This blog’s readers are keenly interested in how the Senate will conduct the impeachment trial of killer Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg. Senator Lee Schoenbeck (R_5/Lake Kampeska) tells us he and the Senate are working on rules for this unprecedented political process and will be as transparent as possible with the public as they make history and profound Legislative precedent:
The good news is that South Dakota has no history of impeachment, like Arizona or Illinois, so we don’t have the established rules that they do. The bad news is, that we don’t have established rules like they do. Last year when this first arose, I asked Senator Wheeler to study other states’ rules and work on a draft. He enlisted retired judges, current Senators, Rusch and Johns to assist him. This week we took that draft and created a version that we think will work to provide South Dakota with a fair and expedient process. The LRC staff is currently reviewing that work product. When it is in final draft form I will distribute to the entire senate, and make it available to the public. The proposed rules will be reviewed by the Legislative Procedures Committee on April 26th and the full senate will act on that committee’s work the same day.
…It is our intent to have this process very transparent. I envision documents posted on line for senators and the public to review in advance. When the rules are “done” (its only a draft until whatever form is adopted by the senate), they will explain it all [Senator Lee Schoenbeck, e-mail, 2022.04.15].
April 26 is eleven days away. Stay tuned.
Republicans never seem ready for, “and then what.” Take children from parents… and then what? Repeal Obama Care… and then what? Provide YUGE tax breaks that blow a hole on the deficit… and then what? Stop all abortions… and then what? Etc, etc, etc…
Let’s see …… how can we get jason off with the least embarrassment to ourselves ??
What’s the difference between a “process transparent” and a ” process very transparent”?
Something is either transparent or opaque.
Patience, DaveFN—you know some Republicans start hiccuping when they bump into words that start with trans….
Buckobear, might your mindreading be off by one word? Might they replace “off” with “out”?
Loren, some Republicans aren’t even ready for a pedestrian carrying a flashlight at the edge of the road.
Here’s my thought on the rules, given by Al Pacino:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sA0glbG6c-8
While the South Dakota legal code ostensibly proclaims transparency, it also provides exceptions for the convenience of officials to use should their preference be to withhold information. The state has a long tradition in law making that makes a CYA clause the first priority. And that will be the controlling consideration in the impeachment rules.
Well…the Senator from Kampeska will not be challenged in finding a a quick and certain way to drop Ravnsborg through the gallow’s floor.
Before the crash I’d had no strong opinions about Jason Ravnsborg, positive or negative, but it was obvious to me from the beginning that Craig Price’s bogus “reconstruction” was a politically-motivated hatchet job. Could Marty Jackley see that, or couldn’t he? If he couldn’t, it raises questions about his critical-thinking abilities, and if he could, it raises questions about his ethics. His campaign is facing a serious problem either way.
Full disclosure: I don’t remember where the meets were (Chamberlain? Highmore? Faulkton? Gettysburg?), but I’m pretty sure Marty Jackley used to beat me when we raced head-to-head in high school track.
Shifting gears, Larry Rhoden should be governor by July 1.
I’m not a member of the executive committee and have no authority to speak on behalf of the party, but speaking only on my own behalf, I hereby publicly invite Lieutenant Governor Rhoden to join the Libertarian Party of South Dakota and seek the nomination for governor during our state convention at Chamberlain on April 23.
If Larry would like me to run for lieutenant governor, I’m available.
It’s clear that Lee Schoenbeck hopes to shame spineless members in his caucus to do the right thing, and failing that, bring the circus into the SDGOP state convention. But let’s take a look of the landscape from the Ravnsborg camp’s POV.
– “Jason’s been hurt enough. He is the first and only state official to be impeached in South Dakota history. That, and paying his fines for what was clearly a car accident is enough. Let him keep his job, for God’s sake! Leave him alone. I move to nominate Jason Ravnsborg for his second term!”
