly unchecked rule in Pierre has wrought:
Nelson also cited frustrations with elected officials and their response to “flooding and misery many of you suffered” this past year.
“These politicians can call special sessions to raise your taxes, deploy National Guard troops to foreign countries and blow your hard-earned tax dollars on pheasant habitat boards and other excessive spending,” he wrote. “However, they refused to have our troops help those devastated by the flooding or provide emergency financial aid to communities hard hit twice this year.
“Add in the debacle of last session of them entering the $4.9 billion annual budget bill as a brand new bill during the last minutes of session, at 1:30 a.m., and then passing it within minutes without any hearings or serious discussion, with most legislators not even reading the bill, and you can start to understand how an honest public servant would want to be away from such dysfunction and corruption,” Nelson continued. “I’ve loved serving you even as I’ve hated serving amidst the corruption and dysfunctional politics of combating the political machine that runs South Dakota.
“It is with regret, but relief of having survived South Dakota’s corrupt politics, that I will retire permanently and completely from politics,” he wrote [“District 19…,” 2019.11.17].
Nelson is recommending that Governor Kristi Noem appoint as his replacement Parkston pastor and Michael Boyle, a John Birch radical who unsuccessfully primaried District 19’s rubber-stamp Republican Reps. Kyle Schoenfish and Kent Peterson in 2018. The chances of Governor Noem’s heeding Nelson’s recommendation are nil. Nelson has chaallenged Noem’s blatant nepotism last Session and upset her apple cart at last year’s convention. The GOP establishment has been so eager to oust him from the Legislature that they supported a young Rounds flunky as his primary opponent in 2016 and directed some cash to Nelson’s Democratic opponent in 2018. Noem and her party leaders want no trace of Nelson left in the Senate, certainly not his hand-picked successor. Noem is far more likely to pull a District 23, appointing one of her loyal House members to the Senate and filling the House seat with a newcomer who has proven his ability to heel to her beck and call.
Nelson provides Noem with her fifth* opportunity to appoint a legislator in the last twelve months, and in this case, surely, the most satisfying. Throughout his Legislative career, Nelson has been a bigger thorn in the SDGOP elephant’s foot than most Democrats. His angry resignation message blasting his own party’s governance of South Dakota epitomizes the withering if ineffective criticism he has regularly leveled at the Noem/Daugaard/Rounds/Lederman SDGOP establishment.
I would say that the Legislature is losing its most consistent and honest conservative voice. Nelson has done a remarkable job of calling out South Dakota Republican hypocrisy in overregulating ballot access and bouncy houses, wasting money on vanity projects and excessive travel, showing a general lack of fiscal restraint, covering up the sexual misconduct of its own favored sons, failing to act against crony corruption, and showering CAFOs with corporate welfare. But I cannot fully praise the integrity of any professing Christian conservative who falls for and excuses the reckless and rootless policies, the atrocious un-Christian example, and the dangerous lies of Donald Trump. That Trumpism of Nelson and Noem alike will forever stain whatever achievements and moral authority they try to claim.
Nelson’s honest and open fight against the corruption of the South Dakota Republican Party caused him great suffering; continuing to make excuses for the corruption of his party and his country at the selfish hands of Donald Trump will only erode his soul. One can only hope that Nelson’s retirement from politics will include a retirement from flacking for the political and moral disaster in the White House.
*Legislative vacancies giving Noem appointment opportunities:
- Chuck Turbiville died before the 2018 general election, but District 31 voters re-elected him anyway (proving that they vote for the party, not the person); Noem appointed Dayle Hammock of Spearfish.
- Deb Peters quit the House before she started last November; Noem picked Rhonda Milstead of Sioux Falls.
- Justin Cronin left the Senate in August; Noem promoted John Lake of Gettysburg from District 23 House to Senate, then named JD Wangsness of Miller to House.
- Alan Solano is leaving the District 32 Senate seat that he himself got by appointment in 2014. We await Noem’s pick for that position.
