Hot off the press - SDFU: Frank is OUT

From a press release just out:

SDFU Board of Directors remove Kloucek from District Post
Sombke: "We have the responsibility to police our own ranks."


HURON – In a vote today (Monday), the S.D. Farmers Union Board of Directors voted to remove Frank Kloucek from its board of directors.

Doug Sombke, Conde, president of S.D. Farmers Union, said the board removed Frank Kloucek in a special teleconference meeting which had been convened after Kloucek, a state senator from Scotland, sent an email that attacked the organization and its involvement in promoting the Ridgefield Premium Hereford Beef project. Sombke said the vote followed a brief discussion of the publication and related issues.


"Our objective is to uphold the good name of South Dakota Farmers Union and to assure the public that we agree that the statements in Mr. Kloucek’s letter are damaging and wrong," Sombke said. "At Farmers Union, we have standards we expect of our leadership. We also have the responsibility to police our own ranks when a member of the leadership steps this far out of the bounds of good taste and judgment and damages the reputation and integrity of Farmers Union."

Sombke said he would not comment further about the vote. Sombke said he would not normally have issued a press release announcing the expulsion of a board member, however, Kloucek’s history of using press releases and public statements to attack opponents dictated that a press release was needed.

"Senator Kloucek has a right as an American to speak his mind within reason. But service on the Farmers Union Board of Directors is not a right, it is a privilege," Sombke said. "When an officer violates fundamental standards and inflicts harm on our organization, we have a responsibility to the membership to remove that privilege to serve on our board."

Comments

Anonymous said…
Thank you. This is a great lesson for my kids - do not say things that hurt others and expect an apology will get you out of it. It is good to know that "The Golden Rule" is still held in regard at the Farmers Union. Where can I send a donation?
Anonymous said…
At least FU can clean up its own backyard
Anonymous said…
Nesselhoff may laugh this off, but thank god someone finally stood up to this idiot
Anonymous said…
As a life long Democrat and SDFU member-I'm glad the SDFU decided to clean up it's backyard. Hopefully the state democratic party can follow the SDFU's example instead of worrying about losing a "seat" in the senate. This is a great opportunity for the democrats to lead by example and do the same. If the democratic leader is serious about a run for the mansion in 2010 he better show the public he can control a party as well as run an administration otherwise he will never have my vote.
Anonymous said…
Job well done to President Sombke and SDFU Board. I have confidence in their ability to remove Sen. Kloucek from the board. I am really sick and tired of too many people using the Farmers Union as a political football for their own political gains. Farmers Union has been the leader for 30 years on renewable energy, and they still are the first to be out on the countryside encouraging increased consumption of renewable energy.

I would hope that Sen. Kloucek could learn when you disagree with someone, there are proper ways to reveal this disagreement. We are all South Dakotans, and a little common curtosey goes a long way.

Any of you who are not in the Farmers Union family: Frank represents a very slim amount of the 4,500 farm families in SD Farmers Union.
Anonymous said…
I use to think that the only reason Frank was getting re-elected was because he was a constant thorn in Janklow’s side. In his whole career he has never had any substance or credibility to his “proposed” legislation. Frank is like the court jester, appearing and speaking for entertainment purposes only.

But what is interesting is what Frank knew. What really was happening at these page parties? Or better yet, what was going on at these intern parties? What happens in Pierre, stays in Pierre??? Who else knew this, or better yet, who else attended these parties? Oh Mercer, where are you?

Well hopefully with Frank’s latest example of brilliance, I hope the good people of his district decide to send him to the unemployment line. But before he goes, what will he tell? With being kicked off the SDFU board, will Frank take issue with them? As the old saying goes, “If you want to know what someone really thinks of you, or knows about you, just piss them off!”
Anonymous said…
Isn't Frank associated with Dakota Rural Action too?
Anonymous said…
It is important to point out that these “page parties” were simply parties at Pizza hut towards the end of each group of pages 2 week stay. They are attended by several legislators and other legislative employees. That is all. No alcohol or any other inappropriate activities. As far as the interns go, most of them are over 21 and can do whatever they want after hours. I know, I was one. The article in the Capital Journal made it sound like Sutton provided interns with booze. That is laughable. No matter what anyone thinks of Sutton, no one could claim that he ever provided underage kids with alcohol. I don’t even think he drinks. Just some points of clarification.
Anonymous said…
who's inferring that page parties are some kind of wild orgy of drinkin' and who knows what?

don't blame the cap journal. they only printed what kloucek wrote to leaders and reporters.

how long will scott h. and the dems want to keep a gossip spinner like frankie the k in their midst?

you know what they say about pettin' the rabid dawg? if you want to keep pettin' it, don't ask why you keep gettin' bit!
Anonymous said…
Rabid dawg – that was in response to 9:25 who wanted to know what happened at these parties. And we can blame the cap journal. They reported that Frank suspected Sutton was giving the interns booze. Having seen the email, I can tell you that is a lie. Frank said that he thought Sutton was letting the interns out early and that the interns, on their own, would go to one of the hospitality rooms that has nothing to do with Sutton or any other legislator. That is bad journalism and there should be a correction. It perpetuates gossip that is untrue.
Anonymous said…
7:57am - I hope you understand the difference between pages & interns. Pages have pizza parties. Interns have pizza & beer parties. Interns are Jr's & Sr's in college & are usually over 21. Pages are high school kids - about 16-19 yrs. old. Interns drink heavily. Pages do not(usually).

Whether or not members of the legislature provide INTERNS with alcohol is entirely different than providing PAGES with alcohol.

I believe Frank wrote about Sutton (or the hospitality room committee) supplying alcohol to INTERNS, not pages. Actually, I believe Frank on this point.
Anonymous said…
"Frank wrote about Sutton (or the hospitality room committee) supplying alcohol to INTERNS, not pages"

9:08 We are getting closer to the truth but we are not quite there yet. Frank never said that he suspected Sutton was buying alcohol for anyone. He said that Sutton was letting the interns out eariler then Frank would have liked and that the interns were drinking on thier own. Even if the interns are over 21, there is a difference here and it needs to be pointed out.
Anonymous said…
Well, the interns for the Democrats may have been out drinking and raising hell, but the Republican interns were hard at work for South Dakota!

That says a lot!

Republicans are the party of high moral values and so are the interns that work for them!

The proof is right in front of you! So now what do you say!
Anonymous said…
Holy crap VJ! That is great. You are using Frank as a source. I would suggest you come on out to Pierre and watch the interns during the off hours. You would be hard pressed to tell the difference between the dems and the republicans because they all party together. My goodness you are stretching.
Anonymous said…
SD War College broke the story last Thursday. The Argus wrote about the Kloucek e-mail story today (Tuesday).

It sure is embarrassing when the dead tree media (Argus) is late by five days.

I would cancel my subscription to the Argus if I had one. What good is a news source that is five days late?

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