South Dakota War College

Dave Kranz's column in the Argus Leader this morning has him tooting the horn of the Mainstream coalition. An organization relevant only to... Well, no one anymore. I thought it might have already shut down... From those differences came formation of the Mainstream Coalition. That group organized several months ago - made up largely of moderate Republican senators who were branded by some as unholy renegades that didn't always agree with conservatives on issues like abortion and other social issues. Those differences resulted in primary challenges leading to the ouster of veteran Republicans like Stan Adelstein, J.P. Duniphan and Duane Sutton. It carried over to the general election, when voters did some retaliating, ushering out Republican incumbents like Dick Kelly and Bill Earley. Voters also trumped some decisions made in the primary, turning down those who defeated Adelstein and Sutton. and... Former Sen. J.P. Duniphan of Rapid City realized personally the impact of the co...

I had reported the other day that Focus South Dakota, was into Stan Adelstein for about $25,000, after he gave them a yet another donation in the amount of $15,000: Well, today as I'm waiting for my car to warm up, I went and looked at the PAC reports, and for Focus South Dakota's 527 corp, apparently they're into for Republican Senator Stan Adelstein's business, NW Engineering, for yet another $20,000. (Click to enlarge) In addition to the thousands he's donated to them, he's loaned them just short of $50,000 total for the purposes of promoting Democratic Candidates, and to attack Republicans. Again. Just remember that in 2008 when he tries to run as a Republican Candidate.

While the rest of you are watching the Superbowl, I'm illustrating perfectly that when I'm in Pierre, I have no life. I'm looking at PAC reports this evening. What do we know from the end of year reports being filed? Here's what I came up with (and you can click on any of the images to enlarge). For Focus South Dakota , they're into Stan Adelstein for about $25,000. And that's after he gave them a yet another donation in the amount of $15,000: (Republicans, let's just remember that when he tries to run as a Republican for State Senate in 2008. OK?) And the Cities of Newell, Gary, and Big Stone City like their video lottery. How do I know this? Because the "No on 7" people had to give these municipalities their donations back. Speaking of donations given back, I see where the Ballot Question Committee " Voteyesforlife.com " had to give a little check back: On the 11/2/2006 report, there is indeed a donation of that amount from Dwight cor...

Whew! I just got out of a marathon chat session with Representative Al Novstrup, Representative Dave Novstrup, Representative Keri Weems, and Representative Gordon Howie. The past hour and a half was strictly devoted to the topic of the upcoming abortion measure which should have a number assigned to it tomorrow. Or, you can read it here right now . (and please note that I'm probably the first in the blogosphere to have it) (.pdf warning.) Yes, I'm one of the fortunate few who has managed to get an early copy, which I'm pleased to share, and this should be the final form. This group of legislators had cordially invited me up to the Capitol earlier this evening so they might have an opportunity to tell their story on why they believe the time is right for making another run at a ban on abortion. So what did they have to say? I asked them if they thought they had the votes in the House to pass the bill. Representative (Al) Novstrup noted that they had an expectation of succes...

I finally had a moment to change up the stuff at the top of the website. So, if you're not seeing the new photos at the top of the website, hit your browser's refresh button. Several new faces, and a few old ones. And as opposed to my South Park version of Stan Adelstein, we have Jim Hundstad on a Segeway, and Pierre City Commissioner (and former State GOP ED) Jason Glodt hanging with his stuffed friends... Now that I look at it, I think everyone in the banner will be up at the Capitol during session for one reason or another. Speaking of session, I had it confirmed by an inside source that Senate Page numbers ARE DOWN as I predicted. Most years they pick 40 from a big stack of applications, with many people who want it having to be turned down. This year, look for 30-31 of them, and the word is that they barely had 35-40 applicants, period. And one SDWC commenter - someone calling themselves "looking for the GOP chicks" - has far too much time on their hands. Way...

Steve over at Sibby on-line has a story this morning from the Mitchell Republic noting how fellow founder, and Republican State Senator Ed Olson doubts that the MAINstream coalition organization will survive: State Sen. Ed Olson R-Mitchell, said a recent membership drive produced fewer than the desired number. "It’s probably not going to make it," Olson said. Olson said that Rapid City Businessman Stan Adelstein, another founder who originally underwrote the organization financially, "mailed out 40,000 mailers and got 75 new members." It likely isn’t enough, Olson said, for the organization to remain in operation. Read it all here . Maybe South Dakotans are actually more conservative then they thought....

I haven’t had to do one of these posts for a while, but I’m dealing with a rather insistent commenter today under one of my recent posts who was hell bent to get her point across. Despite my admonishments, she kept posting her allegations against a lawmaker. And I kept having to delete them. Why? No, not because they were trash talking a Republican… I don't do that, despite what some of you might believe. I get enough crap from friends who say "You deleted that stuff on Herseth,or etcetera... but you're letting them trash me. Take that comment off." And then get mad at me because I won't. Sometimes, I swear I can't win. Today, I had to play deletion overlord because the comments were beyond the pale of what I could allow. First off, they accused the person of an act which could be construed as improper or illegal (and also called the person a pervert). It was an anonymous accusation, as well as one that couldn’t be documented. Frankly, I think my little webs...

