Tribe seeking Thune's help. Interesting...

The Argus Leader is reporting that members of one camp in the OST election mess are meeting with Thune staffers to try to fgure things out:
Two sets of tribal members are claiming to be the elected officials who govern the tribe.

Supporters of Alex White Plume, who became president in summer, met Thursday with members of Sen. John Thune’s staff. They say millions of dollars in federal funding is at stake if the issue is not cleared up soon.

John Yellow Bird Steele said he won the November election and is president of the tribe.
Read it here.

It's interesting that they are looking to Thune to try to negotiate this, as opposed to going to Senator Tim Johnson or Congresswoman Herseth. Even moreso in light of the fact that both Johnson and Herseth are attorneys, and Thune is not.

Me? I'd explain it by the efforts John has made at reaching out to the tribal communities in South Dakota, and the fact that he showed great leadership in leading negotiations with the feds in order to save Ellsworth.

This might be a great opportunity for John to illustrate to reservation residents that since Democrats only represent more of the same system they've lived under for decades, Republicans might just offer a new outlook and genuine opportunities for positive change.

Comments

Anonymous said…
I think it's just because Thune has more time on his hands. It's certainly not because Thune has ever done anything for the Native American Community.
Anonymous said…
Too bad they didn't hire him to lobby for them like the DM&E, you bet something would get done then.
Anonymous said…
It is easy to see that the two prior post are die hard Daschle fans and still can't get over the fact that he left problems unsolved . Just to let them know the truth . Daschle Never helped anyone but him self and his wife the lobbyist .
Anonymous said…
Thune is clearly more interested in getting ahead in Congress then he is moving South Dakota ahead.

The Minority Deputy Whip just received a D+ from our veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq.

Thune has always been a legislative lightweight but, he is awesome at shaking hands, smiling, saying "lower taxes and less government" with the earnestness of the former Class B all-star basketball player he was.

Jumpshot Jesus is all about himself.

Hopefully Herseth's massive move to the right will lead to a race against Thune.
Anonymous said…
6:59 up yours, John Thune has done more in his short time in the Senate than Johnson has done in all his years. Hillary,Jr is all about herself, she won't accomplish a thing. She is too busy chasing Max.

Thune should tell the Indians to go ask Timmy, but they know he is worthless.
Anonymous said…
Herseth couldn't even hit 70 against Whalen, and had an unimpressive 54 or so against Diedrich. Thune has hit 72 and 75. Lost to Sen. Johnson by 500-something votes. Beat Sen. Tom Daschle.

Republicans can only hope Herseth is stupid enough to go against him. It's about the only way she gets taken out of state politics.
Anonymous said…
PP: What I find interesting is that Thune is meeting with Alex White Plume, a convicted felon (aggravated assault). Since Tribal Law says that you cannot run for election if you are a felon, White Plume was taken off the ballot - which is the reason for the controversy in the first place.

So...

1.) Why is John Thune's staff meeting with the felon and not the duly elected Tribal President-elect?

and

2) Why do you not know this already?

If you're going to post your thoughts - please try harder to understand exactly what it is you are talking about. Your blog used to be a place where credible information was posted but is rapidly losing credibility and becoming a gathering place for irresponsible reporting and name callers.
Anonymous said…
The news reports said they met with "supporters" of Alex White Plume. I didn't see anywhere that he was in attendance. They probably meet with most anybody.

"Why do you not know this already?

If you're going to post your thoughts - please try harder to understand exactly what it is you are talking about."
Anonymous said…
Hey 6:59, how do you guys come up with such original, imaginative put-downs.

You are an incredibly talented writer.

Go back to your Fox-News.
Anonymous said…
Thune has accomplished in the last two years what Daschle couldn't accomplish in 26...permanently taking Ellsworth off the closure list.

800 new jobs at the Air Force Financial Processing Center...thousands of family members moving to Rapid City over the next four years...

Secured an airbase air control mission in addition to the B-2 save...

Within a hair of capturing the biggest railroad economic development loan in the history of South Dakota and the entire United States with thousands of jobs created to improve the railline and man all of the new econcomic development that results from more trains...

What did Daschle ever do to create literally thousands of jobs in South Dakota? Nothing.

Daschle kept Ellsworth dangling so every few years he could swoop in and save it. He never secured another mission for them.

Daschle never ever worked with DME to create more jobs either.

So call him Jumpshot Jesus or B2 John or Johnny the rail guy but he will blow the competition away in the next race because people have jobs thanks to him.

I can't wait for Herseth to run against him. That way we can get rid of her.
Anonymous said…
What has Stephi done?

Jump on board the ethanol train like every other Republican and Democrat Congressman.

Today she tries to horn in on the F35 action at the air guard base.

Well I hate to break it to Stephi but word around the Pentagon is they don't like her there. They have caught on to her and the whole "I love veterans schtick". Meanwhile she loathes the uniformed services according to her G-town law buddies. Was always badmouthing the conservative military establishment during law school or something like that.

So I bet Thune will be the one, again, to capture another mission for Sioux Falls.
Anonymous said…
8:40pm - I stand corrected - Thune's office met with White Plume's supporters. BUT if "they probably meet with most everybody" why is PP making such a big deal about it?

Either Thune's office is going out of his way to choose sides - and getting involved on behalf of Alex White Plume's supporters - or his office simply meets with everybody and so the meeting is inconsequential.

