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Before Incest Charge, Koskan Slacked Off on Campaign Fundraising; GOP Senators Sent $10K Week Before Charges Made Headlines

Campaign finance reports suggest that Republican Joel Koskan, who stands accused of continually raping his daughter over several years, may have seen the end of his political career coming.

On October 4, 20 days before the pre-general filing deadline, Koskan’s treasurer, his wife Sally, filed a report showing no campaign income or expenditures. The October 4 report indicated he hadn’t touched the $2,004.11 he had left from his 2020 campaign, hadn’t received any donations, and hadn’t bought a single campaign sign. On October 25, the day after the filing deadline, Sally signed an amendment reporting  $1,735 in contributions received, $2,850 spent, and $889.11 left to continue Joel’s campaign against Democratic Representative Shawn Bordeaux for the District 26 Senate seat.

Koskan’s biggest donor this year was $500 from the Convention of States PAC based in Indiana. The Mellette County Republicans, Missouri River Dentistry, South Dakota Beer Distributors Association’s Six PAC, the inscrutable “SODAK-D-PAC” each gave Koskan $250. Senator-Elect Brent Hoffman from District 9 in Sioux Falls sent Koskan $200. Another $35 came from unitemized individual donations.

Koskan reported spending $350 this year on events and $2,500 on travel.

Joel Koskan reported far more campaign fundraising and spending in his unsuccessful 2018 and 2020 campaigns against incumbent Democratic Senator Troy Heinert. 15 days before the 2018 election, Koskan had raised $11,195 and spent $8,122.93 (only $389.19 of that on travel). At the end of the 2018 campaign, Koskan raked in another $7,733.46 (including $5,113.46 of his own money) and spent another $10,805.53.

Three weeks before the 2020 election, Koskan had raised $7,105 and spent $3,372.60 (and not a penny on travel). In the last weeks of the 2020 campaign, he raised another $293.60 and spent another $2,021.89.

As of Sally’s amended filing on October 25, Joel Koskan had raised only 15% as his 2018 pre-general take and 24% of his 2020 pre-general take. This year he has spent only 35% of his 2018 pre-general expenses and 85% of his 2020 pre-general effort.

Joel Koskan didn’t appear to be putting as much stock in himself and his electoral chances against Shawn Bordeaux as he did in two previous campaign against Troy Heinert. But his Republican colleagues did. According to a supplemental report filed electronically by treasurer Sally on October 25 at 10:50 p.m., the Senate Republican Campaign Committee, run by Senator Gary Cammack of Union Center and Senator Jim Stalzer of Sioux Falls, sent Koskan $10,000. The Brule County Republicans also sent Koskan’s campaign $500—

—but holy cow!!! $10,000 from the Senate Republicans for a guy who is working less on this campaign than he did in his last two losing rodeos? And now $10,000 that will hang around the Senate Republicans’ neck as support for a guy who’s going to court Monday for child rape and incest?

Republicans have declined to drop the bomb on Koskan and demand, as the South Dakota Democratic Party has, that Koskan end his campaign. But Senators Cammack and Stalzer had better be calling Koskan and telling him to send their $10,000 back before he tries slipping it to his defense lawyer.

32 Comments

  1. grudznick 2022-11-05 09:17

    grudznick homes that Mr. Cammack is very seriously considering driving down there to where young Mr. Koskan lives and shaking that $10,000 out of him.

  2. Nix 2022-11-05 10:26

    Whooooah !!!!
    You don’t want Gary (burp)Cammack driving anywhere.
    He’s a Drunk Driver.
    That 10 grand would buy some fine booze for the whole gang.
    Minus $350.00 for some new Tony Lamas because his previous pair had puke on ‘em.

  3. 96Tears 2022-11-05 12:22

    As with Joel Koskan, Gary Cammack knows the value of a sympathetic judge who’s willing to eliminate public access to public records on a Republican leader’s criminal record.

    In all fairness and honesty, how the hell did Cammack, Noem, Rhoden, Schoenbeck and the Senate pac decision makers NOT know on October 25 that Joel Koskan had been the investigated subject of multiple rape and incest charges for the previous six months?