– “I’ll second that motion! All we’re doing is helping the Democrats by tearing down this otherwise promising young leader. He’s a decorated military veteran — for God’s sake! — and we should be thanking Jason for his service. He’s come a long way with one term experience as Attorney General. He knows the job. He’ll make up for everything. It’s just the Christian thing to do. Turn the other cheek and forgive this young man.”
Somebody whose last name is Samp yells out, “Hey! He only hit a Democrat!” Chuckles and laughs swarm while the convention president gavels for silence.
– “I’ll third it! Sure Jason Ravnsborg the decorated military man made a mistake one night out on the highway. He obviously didn’t see what he hit until the next day. The Democrats have pulled him through the wringer and muddied his reputation. I’m not going to do those damn Democrats any favors by cuttin’ him down again. And beside, our other choice ain’t exactly clean either! Democrats had a field day accusing Marty of holding back information on several violent murders with the EB-5 disaster and the GEAR UP disaster. Whatever happened to that secret safe in the burned up the house? And he’s still got plenty to answer for in that big, ugly kerfuffle in Aberdeen with the Richard Mette child abuse scandal. Remember? The good guys got burned by the Attorney General Jackley, those poor abused children got thrown under the bus and justice was failed again. I’m not sure why our Governor jumped on the first horse in the corral and endorsed Marty Jackley even before the House impeachment hearings were done. She has a history of jumping on wrong horses. But who ya gonna back? Our incumbent, a military hero and a veteran who made one mistake, one tragic mistake? Or the guy who’s still carrying a load of three really big scandals where millions just disappeared, several lives lost and abused children got mistreated? That’s a heck of a choice! Folks, I’m sticking with a military hero who made one mistake and still wants to serve our state. Colonel Jason Ravnsborg, our Attorney General!!!”
A state convention is not a court of law and neither are the House and Senate impeachment events. I have no doubt our friend Senate President Pro Tempore Schoenbeck will run a tight ship in the June hearing. But keep in mind that more Republicans in the House voted to acquit Ravnsborg and that the impeachment won by a 1-vote margin to get a simple majority of members-elect. To convict in the Senate will require a two-thirds vote of members-elect, if I understand the rules correctly. That means a guilty verdict requires no fewer than 23 State Senators. There will be three Democrats for conviction, but which 20 Republicans are locked into voting to convict?
Go to the LRC list of current legislators. Look at these GOP Senators. https://sdlegislature.gov/Legislators/Contacts/66
Not many bright bulbs. Which 20 are going to be sensible and turn their back on Jason? Think about former Sioux Falls police chief and Sanford public relations specialist Doug Barthel. Mr. Law and Order. Smart guy. He voted against impeaching Ravnsborg. Dumb and spineless, yes. But how could a top cop with Representative Barthel’s stellar reputation let a slimy killer and disgraced imbecile like Ravnsborg off the hook? Did Trump call him up and threaten to primary Barthel or take away his birthday???
I’d like to think Lee has a firm grip on this. Those spineless, dumb legislators will be ducking and running for cover during the hearing and then at the state convention.
The best and brightest of the Republican Party, a.k.a., the legislators, get first and second crack at stopping Ravnsborg’s name from appearing on the top of the ballot with Governor Kristi Noem.
Convention delegates are far from the best and brightest. They’re showing up in Watertown to drink, golf, tour the town, eat big and party hardy. They are the dyed-in-the-wool party hacks whose level of political acumen runs at the bottom of the political savvy scale. They’re used to winning every statewide race in South Dakota and holding the House and Senate with bullet-proof majorities. They’re fat and happy. They hate Democrats. They don’t like it when a nice young man, a military officer, gets dragged over the hot coals by Kristi Noem’s Potomac River-style D.C. political arm twisting and mud splattering.
There are plenty of reasons to kick Jason’s ass so hard he’ll be singing “Dixie” out of his sphincter. In politics, people don’t just look at reasons for motivation. Excuses come a little easier, especially for spineless, witless, self-important, disinterested party clowns who go to state party conventions.