That photo, though.
“Gee Brain, what are we gonna do tonight?”
“The same thing we do every night, Pinky. Try to take over the world!”
Why not have special elections for abandoned legislative seats?
I think appointments by the Governor might have been alright when legislative sessions were once every two years, but it has been decades since South Dakota went to yearly sessions. Time to catch up to modern times, isn’t it?
It seems to me that appointment by the Governor violates the SEPARATION OF POWERS we used to tout in CIVICS, not to overlook the whole ideas of, you know, REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT. Who do these appointed legislators represent? The only person who voted for them, the Governor, because they sure as hell don’t represent the people in the district who didn’t get a vote. Well, we don’t have civics classes, maybe, but we do have American history classes to guide us. The idea of NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION, which led to the AMERICAN REVOLUTION, should be all you folks need to wrest control of your rights away from Cleopatra Noem, and give it to yourselves, where it rightfully belongs.
Having your own representative in the event of death or resignation is not a novel idea. Many states allow representative democracy, rather than a pretend king or queen, to fill the seat through special election. As I said, it’s time South Dakota became a modern state.
Corey. Any chance Noem would pick Schoenfish to replace Stace?
Stace, you can’t quit! We need you more than ever! What is Pierre going to do without our watchdog? Please reconsider. ;(
I don’t really have an issue with JBS. They want to slow the application of technology, are family first, advocate free markets. Nothing and nobody is perfect, JBS included, but another true conservative non-neo voice in the legislature would be great.
For the record: I voted for neither Sutton nor Noem.
I’m not sure exactly how it works, but SD would do well to have a successful primary of a JBS advocate against her and run someone with true grit and conservative principles.
After having many online conversations with Nelson where he responds with nothing but blustery bulls**t and misogynistic insults, I am thrilled by his resignation. Imo, he is a miserable excuse for a human being and doesn’t belong anywhere near public office. I guess one could say that describes just about every single Republican these days, doesn’t it? Miserable humans who don’t belong anywhere near public office. Too bad more won’t resign.
SDBlue – ” guess one could say that describes just about every single Republican these days, doesn’t it? Miserable humans who don’t belong anywhere near public office.”
Holy flaming bigoted response, Batman!
I can give you a very, very, very long list of Republicans who fit that description perfectly, John.
Prove me wrong.
Quite frankly, Sen. Nelson must at least be offered a modicum of respect for always, and I mean always, speaking his mind and sticking to his guns when it came to any issue. Almost no other legislator would be as bold. I had several conversations with the Senator on a variety of topics. Although I rarely agreed with him, it was always a congenial discussion and at times quite humorous. I appreciated his passion for the truth. Yet his methods were just a bit too much for the establishment GOP and Pierre in general. I do wonder what his comrade Sen. Russell will do now. One must admit though, that Sen. Nelson’s statements about the budget (lack of transparency and open hearings along with late night passage) and rampant cronyism are spot on. He’s right, there’s no need for this kind of secrecy and closed door shenanigans in Pierre. We may not like it but, bottom line, its always good to have a Sen. Nelson in an organization or elected body. They push the envelope while making everyone think twice if they are going to pull anything funny.
Why did he get elected this last time if he was gonna take his blankey and go home? Nelson played right into the hand of GNOem. GNOem will appoint some skin tag to replace and the corruption band wagon will continue merrily along.
Stace is a bulldog and doesn’t back down even when he supports false theories like this:
https://m.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/jun/19/noncitizen-illegal-vote-number-higher-than-estimat/
Not to defend our beauty queen arrest-warrant-evading governor (no, I haven’t forgotten or forgiven), but maybe she’s doing something right by not appointing a John Birch pastor? Good god, I remember the Birchers from the ’50s. But you all know these people better than I do.
Maybe SD’s similarity to D.C. is part of the despair as I think it is for so many of us.
Jerry said “the corruption band wagon will continue merrily along”. Well said. Is that a calliope I hear?