    Yes, we all know investigations are kept close to the vest until a public court filing, but c’mon! This is Pierre and this is the elite echelon of the SDGOP making their final two weeks plan to win a Democrat’s Senate seat that came open in the 2022 election. The worst possible place to keep a secret like this is in Pierre among the power clic. Wise up!

    That last minute $10K dump had to have been made on a hope and prayer that the state criminal investigation and action would slip into a safely sealed file before the election and out of the grasp of reporters, like Cory Heidelberger. And then after the election, Koskan would resign quietly (no doubt, for “family reasons”) and sleazekitten Kristi could appoint another white Republican.

    Silence is a rapist’s best friend.

  4. Arlo Blundt 2022-11-05 13:44

    96 tears you ask, “how the hell did Cammack, Noem, Rhoden, Schoenbeck, and the Senate Pac decision makers Not know on October 25 that Joel Koskan had been the investigated subject of multiple rape and incest charges for the previous six months??”

    Answer: They did. But, it was an Indian girl. No big deal.

  5. Arlo Blundt 2022-11-05 14:42

    Something else: No one in the DCI leaked information about the investigation of Kaskon to the Governor’s office or Schoenbeck or Cammack??? Well that’s a first….perhaps Noem and her crack staff were so busy with the Governor’s campaign that the tip got lost in the shuffle. Or someone in the chain of command just put the information in their pocket and let the Governor suffer the consequences.

  6. Arlo Blundt 2022-11-05 15:28

    Grudznick…It appears to me that Cammack is sending the 10 grand to Kaskon for his legal defense fund.

  7. Bonnie B Fairbank 2022-11-05 16:57

    Amidst (snappy little word, there) all the rage, disgust, sorrow, murderous impulses, fury, nausea, and stark hatred of and for Echo’s loving and doting parents, my A.B.Normal brain wondered if Sally is standing by Joel Koskan like a God Fearing, Conservative, South Dakota Christian wifey-poo, or has already filed divorce papers.

    Because, of course, she “dint know nuffin’ ’bout nuffin, yer honor.”

    Or she realizes South Dakota is the home of abusing Native children; NBD. Move along; nothing to see here.

  8. 96Tears 2022-11-05 19:01

    Still, crickets from Governor Noem on the Koskan candidacy. Crickets from all those high and mighty GOP leaders. Still.

    Geez, I remember when Noem and ammosexual hotty Senator Lynne DiSanto and Representative Tamara St. John were doing the press release cha-cha-cha over their tough stance against the exploitation, kidnapping and murders of Native women.

    “If we’re going to create a stronger South Dakota, we need to take care of our most vulnerable population,” Noem said in a news article in June 2019. “I’m proud of the way this bill paves avenues for us to work together and make real headway on this issue.” https://www.brookingsregister.com/article/new-law-focuses-on-missing-indigenous-women

    I guess they’re done riding that political horse. DiSanto resigned in disgrace and left the state. St. John’s hanging out and doing nothing for District 1. Kristi’s hooked up with The Lew and spent her first term in office flying all over the U.S. running for President of the United States in 2024. Crickets.

    The good news is South Dakota’s law enforcement community didn’t drop the ball. They took note of how predators deprive vulnerable Native children of their freedom and groom them into slaves and f#%k buddies. Adoption doesn’t allow forced imprisonment to coerce sexual favors at the man’s whim and under the protection of the mom. This is just one of very many tragedies where Native females are horribly abused and sexually maimed.

    It’s been nearly four years since you took the oath as this state’s governor, Kristi. Maybe it’s time you pulled your head out of presidential candidate ass and do more than a few cute public rah-rah speeches and meaningless words in your press releases. You did it with Ravnsborg and twisted arms to get him impeached. This is a whole lot worse and uglier. Do the right thing and get that incestuous rapist freak off the Republican ballot. Or do you prefer to link your name with protecting and shielding Joel Koskan?

