The South Dakota Freedom Caucus is jumping on the news that Senate boss Lee Schoenbeck said was coming: multiple elected officials are cashing in on public contracts, and the right-wing radicals are urging Attorney General Marty Jackley “to investigate and prosecute these blatant violations of the public trust” with the same swift vigor with which he has gone after self-dealing Senator Jessica Castleberry. In a Tuesday press release, the Freedom Caucus alleges conflicts of interest for Representative Roger Chase, Senator Helene Duhamel, Senator Randy Deibert, Representative Gary Cammack, and Lieutenant Governor Larry Rhoden. They do not mention Freedom Caucus member Representative Kevin Jensen‘s conflictual dealings, which the SDGOP spotlighted back in January to deter the radical mugwump from challenging the Governor’s favorite Senator John Wiik for party chair.
But if we get enough partisans offering their selective lists of corrupt politicians, we may be able to piece together a complete picture of the “culture of corruption and misconduct” that the Freedom Caucus decries. Here’s their rundown of self-dealers, with their hyperlinks to sources:
Sen. Castleberry is only one of many incidents revealing a pattern of corruption within South Dakota’s political landscape. During a debate on Senate Bill 65 for workforce housing funding on March 3, 2022, Rep. Roger Chase of District 22 openly admitted to a conflict of interest, a violation of the South Dakota Joint Rules that prohibit such conflicts. 3 & 4
…Further, the South Dakota Constitution Article 3 Section 12 explicitly prohibits members of the Legislature from having an interest in any contract with the state or any county thereof, authorized by any law passed during their term. 5 Senator Helene Duhamel’s decision to keep her county job, despite this constitutional prohibition, further illustrates the disregard for ethical guidelines within the state’s political sphere. 6
…Such inherent conflicts of interests is a growing trend in the legislature, with recently elected Senator Randy Deibert, who also serves as a Lawrence County Commissioner in contradiction to a long-standing Attorney General opinion that “a conflict of interest would exist if an individual held the office of county commissioner and state legislator simultaneously,” specifically because “a county commissioner elected to the Legislature would, perhaps, have the opportunity to vote on matters affecting his commission tenure and compensation while serving in the Legislature.” 7
And in fact, during the last legislative session, Senator Deibert introduced the topic of an interim summer study to evaluate county funding in the Senate Local Government that he serves on, 8 which was approved and Senator Deibert now serves as the Vice-Chair of that interim study with Senator Helene Duhamel. 9 Both Senators are directly either employed or hold office with their respective counties.
In another alarming case, Gary Cammack of Union Center, who served District 29 and was elected Senate Majority Leader in 2021, was released from jail just a week into the 2020 legislative session on January 19th. The details of his arrest remain unclear, as the case was sealed. 10 Additionally, Cammack’s son, Chris Cammack, received more than $1 million in COVID relief funding for a business that appeared to operate in Texas, not South Dakota, as required by the rules of the program. Gary Cammack himself had been involved in receiving funds for supplies and materials, and his business, Cammack Ranch Supply, received significant amounts from various departments. 11, 12 & 13
…The appearance of potential wrongdoing reaches the highest levels of our state government, as illustrated by Lieutenant Governor Larry Rhoden’s financial dealings, since payments have come to light that the Lieutenant Governor has received from Game Fish and Parks for “Contractual Services” and from the Governor’s Office for the “Governor’s Hunt” for “Contractual Services” for “Advertising” in 2022 and 2023. 14 & 15 [South Dakota Freedom Caucus, press release, 2023.08.08].
Publicizing corruption is an important step to punishing corruption. Next, the Freedom Caucus needs to marshal the will power, political acumen, and fundraising ability to make sure voters recognize the gravity of this corruption and vote these corrupt officials out of office at the earliest opportunity… even if that vote means electing a few members of something other than the South Dakota Republican Party.
Conflict of interest, corruption, misconduct, and the appearance of potential wrongdoing are de rigueur for SD Reptilian legislators; SD voters are so inured to them it’s expected, normal, even desirable. Keep on voting Red, ya miserable prats.
I wish the actions of Cory’s last paragraph could and would happen, but this is, after all, North Mississippi. *sigh*
Not much changes in South Dakota, except the corruption gets more blatant.
Corruption of the GOP party in South Dakota is just like a spring of water in a hill-side that becomes a stream, is joined with other springs and streams, becomes a creek joined by other creeks and then becomes a river.
In other words, it becomes a showcase of the results of a “one-party” controlled political entity such as our state-similar to fiefdoms and kingdoms
of old Europe.
These legislators may undergo hand-slapping by their “uppers” only to the extent the “uppers” want to show they reacted but the true measure of their wrongs needs to be seeing them kicked on their arses out of government influence, as they are not worth of serving.
And, as far as their “acting on legal advice” to do what they’ve done, it shows in today’s world of Trump’s legal woes that lawyers for the money involved will advise their clients in about any way the client desires; for the price of service rendered!
Since term limits went in, conversely it seems, we’ve had a big increase in “entitlement” among elected officials. Why do they participate in this graft?? Because they can.
Has this Freedom Caucus issued an opinion on the charges pending against and yet to filed against Donald Trump?
The hypocrisy of the self-alleged small government republicans – corrupting government to line their pockets,
While Schoenbeck earned a golf clap here, he should have been on the forefront of leading a legislative censure and even unseating of the unethical clods. It’s pathetic, yet telling that the SD legislature is too inept, too corrupt to discipline its own ranks – having to depend on the executive branch to do the legislative branches laundry.
If I was Jessica Castleberry, I would NOT pay back the $603,000 allow the matter to go to court, she would win, cause when her business signed the contract to grab Federal Funds, which it had the right to do, she was NOT elected according to our constitution, WORDS MATTER.
Nice tight blogging, Mr. Zitterich, but I do not think you know anything about which you type. Your brain is fogged with conspiracies and your skull is numbed by an encasement of foil.
Presidential candidate and former governor, Chris Christie asked a question yesterday of his republican party that is hell bent on nominating three time loser, 3 times indited (likely 4 times indited). Christie’s question also applies to the South Dakota republicans with their corrupt legislature: “What are we thinking?”
Apparently the South Dakota republicans are an ethics free organization, and one where the rule of law only applies to the independents and democrats.
“The most basic principles of a strong democracy are accountability and respect for the Constitution and rule of law. You either have it, or you don’t.” Brad Raffensperger (Rep), Georgia Secretary of State. https://www.yahoo.com/news/georgia-secretary-state-shuts-down-180235690.html
It’s obvious the aforementioned South Dakota legislators lack accountability, respect for the state constitution, and rule of law. They should either resign or be expunged from the South Dakota legislature.