Its all crap. It continues to be the narrow minded SDGOP. Stace just had a different angle on it. They are so fearful of losing “what’s theirs’ to some outsiders whose skin tone is a tad darker and bloodline not as Christian
Yes, Owen, significant chance she’ll pick Schoenfish. He’s a complete yes-man, no spine of his own, and he’s term-limited, so he can’t re-up in the House in 2020. She’ll put him in the Senate so he can run as the “incumbent,” find another party loyalist to take his seat in the House, and thus break erase one significant bastion of the Nelson-Russell wing of the party in East River (perhaps the only such bastion: does any other East River Republican buck the establishment the way Stace did?).
John Dale, we’ve had conservative radicals/purists like Nelson run primaries against establishment GOP figures regularly. Ken Knuppe and Gordon Howie made no dent on Daugaard in 2010. Stace Nelson came in third behind Rhoden against Rounds in 2014. Lora Hubbel has brought her Birchiness (I won’t accuse her of membership, but she represents the unbound anti-establishment conservative wing we’re talking about) against Wayne Steinhauer in 2018, Deb Peters in 2016, and Dennis Daugaard in 2014 and got nowhere. And last year, Neal Tapio tried to play the radical right-wing game against establishment golden boy Dusty Johnson and got crushed. The Nelson-Mugwump wing of the GOP hasn’t been any more successful at upsetting the Lederman GOP’s grip on power than we Democrats.
…and the real bigots are Steve Haugaard, Tim Goodwin, Al Novstrup, and the other Trumpists Stace leaves behind in Pierre. Bigotry, John, is a Republican family value.
Robin F, Noem knows nothing about John Birch. She just knows Stace recommended the guy, and she won’t appoint anyone Stace recommends. She will appoint a yes-man, which in this Legislature, is arguably as bad as a John Birch loon-bat. Birch-barkers can at least offer the chance of temporary coalitions with Democrats and other disgruntled legislators to stop Noem’s bad ideas.
SPDB’s Lee Strubinger gets more on the record from Senator Nelson on why he’s abandoning this corrupt ship. It seems the bastards finally wore him and his family down:
I know the feeling.
While I sympathize with SDBlue’s disgust—I’ve seen some of the comments to which SDBlue rightly takes umbrage—the sad thing here is that the powers that be did not target Stace for being a miserable piece of human garbage (SDBlue’s assessment, not mine). The Lederman/GOP establishment ostracized and ridiculed and attacked Stace because he wasn’t a yes-man. They punished him because he fought for his constituents against the state’s CAFO crony capitalism. They punished him because he spoke up about EB-5 and GEAR UP. They punished him because he challenged one-party rule from within the ranks of the party. The Lederman GOP will brook no dissent not even from members capable of winning their home districts by over 70% twice in a row.
Even if you don’t like Stace, his departure means a net gain for Dan Lederman, Kristi Noem, and one-party rule.
The bail bondsman’s hold on this state will only get stronger!
I appreciated Stace’s participation. It’s hard being in the reddest state in the union.
Jerry, “GNOem will appoint some skin tag,” a skin tag? 😆😆😆 That’s a new one, but I like it.
As others have said, I give credit to Stace for not being a cowed yes man. However, he was wrong most policy issues.
Cory, you are right on point. Sen. Nelson’s approach was in your face because he was calling out what he believed to be wrongdoings. I don’t think there was any other way to say it – he called a spade a spade, loudly! Thinking back, I don’t know of really any other way someone could have attempted to expose the issues that he brought forth. Granted some of these issues were a bit wackadoodle! But nevertheless, a very unique, passionate and headstrong individual, and ever so faintly Janklow-esque.
Did Nelson ever threaten fellow pols with physical violence if they pissed him off with facts?
“extricate myself from the swamp” — I love this quote. Very accurate.
This man is NOT a “neo”, and I am humbled and grateful to him for his public service.