  9. Dennis Litfin 2022-11-05 21:58

    Hey !… Republicans, Hypocrisy…. what else would you expect from Trumpers ?,

  10. Mark Anderson 2022-11-05 23:30

    You know of course that Republican’s cheat on their wives more than Democrats. Libertarians, apart from smoking dope, like to run around more than anyone. This rapist could still win in the election. Just look at Herschel Walker in Georgia. He’s a typical Republican now. Maybe Koskan isn’t too far over the line. What’s next Republican’s? Ian, what do you say?

  11. Cory Allen Heidelberger Post author | 2022-11-06 07:09

    96, several days ago Ian Fury was on Twitter recycling the old sexual misconduct charges that turned into a nothingburger against Reynold Nesiba. Republicans made a big deal out of those charges, which sounded fishy from the start. But now, far from amping out the outrage on clearer accusations of worse sin, Republicans have issued their generic noncondemnations and poured money into Koskan’s campaign coffer.

    Republicans need to clean up their house.

  12. Cory Allen Heidelberger Post author | 2022-11-06 08:00

    When Senator-Elect Reynold Nesiba was arrested in November 2016 on that charge of non-consensual sexual contact with an adult, the Democratic Party almost immediately severed ties with him and said they would not let him participate in the Democratic caucus until maybe after the legal proceedings were done. “While our legal system determines his guilt or innocence,” said Democratic lawmakers at the time, “having such serious allegations pending against him will greatly impede his ability to be an effective legislator and distract from the important work of the caucus in creating a more transparent state government.”

    Kristi Noem, Dan Lederman, and other Republicans have made no such statement about accused incestophile Joel Koskan. They have not asked for their $10K back. They have not punished Koskan personally.

    Republicans do not stand for their values when it might cost them a seat in the Legislature.

  13. grudznick 2022-11-06 08:14

    Mr. H is righter than right. Mr. Nesiba, who does not need those pants, was partially shunned even though he was admitted back later after no harm no foul was found. Mr. Koskan should be completely exiled, immediately, and only if found innocent allowed back. This shall be the topic for the debates at this mornings Conservatives with Common Sense breakfasting. Remember, elections are today. All are welcome to breakfast and debate, only affirmed CCS may cast votes.

  14. Jake 2022-11-06 09:50

    Good words, grudz, but after this long already, still nothing but crickets from the GOP ‘makers and shakers’ over their pathetic pick of a candidate for our statehouse. Why do you suppose that is? Speechless???!! How could WE be so mistook? We the party of “family values”, South Dakota “Common Sense”, and conservative “values” (stooping to diddling our OWN children?!!! For SHAME …

  15. 96Tears 2022-11-06 10:37

    Cory, those jerks don’t care that an incestuous rapist on the ballot. They are only looking at a pick-up of a historic Democratic Seat seat in Indian Country, which is why they showered the rapist with $10,000 of Republican money a few weeks ago.

    It’s a business transaction. A Vegas-style bet on red. The hell with the victim of grooming, wrongful imprisonment, rapes and sexual/spiritual maiming. That’s what makes Schoenbeck’s callous statement so damning and hurtful: “We’ll let it play out in the courts.”

    For the victim, this will be an uphill challenge to find any sense of justice in this extreme red state with its history of hatred and loathing of Native people. Letting it play out in the courts is the kind of brush off that was all too common in the Deep South if you’re an African American from the wrong side of the tracks. The case documented in the now sealed file looks pretty damn solid, but lately we’ve seen weasels with deep pockets obstruct justice and get away with the worst crimes even when they are documented on video in real time.

    This is why Cory did the right thing and the professional thing by publishing that public document intact. The recent reward of $10,000 to the rapist to pick up a historically Democratic seat demonstrates how systemic racism and misogyny works in today’s South Dakota. Had Cory not published the document, the conversation would be about an “alleged victim” reporting a rape against a GOP candidate from a powerful Republican family within a couple weeks of the election. The victim would be even more isolated in her fight for justice against the influential political family, the SDGOP power mongers in Pierre and a justice system that lets criminals slip away when it suits the governor’s political ambitions.

    South Dakota citizens would all be kept in the dark, and the victim’s case would slip away into the ether. After all, she’s an Indian, right?

    “We’ll let it play out in the courts” is the clarion call for silence. Silence is the rapist’s best friend.

