The Argus got their wish. Bob Sahr has pulled out of the race.

Per oahetv.com this afternoon:
State Public Utilities Commission Chairman Bob Sahr, saying that while recent rumors against him are untrue but that they make it difficult to be a candidate for public office, has announced that he will not seek the Republican nomination for the P-U-C this weekend.

In recent days, there have been rumors of unknown allegations swirling around Sahr. No one has publicly come forward to talk about the rumors and the Attorney General's office will not say if there is an investigation.

In a statement released today (Tuesday), Sahr said the "numerous rumors in form of personal attacks" have been painful for his family.

In the statement, Sahr said, -- "The rumors are untrue. I look forward to the legal opportunity to prove that these rumors are untrue, but it would be very difficult to be a candidate for public office while doing so."

Sahr says he wants to give the Republican Party a chance to pick another candidate. Delegates to the state G-O-P convention will pick their slate of candidates this weekend in Watertown. The Democrats will select their own candidates at their convention this weekend in Huron.
Apparently rumor and innuendo get to win this round. It's unfortunate. Bob had to make a choice between running under a cloud and actively fighting the allegations. I wish him and his family well as he finishes out his term at the Public Utilities Commission.

This is a crappy bump in the road in a promising political career, and I hope he's able to pursue his accusers.

This leaves his seat wide open at convention taking a convention that was fairly mundane and was expected to do little more than annoint the expected people and turned it into a fast moving and competitive event.

As per reports in the Argus Leader, expect John Koskan to get into the race. And it's possible that Deb Peters will as well. I also anticipate another entry or two.

I had a call today suggesting I consider it, but I think all I'd end up doing is indulging my vanity. I'm better at promoting others than I am myself. I'd come out with a brochure listing my shortcomings, and that would be the end of that.

More to come on this later.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Don't be so quick to blame the messenger. I suspect there's alot more to come on this deal. This story isn't over yet. I bet Bob Sahr isn't the victim anymore when it's over. Why do some people assume he is?
Anonymous said…
Bob should give the "high tech lynching" speech. Worked for Clarence Thomas.
Anonymous said…
Well said, anonymous 6:27. Also, let's not be so quick to blame the accusers. Can't we at least wait to hear their side of this situation before jumping to any conclusions? Don't we owe everyone that much? Let's wait until we hear the findings of this investigation. Hopefully it will be soon.
Anonymous said…
MEDIA. It's the media. So much for the party of personal responsibility.
Anonymous said…
Would somebody just say or at least take a stab at what Sahr is accussed of doing that was illegal?

Please inform me. That we can move on to a substantive debate of whether the allegations are true or not.

Thanks
Anonymous said…
It's to bad that rumor has once again been used to get someone out of office. The end result of this slimy tactic is that we just lost a good public servant.

As we republicans line up to say how unfair it is, just remember that two weeks ago, elected republican legislators did the very same thing to fellow republicans.

So when Napoli, Apa, and Shoenbeck start spouting off of how unfair Bob was treat, just remember what they did to their fellow repubicans in the primary.
Anonymous said…
The allegations are for Bob Sahr or for public officials in state government to disclose. Taking stabs on a political blog would be a bad move.

Republicans are eating republicans, though, that's for sure. And looks like Koskan gets a way to still have a job next year, because that race he was in wasn't going to work out for him.

We'll miss him in the Senate though. He's one of the few Republicans that actually listen - he could make up his own mind, and didn't let the caucus bully him around.

This is a transition year. The senate stood up to the governor last year, and tossed alot of his ideas out of the window. They won't have that kind of bold leadership this year.
Anonymous said…
I think that if there is anything to the allegations,it should be stated now what they are. If that is not done, then I would prefer to think they are bogus and I would write in Bob Sahr for PUC at the convention. This "he says, they say" is just plain dirty politics.
PP said…
Anon 9:18, I think the difference between this, and what those legislators were stating in the primary is that what they were talking about was WELL DOCUMENTED FACT, and all that is involved with the Sahr matter is unsubstantiated rumor.

Two entirely different things.
Anonymous said…
Hey PP:
I would vote for you and I am sure a lot of the other side would too. You should visit with your bride and think this over.

We need people like you.

If you let us know soon enough I will drive to Watertown and start handing out lit.

Hey Lib readers do you want to see him run?
Anonymous said…
Fear of secret rumors unspoken does not prompt ambitious politicians to quit. If Bob Sahr had an innocent conscience, he would have called out his accusers publicly and chastised them for spreading lies. Instead he threw in the towel and chose not to publicly defend himself against allegations that he certainly is aware of. Not the actions of a victim.
Anonymous said…
pp
You know Sahr, how many lawyers has he hired? Now how may lawyers do you need to defend yourself from "rumors".
Anonymous said…
when has the argus leader ever reported on "rumors" about a Democrat? when has Kranz?
Anonymous said…
Yes PP, run. I am sure this will be as successful as your Congressional race.
Anonymous said…
Cindy, The argus didn't report on rumors. If there was ever an anonymous letter, the contents were never disclosed, and the existence of such a letter was never disclosed by the Argus.