Cory – “Bigotry, John, is a Republican family value”
From the AP:
“According to Pitcavage, many KKK members were Democrats since the Whig Party had died out and white Southerners disliked the Republican party”
Personally, I’m not anti-Democrat or anti-Republican, I’m anti-neo/globalist.
I think a nation is its border, language, and culture.
Cory – “The Nelson-Mugwump wing of the GOP hasn’t been any more successful at upsetting the Lederman GOP’s grip on power than we Democrats”
These would be the globalist deep state that has taken over the SD GOP, IMHO.
I think we probably have a lot of common ground on the issues, but perhaps my willingness to engage with information about improperly labeled “tin foil hat” conspiracies have given me more advanced understanding of the what, who, and when of US democratic infiltration by, essentially, global banks.
Robin Friday – ” Maybe SD’s similarity to D.C. is part of the despair as I think it is for so many of us.”
I couldn’t agree more .. although, the majority of people living here are too busy with work to look up and see the ruler class’ malfeasance.
Robin Friday – “maybe she’s doing something right by not appointing a John Birch pastor”
To see people not as individuals, but rather as part of a group to be judged is a sordid form of bigotry.
What is it about JBS that you despise? Individually, what about this person would you despise? Are they the same thing?
I appreciate communism as a globalist banking Frankenstein to be avoided, so does JBS.
I appreciate a rolling-back of our technology – just because we can do something doesn’t mean we should. So does JBS.
JBS is staunchly Christian and believes this value should be pushed and promulgated. Without reformation, I disagree with JBS.
There are other areas, but I think it’s important – if a person has the time – to work through things individually, and not fall into the trap of generalized discrimination.
Dale’s new word, “bigot” attacks us for criticizing Birchers. Yawn. Interestingly ironically wiki says the second president of JBS died in a plane downed by RUSSIANS. JBS, besides being Alex Jones’ bedfellow, hates communism, perhaps unreasonably so; the very definition of bigotry apparently!
John Dale, as I’ve said before, people join parties and groups and philosophies because of who they are as individuals, and what they believe as individuals. When someone drifts toward a group or participates in a group, or officially and by his/her actions officially joins a group, it’s because that individual believes either moderately or strongly in the philosophies and direction of that group. In other words, we all know what a John Bircher stands for. He or she is with the group because they want to be there and they believe in the proclivities of the group. There’s nothing “bigoted” about assuming that John Birch as a group is off-the-boards Ultra-Right, nor is there anything bigoted about saying that person is a John Bircher and all that goes with it, if we know that to be true.
What is it about the John Bircher that I despise? I do not despise the individual. I despise the beliefs and the rhetoric and often the actions of the group and those who officially or unofficially belong. I do not despise individual human beings. It’s just not in me, plus it’s a waste of time and emotional energy.
Over the decades, the John Birch Society morphed into the Tea Party, and the Tea Party morphed into the Trump GOP. Trump gratefully accepted and utilized and exploited the gift that was presented to him by the Evangelical Right.
Mike from Iowa, I don’t think that Sen. Nelson ever threatened anyone with physical violence. His mere presence made one take notice (see picture above with Cory). This made him come across as very intimidating.
Agreed with your 18:40, Cory.
Robin Friday – I’m still left wanting to understand what you don’t like about “Birchers”.
Other than slurring them by calling them racist, misogynist .. what specifically about the John Birch, Tea Party, or Retrumplicans do you despise?
This is where I have never found anything concrete to justify the responses of many in the Never Trump crowd. It always seems to boil down to, “he’s not us, his is not our party, we must not allow him access to our federal cash flows or federal power to divert private sector cash flows from us”.
I hope you can provide some different distillation of what might justify the two minutes Trump-hate.
I’m not a Bircher, but as I stated, I think they have some reasonable principles, are populated with individuals who are not wholly represented in the Birch platform.
To smear an entire group (Birchers) is clearly .. shall we say .. less than a mature way to conduct oneself politically.