  16. grudznick 2022-11-06 11:06

    grudznick is publicly calling for Mr. Koskan’s head on a post and privately calling the movers and shakers.

  17. Jake 2022-11-06 11:07

    96 Tears; truer words were never spoken, esp. stating what the public would have been shown or told if Cory hadn’t exposed this in the time and fashion that he did. Days later now, nothing but crickets in the media I’ve seen and for certain, just like with the former president’s actions-no GOP Republican of any stature in this state speaks out because “You shall not speak ill of a fellow Republican!” (Even if it’s justified.)

    Such a political party is definitely reminiscent of the world’s experience of the Naxi party of Germany and the Fascists of Italy in the 1930’s and 1940’s-that we went to WW2 over!

  18. Arlo Blundt 2022-11-06 12:47

    Come on Grudznick…it’s an Indian girl…its Mellette County…the Party doesn’t care. They’ll wait til the election is over and see if this whole thing doesn’t just go away. Maybe Koskan can still win.

  19. grudznick 2022-11-06 12:59

    How do we know this is an Indian girl and why does that matter? It was a young girl. Pull yourself together, man.

  20. Arlo Blundt 2022-11-06 13:23

    Grudz…read the accounts. Why does it matter?? Because for a hundred years this behavior has been tolerated and swept under the rug in South Dakota.

  21. grudznick 2022-11-06 14:21

    Mr. Blundt, unlike you grudznick would be just as enraged, and I am more enraged than you for purposes I choose to not share, if it were a red headed girl from Finland. I don’t hate the Fins, like Arlo does.

  22. Bonnie B Fairbank 2022-11-06 16:05

    Oy. I just now twigged to the fact the righteous, Godly, and upstanding Ma and Pa Koskan have homes in Mellette County, Watertown, and Wood, if I read correctly. This is South Dakota code for belonging to a wealthy, influential, Reptilian family of cheats and questionable values.

    Echo will never see justice.

  23. RST Tribal Member 2022-11-07 03:07

    Money talks. The direct payment is followed by other funds not disclosed.

    Victim will be put thru hell in the next year or so as the inept inbred Republican suggested defense attorney will be asking which hand, what fingers and did she enjoy it until she didn’t. In this case the adopted sex slave came forward without fully understanding how the white privileged slime with the power and might of the state control Republican Party and government without the moral compass or common mores will not protect her, but will make the slime the victim.

    The power machine in Pierre will spin and spin trying to flip representation in districts where Natives live believing they should have not a voice, let along face, in Pierre. The days of good little Indians are slowly coming to an end. Although the inept inbred Republicans seem to be able to find a couple hang around the capitol guys and gals to follow them.

    Money talks. In this case the reward given to the slime politician speaks volumes of broken social norms and telling corruptive mindset.

  24. Cory Allen Heidelberger Post author | 2022-11-07 04:47

    Koskan’s $2,500 expenditure on travel pre-general seems weird. One, it’s a nice round figure—possible, but unlikely. Two, it’s a lot. Chris Nelson is running a statewide campaign, and he reports only $815.17 in pre-general travel expenses. Nelson probably put more campaign miles on his car going to all the fairs in August and September as Koskn could have driving around District 26. Three, it’s Joel’s biggest expense and the only one besides events. If you are going to do $2,500 worth of travel to Chamberlain, Platte, Mission, etc., you don’t go there without a stack of campaign cards to hand out. But Joel has no printing or advertising expenses.

    While DCI is checking on Joel’s other kids, DCI should also ask to see Joel’s receipts.

  25. RST Tribal Member 2022-11-07 07:08

    It could be summarized the slime candidate booked a of lot of travel miles to Watertown to keep his adopted daughter focused on his needs and nothing else. As with many South Dakota republican’s mindset, let the donors and/or party pay for their criminal behaviors. That is one sick husband/wife team the inept inbred Republicans are backing financially and emotionally.

    Not a word against the republican candidate for public office by any Republican leadership, or worst, any Christian Republican leadership. Just a deep prayer and hope the slime candidate wins the election against the democrat for the Republicans. The silence is loud and clear and most tellIng. RKD in the past stood for Republican Kingdom Domain. Today, it means Rapist, Killers, Drunks. The moral fiber of the state of cold stone faces and RKDs in too many places.