Just to give you a little insight into my thinking, here’s a brief list of people who I’m keeping an eye on in 2007 because of how they might (and I expect will) affect South Dakota’s political scene during the new year: 1. Representative Elect Russ Olson Many Republicans (including myself) wondered if Russ going solo against Gerry Lange and Dave Gassman was such a good idea. Every time people exercised both of their votes, they could cast one vote for him, and one against him. It just didn’t matter. Russ took the legislative seat away from Gerry Lange. But don’t keep an eye on Russ for that reason. Keep an eye on Russ because he’s the favored candidate to replace Dan Sutton in the State Senate. As I’ve noted previously, after Sutton resigns or is expelled, Russ will likely be the favorite to fill that seat. And that will put him in the unique position of serving as the defacto leader in a renewed “republicanizing” of the Madison legislative district, going from zero GOP legislators la...

I've been so restless this early morning. Up at 3:30, haven't been able to sleep since. It could be the boneless buffalo wings I ate last night, as my wife and I went out for a couple of hours. Or it could be the fact as I got up, I couldn't come up with a decent topic to blog on to put my mind at ease. Got a couple of irons in the fire, but nothing that's ripe yet. GOP Chair has progress, but still isn't set in stone. Waiting on a few campaign finance reports to be filed before I can confirm whether or not someone fudged a report. There isn't anything in the papers that's worth an early morning effort. I need something that's good . I tried to go back to sleep, as I tossed and turned. And then it hit me. Something I don't think I'd commented much before on. And it's somewhat timely, given the Sutton hearing coming up the second week of session. Anyway... Here's a good one for you. We've heard much ado about the Senate revisiting rule...

Just like the top ten political stories, I've given it some thought, and quickly, before I change my mind, here's who I've chosen as my top ten political personalities for the year, along with a few honorable mentions. Saddle up, read them, and let me know if you disagree. 10. Democratic Lt. Governor candidate Eric Abrahamson Who would have ever thought the State Library Board would be a launching pad for Statewide political office? As the Democrat’s Lt. Governor Candidate, Eric came across as introspective and thoughtful. After he got his feet under him, it seemed like Democrats might have preferred him as the gubernatorial candidate. 9. State Senator Bill Napoli - Never say "die." Or "virgin raped and sodomized in the worst possible way." Don't forget that in addition to his verbal faux pas with a national reporter, and having a target drawn on his head by Stan Adelstein, who spent plenty of money on his general election opponent, Bill also aut...

In preparation of doing another one of my "top ten of 2006" posts in coming days, I wanted to at least point out another one of them I'd done around this time last year: SDWC's top 10 political personalities of 2005 10. State Senator and Mainstream Coalition Executive Director Ed Olson 9. Kate Looby, Executive Director, Planned Parenthood. 8. State Senator Jerry Apa 7. State Senator Brock Greenfield, Executive Director South Dakota Right to Life 6. State Senator and President Pro Tempore Lee Schoenbeck 5. Governor Mike Rounds 4. Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth 3. U.S. Senator John Thune 2. State Senator Stan Adelstein 1. State Senator Bill Napoli Read why I named them as such here . A lot of it had to do with who was hot in the political news and why. Already on this list, I see a few who will be back (albeit in different positions) and a few who won't. Adelstein will likely make it back as he's absolutely dominated political news (whether I like it or not) in...

Okay. I've thought long and hard on this one. And I think I've come up with my list for what I believe to be the top political stories of 2006. Unlike KELO or the Argus when they get around to their top ten stories, no lame zip feeds mill here. Just SD political stuff. I've reviewed and revised this list. Things have gone on and off of it, and I'm trying to put it to paper, so I'll be over and done with it. So, here it is. I can't change anymore, so it's yours to argue and debate. The top ten political stories of 2006 10. Dang, is that ballot long. Some view it as activism, some view it as due to the in-activism in the legislature. Either way, people were signing a lot of petitions this year. Medical Marijuana, JAIL, Smoking, School Start date, abortion, and the list goes on. I can’t recall when we’ve had so much to consider. And the challenges! Many of those ballot issues were in court at least once in these hard fought tooth and nail battles. Maybe, jus...

(HT to Sibby online ) Right after I got back to Pierre, I went and checked the blogfeeds, and the first thing I noted was a post that Sibby did on how he and State Senator (for about 50 more days and counting) Stan Adelstein are getting into an argument over at Mt. Blogmore . Basically, it all started when commenter DL Emerick offered the view that: I’d dare to say that Stan Adelstein agreed with much more than 80% of Reagan’s agenda. If that is the litmus test for being a conservative Republican, then Stan more than qualifies. Somehow in reviewing Stan's record, Sibby found grounds to dispute that opinion: Stan Adelstein is no where close to be 80% of Ronald Reagan. Maybe 8%. And aside from some side chatter, Soon-to-be-former Senator Adelstein disagreed. (Note - spelling is his, not mine, but I did edit some of the repetition in the passages, because it made no sense.). OK Sibson - he called you on another lie. Where did I differ from Reagan?? I have been in public life longer ...