It’s not that complicated, John. JBS-Tea Party-Christian Right promulgate the extreme opposite of everything I believe regarding humanitarian and environmental endeavors that I have believed strongly and worked for all my adult life. Though I don’t know the mission of JBS, (maybe you do) I use the word “everything” because I highly doubt and can’t imagine, having gone through the 50s and everything since, that JBS and I agree on anything.
I don’t hate them, I continue to oppose them politically. That’s what I can do at this point in my life. And no, I’m not going to argue with you over every specific topic. I tend to view thing wholistically.
So as I said before, thank goodness if our Trumpian governor is not inclined to appoint the JBS pastor.
Robin Friday – “Though I don’t know the mission of JBS”
Recommend:
https://www.jbs.org/about-jbs/
Also, I do not believe that Noem truly supports President Trump in spirit. She does it because she’s betting on him to win.
Note that JBS does not support USMCA.
John: thank you, no. I meant to say “nor do I need to know their mission statement”. I don’t necessarily follow any mission statements except my own, having arrived here over the years. I know how easy it is to mislead and find “all the best words”. Doesn’t mean I can’t change, but again, I don’t want groups to come looking for me, I’ll find them if I’m interested. (Did you really think I wouldn’t know how to find them?)
yes, she’s tying herself to his coattails. Nothing admirable about that in my book, either. Maybe smart politically, maybe not. But I agree, she’s thinking of herself and her own future, just like her president.
Robin Friday – “nor do I need to know their mission statement”
It is reasonable to look into something and understand it before you disagree with it.
It takes only a few minutes to read it over, then you’ll be able to articulate why you disagree with them.
koch family/bros were deeply involved in JBS at the beginning so you know what kind of flimflammery you are getting.
mike from iowa – “so you know what kind of flimflammery you are getting”
No, I don’t. Why don’t you try to articulate.
Why bother. you run back to conspiracy websites for comfort from the truth. Your lads are getting their lying buttocks roasted in hearings today. Their star witness turned on them. looked like Numbnuts and Jordan each swallowed a chaw of tobacco.
mike from iowa – “Their star witness turned on them”
The Republicans in the Intelligence Subcommittee are not allowed to call witnesses.
Today, what I observed was that our Lt. Col. friend is one of the architects of the coup. He contradicted his closed door testimony. Also, supposedly Schiff and the witnesses do no know who the “whistleblower” is, but they knew when to derail questioning to “protect the whistle blower”.
But really, the impeachment is to distract from the FISA/Patriot Act renewal since it’s obviously not a legitimate inquiry.
“Sec. 1703. Sunsets (a) Section 102(b)(1) of the USA Patriot Improvement and Reauthorization act of 2005 is amended by striking “December 15, 2019” and inserted “March 15, 2020”.
Also, the Admin granted access to security-tainted technology by American firms (YIKES).
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Thune is selling-out our State and country to pushing for 5G installation (my opinion).
The Republicans in the Intelligence Subcommittee are not allowed to call witnesses.
Blatantly untrue. More johnny Fraud rabbit holes served fresh daily.
Volker is the first witness called by Republicans to testify publicly, appearing alongside former Trump National Security Council adviser Tim Morrison. But Volker, unlike nearly everyone else in the Ukraine saga, had a role in virtually every facet of the unfolding scandal.
From Politico.
Morrison was the second witness called by wingnuts. Shoots someone’s debunked theory about mean Dems in the orange posterior.
mike from iowa – “Blatantly untrue.”
“the majority party could block subpoenas requested by the minority Republicans”
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/29/us/politics/impeachment-resolution-trump.html
Schoenfish confirms he’s been telling folks around District 19 for the past month that he plans to run for the Senate seat.
Birch is mostly irrelevant here, since Noem will not appoint Nelson’s recommendation.
The bigotry of the Klan during post-Whig days is mostly irrelevant to the bigotry and cronyism promoted by Nelson’s party today in its active governing policies in South Dakota. Neoglobalists are not the problem in South Dakota; entitlement-minded Republicans in Name Only are.