    The Rosebud Reservation had a rapist wondering around for a few years back in the 60s before going to lead the inept inbred Republican Party in law enforcement, governorship and congress. Yep, the good old nasty boys have been prying on young Indian girls for decades, if not centuries.

  26. BHSD76 2022-11-07 12:45

    I’d be shocked and I mean absolutely SHOCKED if Shawn Bordeaux didn’t beat this guy in District 26 tomorrow. It’s already a pretty Democrat friendly district and Shawn’s been in the state house and re-elected several times. This is a classic case that no matter how loyal you might be if you live in District 26 and are a Republican you really have to put person over party in this race and vote for Shawn Bordeaux.

  27. leslie 2022-11-07 13:52

    grdz (crickets) declares from his Republican/Trumpist soap box, to be “very seriously considering driving down there to where young Mr. Koskan lives and shaking that $10,000 out of him.”

    Yea, “beat the hell out of them”, eh grdz? Republican leadership, eh?

    Tough guy. Troll.

    But this is your Party platform: “only affirmed CCS may cast votes.” Sounds like decertification to me. CCS is a fiction.

    So “Hang Mike Pence.”

    Which is it, man? “Pull yourself together, man.” Pffsst

  28. grudznick 2022-11-07 17:37

    Unbunch your panties, Ms. leslie. grudznick said:

    grudznick homes [sic] that Mr. Cammack is very seriously considering driving over there to where young Mr. Koskan lives and shaking that $10,000 out of him.

    Mr. Cammack, who has much Old Man Strength, being a burly rancher type, is the fellow who should visit Mr. Koskan to get the money back. Not poor old grudznick, who can’t possibly even drive that far by myself let alone threaten young Mr. Koskan, who seems a stout enough fellow. You need to read better, or understand more. You are blinded with your alt-left rage.

    On a happier note, did you see Mr. Schoenbeck has come out saying to vote for the other fellow, who may be a failure in the legislatures already but we don’t know of any rape and incest accusations so it’s a step up. Good on Mr. Schoenbeck. We all here at Mr. H’s blogging place acknowledge the good Mr. Schoenbeck is doing.

  29. grudznick 2022-11-07 20:54

    It seems Mr. Cammack did not need to drive or uber down to Wood after all, to shake the money out of the young rapist fellow. He just deleted his check from the account. Maybe called in a banking favor or two, but thank goodness the GOP Senatorial Committee has their $10,000 back!

  30. Arlo Blundt 2022-11-07 22:09

    “Stop that Check” It’s hard to do, but Senator Cammack is trying to put the toothpaste back in the tube. Who did due diligence on Koskan’s candidacy and eligibility for the ten grand in the first place. Is the Republican Party just handing out checks for ten thousand dollars at random or is there some hoop to crawl through? Everything goes in the GOP.

  31. leslie 2022-11-08 06:57

    Trump is neither capable of “knocking the hell out of them” as he lounges, slouching at the podium, in love with his own voice, as you are grdz when you lounge here every day in your fat “tough-guy” role, in love with your own voice. But he obviously gives you carte blanche to play your violent masochistic misogynistic racist right wing red-neck cards here at every opportunity.

    In this thread you propose violence:

    “driving down there to where young Mr. Koskan lives and shaking that $10,000 out of him.” Your words.

    Trump proposed violence. As long as his dupes take the rap.

    And, misogyny:

    “Unbunch your panties”

    So does the pussy grabber Trump.

    And, racism:

    “I don’t hate the Fins, like [] does.”

    Trump says he is the best friend of “the blacks”. Except Kappernick and BLM.

    Right wing name calling red-neck:

    “read better, or understand more. You are blinded with your alt-left rage.”

    Yeah, antifa did it (Jan 6 attack). Sure, grdz. Read better, understand more.

    And, you do it all in a single thread. Congratulations on your Trumpist transparency. You can’t undo stupid.

    Frankenfeld, is it? Gravy and a white house full of cheap burgers, eh?

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