State of South Dakota might just say NO to federal law enforcement in the area of wildlife
The controversy between the State of South Dakota and the US Fish and Wildlife Service is heating up again over wildlife officer Bob Prieksat. The latest? According to Kevin Woster at the the Rapid City Journal, the Governor's Chief of Staff is threatening to cancel memorandums of understanding between the state and federal government:
A call for State's Rights or else the state is going to push back? Sounds downright conservative. I wonder if there are any federal MOU's with the Corps of Engineers?
Chief of Staff Rob Skjonsberg said Wednesday that he has given U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials until May 25 to agree to fire or reassign federal warden Bob Prieksat, who has been criticized for alleged heavy handed law-enforcement tactics. If that deadline passes without federal action, Skjonsberg plans to begin dismantling a framework of cooperation – called memorandums of agreement - between the Fish and Wildlife Service and the state Game, Fish & Parks Department.Read it all here.
Those MOAs delegate to state officers federal enforcement authority for a variety of outdoors-related laws, including regulation of aerial hunting, the interstate transportation of illegally taken wildlife or wildlife parts and the protection of migratory birds, endangered species, marine and archaeological resources.
“Everything will come under review. I’m not flinching. I want him gone, and that’s it,” Skjonsberg said. “We do lots and lots of things with the Fish and Wildlife Service. And if there are areas where we can do business without them, they will find out they need us more than we need them.”
Skjonsberg said he would start with MOAs involving wildlife law enforcement but could go beyond those to examine other agreements with the Fish and Wildlife Service for resource management. Skjonsberg said he made his intentions clear Wednesday to Benito Perez, chief of law enforcement for the Fish and Wildlife Service in Arlington, Va., and will take action on the MOAs if nothing is done by the deadline.
A call for State's Rights or else the state is going to push back? Sounds downright conservative. I wonder if there are any federal MOU's with the Corps of Engineers?
Comments
If Bob Prieksat is so bad why in the world is the state asking for his transfer why are they not asking for DC to investigate and fire him from this department.
Why would someone want to place someone who does a dis-service to the state or federal position in someone else's back yard?
Consider maybe he would be good behind a desk and not out with the general populace maybe he is the guy to help format programs etc.
Not everybody is good working with people.
ND removed its requirement that farmers desiring to plant and grow industrial hemp get a DEA license.
The reason was that the DEA simply refused to issue licenses, although it is within their purview to do so.
I would say that there is a good friend or a Rounds involved?
Look at his arrest convict history, Bob is a very excellent enforcement officer.
The state is acting like a big baby being led by Schonzburg
Did you notice that MN just outlawed smoking in bars & restaurants?
It's all fun and games until the feds bring out the big guns. Skjonsberg is playing with fire. What is this "if there are areas where we can do business without them"? Maybe he ought to make sure that's the case before he shoots his mouth off.
Even if the feds need our cooperation on Fish & Wildlife issues, let's not forget the federal government has the power to tie federal funds to cooperation. They can coerce legislation (drinking age/speed limits/etc), so I'm guessing they can probably outmanuever the SD Governor's Chief of Staff.
Another note - this seems awfully personal to Skjonsberg. "I'm not flinching. "I want him gone..." Is this some sort of personal pissing contest that could end up being at the expense of South Dakota taxpayers?
there are 2 post for 9:05 a. I was the second not the first. I still say this is a program glitch not PP's fault, so i would say the problem posting is also a program glitch.
Just a thought.
if there was a posted blog post i would take you up on the debate on this issue.
How 'bout it pp? Let's hear your thoughts on the issue, then the rest of ours.
Did it ever cross your mind that 2 people might have posted a comment at the same time?
Don't mess with Mrs. PP.
Of course it's "personal" it's five years in the making.
And if anyone wants to claim a conspiracy theory of friendship, kinship or any other ship, get off the blog (i.e. your fat tail off the couch with a handful of doritos) and start looking through the clerk of court reports.
I'll bet there isn't a link. Just fed up people and a pissed off Chief of Staff. Good for him. Stay on the sidelines 11:18 or go to the cupboard and get another handful of chips & shuddup!