Dang, this one is clever … Here’s a twist in campaign finance that I haven’t run across before. Focus South Dakota , a Democratic oriented political organization has been active for a few election cycles now. Not familiar with them? In 2002, they sent out postcards, and conducted polling, printing the results as they saw fit in huge full color full page ads. In 2004 they ran ads for Daschle, and against Thune. At one point Daschle publicized a letter to them asking them to stop the negative ads in his race. This year? They’ve once again been in the thick of the Democratic Campaign apparatus. Getting back to the twist in campaign finance I mentioned, it looks like Focus South Dakota did something I hadn’t contemplated as possible, given the taboo (and legality) of corporate money in legislative races. But through dividing their organization into two separate entities, they managed to leverage the use of corporate donations for a huge benefit to three state legislative candidates. And it...

After the defeat of Referred law 6, I was recently discussing with a friend that it would probably be a good thing for the legislature to move on other issues aside from abortion. He agreed, but then paused and noted "yes, but if it's brought right back with rape and incest exceptions spelled out, that takes the wind out of the sails of those who campaigned on the assertion that it had none." The Associated Press in the Rapid City Journal also takes on the topic this morning as well: A bill providing exceptions for rape, incest and a pregnant woman’s health is a possibility, said state Sen. Garry Moore of Yankton, who won a seat in the state House in Tuesday’s election. Approval of such a measure might not end in another statewide vote because opponents might not be able to get enough signatures to refer it to the ballot, Moore said. and... It’s premature to speculate on new legislation, said state Rep. Kathy Miles, D-Sioux Falls, an abortion-ban supporter. “I don’t think...

STATE SENATE DISTRICT 32 you may vote for up to 1 Elli Schwiesow (REP). . . . . . . 4,515 47.48 Tom Katus (DEM) . . . . . . . . 4,994 52.52 Read it and weep. I know I am. Tom Katus' Adelstein fueled Democratic legislative campaign just cost Republicans another seat.

The Rapid City Journal via Kevin Woster is reporting tonight about the circumstances around the whole Schwiesow/Katus/ Sore los... Adelstein situation: Republican candidate Elli Schwiesow is a self-professed pro-life conservative closely tied to Referred Law 6, which would ban all abortions in the state except when needed to save the pregnant woman’s life. Katus portrays himself as a moderate who opposes the ban and believes it is a clear example of a growing extremism in the Republican Party. But it’s not as simple as Schwiesow against Katus. Republican state Sen. Stan Adelstein, a wealthy businessman and philanthropist who was beaten by Schwiesow in an edgy District 32 primary last spring, has thrown his money and public endorsement behind Katus. And in a less public way, Doug Hamilton another Rapid city millionaire whose history of charitable giving was tarnished this year by a multi-million sexual harassment lawsuit against him and his company n has provided financial backing for...

I was taking a little grief over at Mt. Blogmore over a post I did about Stan Adelstein sending money to "the Majority Project." It was claimed that I misidentified this group which has been supported by Tom Daschle to attack Senate Republicans on a National basis as receiving the funds. A few people pointed out that I was wrong. Stan didn't send the money to the national group. And now that I see the latest filings , I agree. I was in error. Mea culpa. Mea culpa . Because here's the group of people that Republican Senator Stan Adelstein is trafficking with (click any of the images to enlarge them): In case you're wondering, that $10,000 donation is one of Stan's PAC's. Now, I don't have anything personal against any of the people on the list (a few are even readers - and specifically, a shout out to Nick Nemec). But my point was originally that as a Republican legislator, Stan was openly funding attacks against the GOP. And from a list of who got mon...

The opposition might not like it. But I'm not so sure there's anything illegal about it at this point, given South Dakota's lax campaign finance laws: 12-25-2. Allowable contribution sources--Contribution by corporation prohibited-- Contribution by association restricted--Violation as misdemeanor. No candidate, candidate's committee, political action committee, or political party committee may receive any contribution except from an individual, political action committee, or a political party. No corporation may contribute or attempt to contribute any valuable consideration to any candidate, committee, or political party except a ballot question committee . No association may contribute or attempt to contribute any valuable consideration to any candidate, committee, or political party except a ballot question committee. Is it an attempt to get around the campaign finance laws? Sure. But so is Stan Adelstein setting up political action committees to send his s...

About at the same time Chad from CCK was leaving a comment on my blog noting that "I was wrong about it", referring to my mention of Daschle's Senate Majority Project that Stan Adelstein gave a big fat $10,000 check to - I had another reader point out that the Roll Call wrote on it back in March : A pair of senior Senate Republicans lashed out at former Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) because of his association with a liberal 527 group that is trying to mount a permanent campaign against GOP Senators not currently facing re-election. Two GOP chairmen, Sens. Ted Stevens (Alaska) and Saxby Chambliss (Ga.), expressed their displeasure with Daschle because he was helping raise money for the Senate Majority Project, a 527 founded by Democratic operatives who have put both Stevens and Chambliss, as well as most of the Republican Conference, in its crosshairs in recent months. Stevens, who first voiced his outrage to his GOP colleagues at their weekly luncheon, said in an ...