Cory – “Neoglobalists are not the problem in South Dakota; entitlement-minded Republicans in Name Only are”
I got into this on my show today. Neocons/NeoLibs are a HUGE problem in SD (maybe mostly Western SD) where they are able to operate with relative impunity with virtually limitless resources.
I started the show today with a Coulter monologue about Gab.ai and what happened to them – they were funded to the tune of over 20 million bucks, yet the deep state neoglobalist cabal took them out for having the audacity to try to compete.
I started a project three years ago and next thing I know they poached my sales team by smearing me as a drug distributor. They are integrated into nearly every aspect of life here, where the population is low, information asymmetry is rampant, and the “haves” abuse the “have nots” with virtual impunity.
The Stace Nelson issue exemplifies that the “swamp” is alive and well here in SD; EB5, meth, sex trade, slander-and-smear tactics.
The deep state decimated my family economically and we never recovered. Sometimes, it’s tough not to give-up, but President Trump’s exposure of corruption gives us hope.
Wow. Sometimes Dale goes farther over the top than I knew there was top to go over. Sad, very sad.
I’m familiar enough with them, John. As I said, from way back when. It isn’t as if I just heard of them yesterday.
Debbo – ” Sometimes Dale goes farther over the top than I knew there was top to go over”
How? When? Quote? Make an argument.
Character assassination is beneath you.
Is this thread about Senator Nelson or John Dale?
Chislic is just lamb scraps. ‘ach’íí is a real nosh.
– Ha’íí bí doo yik’ida’diitį́įh da łeh eíí akwǫ́ǫ́ lą’ída yit’į́ doo danhináá’ t’éi bee. Akwǫ́ǫ́ lą’ída doo yilá t’éiyá bee bidíilchíł da, Lą’ída doo nihijáá’ t’éiyá bee didíits’íił da.
– What they fail to understand is that there are more ways to see than with our eyes, more ways to feel than with our hands, more ways to hear than with our ears.
Porter Lansing – “there are more ways to see than with our eyes”
You mean like the OPM toolkit?
https://www.opm.gov/wiki/training/OPM-Employee-Engagement-Toolkit-for-Supervisors—Guides.ashx
Roger Cornelius – “Is this thread about Senator Nelson or John Dale”
Or Dohn Jale ..
But, point taken.
Very well taken.
The sad point is that if the state had really been on it, the problem might not be so bad right now. If there is a new meth epidemic, or perhaps a spike in the on-going meth problem, it is because the state hasn’t been on it. And what I see know is, sadly, efforts by some conservatives/Republicans to defend this new campaign (getting people talking about, or raising awareness, or some such) rather than point out the obvious. The state needs new solutions. Not simply more money into rehab programs, but money into designing better rehab programs for example. And if Governor Noem wanted to start a conversation, she should have called for the repeal of the felony ingestion law, a law which should have offended conservatives from the start both as an assault on the 5th Amendment and as a waste of tax dollars. Can’t we agree that locking up drug addicts with no meaningful treatment is expensive and unproductive?
A new slogan and ad campaign, replacing the old slogan and ad campaign (and yes, there was an old anti-meth slogan and campaign, is of little value – not simply because it’s a bad slogan that sent money out-of-state but because the problem doesn’t need “awareness”. It needs action.
I am not familiar with Mr. Nelson’s district, but as an overall fact, aren’t all representatives elected to “represent” their constituents, not their own ideology, to the best of their abilities.
Marcia Whiting – “elected to “represent” their constituents, not their own ideology, to the best of their abilities”
I agree with this for the most part, but there are some nuances that I think should be respected.
First, Stace is elected, but he also one of his constituents. He can represent his own interests, but not to the detriment of others.
Second, in a democratic republic, the reason we don’t have a pure democracy is that the will of a majority can quickly turn tyrannical. So, if a constituency develops a “get that guy” mentality, a representative can use his/her powers of reason to selectively and carefully countermand an irrational will of a majority to preserve innovation and merit (incapable people love hating capable people in sports, medicine, and business).