The Argus reported what Republican officeholders said on the record. Gary Hanson said Bob was planning to quit. He also said there is an investigation of some kind. Koskan said he was running if Bob didn't. Peters said she might run. All news - all sources identified - no rumor.

Disabuse yourselves of the idea the Argus reported rumors. It did not.
Anonymous said…
What about one of Thune's young guys? Ben Ready in Sioux Falls or Steve Barnett in Aberdeen? Either one of them would be a good PUC.
PP said…
anon 11:30 -

good one. ha. ha, ha.
PP said…
BTW - I was just kidding on running.

that's "kidding" as in "jest" for anon 11:30.

I'd need to first lose about 50 pounds and raise $100,000. I'd also have to lose my annoying habit of telling the unvarnished truth.

Then I'd have to follow my own dang rule about the candidate not being the manager. I don't know if I could ever hand over the reigns.

Besides, my wife would be ten times the candidate I could be. She graduated cum laude for her masters and her undergrad, and the youngest director of a state ofc of special ed in the nation, among many other honors.

Me? I'm just a political hack who wonders why the hell I got a degree in political science if I wasn't going to go to law school.

I stink.
PP said…
feasant -

I do have to give props to you for the support.
Anonymous said…
The Argus Leader is just a convenient whipping boy for the right wing in South Dakota. Kranz knew Tom D. at SDSU way back in the day. Therefore it's all a liberal media hackjob. Sound familiar?

If the Argus was really out to get Republicans then they really blew this one. The maximum damage to the GOP would have been to nominate Bob S. then have this all come out the first week of September when it is to late to to appoint a replacement candidate.

In fact as a loyal member of the Democratic party I would encourage PP and the rest of the voting delegates to get liquored up this weekend, dig in your heels, give stemwinding orations against the liberal media and renominate good old Bob S.. Then at the State Fair the truth will come out and the GOP will go into the election with an anchor around its neck. Sounds like a plan to me.
Anonymous said…
nemac: you smoked too much weed, drank too much and for sure are a crack head now.

If you think the Argus is a friend to any Republican please go check yourself into a hospital, you are very ill and probably don't have much time left.
Anonymous said…
feasant,

First, spell my name right it is Nemec. Second, I don't do drugs, and I'm not an alcoholic. Those kinds of comments don't add to your credibility. So why bother.

I didn't say the Argus Leader was a friend to the GOP and by the way it's not a friend to the Democratic Party either. The job of the Argus Leader, or any other paper, is to report the facts and let the facts speak for themselves.

Bob Sahr wasn't targeted by the Argus Leader and if anyone can prove that he was they should come forward because that story would be big news. Bob Sahr's fate was determined by Bob Sahr. He and he alone is responsible for his actions.

Now if you Republicans really want to make us Democrats happy just go ahead and pick Bob Sahr to run for PUC. Then come November we'll see how smart you really are.
PP said…
Nick -

my beef is with the fact that unknown allegations against an unknown person are being used and directed at Bob.

I just think it's unreasonable to hang someone (Republican or Democrat) without an accuser or evidence.
Anonymous said…
Then quit blaming the Argus. Which part of Annon 11:34's post do you disagree with?

And let's get real here. Bob Sahr withdrew because the allegations (which are currently rumors because nobody will print them) have enough substance to be credible. Maybe he isn't guilty of a crime (you've got to presume he's innocent), but whatever facts come out with regard to this incident, they will reflect quite poorly on Sahr. If that was not the case, he would have stood his ground. His "cut and not run" strategy sayes it all.
Anonymous said…
Maybe he should have stayed and fought, but what if for that to be successful he would have had to take on members of his own party, his own office. Would you do that, is it worth it? The real story is those who worked so hard in the GOP to get rid of Sahr before Sahr even knew what was going on.
Anonymous said…
Sahr is a Janklow appointee? Right? Sahr is a Republican? Right? The peoples right to vote on whether or not to be taxed on wireless communications has been denied by the A.G.? Right? Maybe Sahr is a true republican and wouldn't get in line with the Democrats who hide behind the (R) Rounds and Long that is. The problem with a one party domination is that true democrats join the republicans so they can win elections. Then they hijack our party and raise taxes and increase government services. Then they still win elections by chanting the party line of less taxes and less government. Rounds and Long need to go! Republicans need to clean house and root out the democrats and it starts with voting against the fake Republicans
Anonymous said…
Hey nemec excuse me for being a bad typer and a worse speller. I stand by what I said. The Argus was so in step Daschle it was a joke. And you even have to admit that.
Anonymous said…
well said anon 6:19pm

Rounds is a Democrat in Sheeps clothing
Anonymous said…
I personally don't know if Sahr did a good job or not or whether he should be replaced. But what is pathetic is that a rumor or smear campaign brought him down. There have been no facts presented, nothing but a rumor that Sahr says will be proven false. I guess if it's this easy, this tactic will be used more often in our present political climate. Sad.
Anonymous said…
Bob works hard to bring advanced telecommunication services to all citizens of SD. Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty? Also, until the accuser(s) come(s) forth directly or through counsel, there are no facts, just rumor.

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