Let us not forget-that the one and only one reason for the long delay between impeachment and trial by Senate ( conveniently so ) is that the Republican Party of SD doesn’t want its people running for Senate seats to have to be questioned ahead of the primary how they’re going to vote. Schoenbeck will NEVER convince this voter and many others any differently.
Staying tuned.
But curious: “…Senator Wheeler to study other states’ rules and work on a draft…”
Good someone is doing their homework to make up for their nescience. Not the same as plagiarizing others’ rules, of course (or so one would hope), but nonetheless picking and choosing since our leadership is lacking in experience and can do nothing but pick and choose. what they deem appropriate to pick and choose from. But with regard to what is selected, what are the pre-existent (and hidden to view) criteria by which some things in others’ rules are chosen for our rules and other things are rejected?
It’s more than a philosophical question. It’s one which has real consequences in terms of the verdict that will ultimately emerge.
Homework is great for students, but for professionals might we not expect something more? And if so, what?
Sounds too much like “make it up as you go along,” although that which is created is indeed a copy-and-paste selection job thus is “made up” in only one sense of the term.
Mr. Evans, grudznick has been contacted by the leaders of the Rhoden Rhangers, and they are considering your fine offer. It is one of the better ideas you have ever had.
“I no longer listen to what people say, I just watch what they do. Behavior never lies.” –Winston Churchill
96: 2/3 of 35 = 23.33. Since 23 votes would be fewer than 2/3, the needed number is 24. It’s possible that difference could make ALL the difference.
Bob – I rounded it off to the lower number, thinking that’s how it would be interpreted in the as-yet-unseen Senate rules. But you are correct. Going from 20 to 21 Republican Senators becomes much more difficult. Looking at the fools in the GOP Senate Caucus, I don’t see many profiles in courage. To believe there are 21 GOPs ready to plunge the blade into young Jason, you have to start with the NoemBots in the caucus. Or, you can assess it from the other direction, GOP senators who are sick of Noem. In this category, you need to find only 11 Republicans eager to tell Noem to stick it up sideways. Start with those supporting Steve Haugaard in the primary.
Or, you might need to find only eight Republicans eager to tell Noem to stick it up sideways IF the three Democrats offer a protest vote by taking the nolo contendere (as Ravnsborg did in court) and refusing to vote yes or no.
That would force the issue to be decided by the state convention delegates.
I hope Mr. Schoenbeck hisownself, as the President Pro Tempore, wields the gavel with his sinewy arm. This is a matter for the senate alone, and not for the courts to interfere. I hope he gets a new, special gavel for the occasion and does not use Mr. Rhoden’s.
I believe with confidence that this entire event is not worthy of our legislature’s time.
Based on evidence I’ve seen, if accredited, JR is INNOCENT.
The legislature and anti JR elements dragging the family through this reminds me of CNN and others dragging Sandy Hook families through the mud in order to attack Alex Jones.
I’m not so sure JR’s decisions surrounding investigations of the governor’s office was efficacious (a different question), but this impeachment is exceptionally ill advised and could blow-back on the entire legislative body of promulgation.
Watching Jason Ravnsborg tearing the South Dakota Republican Party asunder is making Joe Boever a martyr.
South Dakota’s crusade against equal rights for women was being propelled by incel Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg — an obese, extraordinarily homely confirmed bachelor, killer and member of the Church of the Holy Roman Kiddie Diddlers with little hope of attracting a mate himself because he’s just so creepy.
Like the narratives explaining the deaths of Brady Folkens and Rich Benda are sketchy Jackley’s story is that Scott Westerhuis was tipped off then killed his family, set fire to their house then shot himself and that the safe likely holding evidence went missing.
The killing of Joe Boever is just another chapter in the history of FUBAR in the South Dakota Republican Party. And they just keep getting away with it.
Ravnsborg’s political career is over. He should simply join Scott Westerhuis and Rich Benda at their places in South Dakota history.