Or you could paraphrase by saying either PP knows something we don't and Thune is getting involved on behalf of Alex White Plume's supporters- or PP doesn't know much of anything and Thune's office probably meets with everybody.

I tend to agree with you. PP doesn't know much of anything.
Anonymous said…
Speaking of Daschle... Now that Thune is a member of the Minority Leaderhsip team, will he promise not to filibuster legislation? He seemed to think it was pretty wrong when he ran against Daschle. Anyone want to take bets on what his spin will be when he rounds up votes for the first GOP filibuster in the Senate next year?
Anonymous said…
8:12 - The Chief Judge of the Oglala Sioux Tribe and several other attorneys, all possessing JD's said White Plume has legal status as a presidential candidate.

That said, the meeting at Thune's office was not held in support of White Plume. Many in attendance didn't vote for him. Thune was in DC and did not meet with White Plume.

Concerned tribal members met with Thune's staffer to discuss violation of laws and chronological order of events. The election process was illegal beginning with the Primary because every ballot was spoiled due to printing an erroneous list of candidates to vote for and incorrect voter instructions.

Two separate Election Courts of Appeal ordered the Election Board to run the Primary Election over along with advice from legal council. The board defied the orders and advice.

The Election Board also qualified felons as candidates in violation of tribal law.

The US Constitution would find it proper for tribal officials or members to approach a US Senator for assistance. Thune wasn't the first Senator approached about election fraud issues but hopefully the last.
Anonymous said…
Hey gop come home,

everything you give thune credit for was done by Johnson, Herseth and Rounds. Thune was just along for the ride.

Thune has managed to undermine veterans, and he has managed to drop the ball on drought relief both in 2002 and again just last week. He apparently has no clout even while the GOP has the presidency and a majority in congress.

Why couldn't Thune persuade just 3 of his gop colleagues to support drought relief so it could have passed? There really is only one answer to that question, but I don't really expect you to be honest and give the answer.
Anonymous said…
Herseth had as much to do with Ellsworth, the Finance Center and DME as Paris Hilton did.

If you watched the senate drought aid vote on exciting CSPAN, you would have seen that three senators who had previously voted Yes were not in attendance. It would have had 60 votes.

Drought aid didnt pass the House either.

Veterans funding increased double-digits this year and has gone up dramatically every year under GWB.
Anonymous said…
"Your blog ... is rapidly losing credibility and becoming a gathering place for irresponsible reporting and name callers."

He's got to do something to drive traffic here, now that the elections are over.
Anonymous said…
Unfortunately, SDWC is attracting the libs from Blogmore. Let them stay in their own playground.
Anonymous said…
Hey 3:37, I know this is a mixed up mess, but first you say White Plume HAS legal status as presidental candidate, then later you say that is against tribal law for a convicted felon(which White Plume apparently is)to be qualified as a candidate. So, doesn't that mean he ISN'T qualified and shouldn't have been on the ballot, and can't be president?
Anonymous said…
11:14:

since you are a supporter of Tom the Obstructionist Daschle can I be assured that Thune blocking legislation that hurts South Dakota will be ok with you?

1:46:

I know its hard to stomach but Stephi did nothing other than write a letter and show up at the press conferences when it came time to save Ellsworth.

Thune did the heavy lifting and was actually publicly credited by the Brac members, I think 3 or 4, who said that Thune is the one who brought it all together for them.

And...none of the Brac members credited Stephi for her help. Explains why she's horning in on the Sioux Falls Air Guard stuff. In military terms that's a preemptive strike.

I loved it when she was trying to see over Thune's shoulder at the Brac hearing press conference. Priceless. A great campaign photo!
Anonymous said…
Anon. 7:26 Aren't you the one who's always saying "liberals" are "elitist"?

Typical.

Psychological projection:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_projection

A neurotic behavior not uncommon to hardline members of your political persuasion.
Anonymous said…
I didn't think Republicans smoked dope, then I read the post from 9:24pm.

To say that Thune has accomplished more than Daschle is laughable.

Every farmer and veteran in South Dakota knows who really fought for them. That's why Daschle got elected in Red South Dakota seven or eight times.

Thune let farmers down big time on the drought (again!) we saw how Bush hung them out to dry in '04.

Now John is hanging our newest veterans coming home out to dry.

But, in four years, pretend Patriots like Thune will wrap themsevlves in the flag, talk a little about God and get a new six year term to fritter away.

Sad.
Anonymous said…
To Anon 8:19, let's go back to 2002........

"TOM DASCHLE AND TIM JOHNSON PASSED $6 BILLION FOR DROUGHT RELIEF!!!!! JOHN THUNE, WHY HASN'T THE HOUSE VOTED ON THIS BILL YET??!!????"

You may remember those ads from that race that Johnson bludgeoned Thune over the head with, and was also spread all over the news. The reason the House never got to vote on it was quite simple: It never got there. That $6 billion, once passed, was attached as a rider to a Department of Interior bill which was basically DOA due to a fight that Daschle was having with the Senators from the Rocky Mountain states over timber thinning exemptions.

So tell me, is that the kind of "fighting" you were referring to?
Anonymous said…
7:36 - This is what I said "The Chief Judge of the Oglala Sioux Tribe and several other attorneys, all possessing JD's said White Plume has legal status as a presidential candidate."

I did not state that White Plume was felony free nor implied it. You might be correct in that he is a covicted felon. I did not see charging documents, plea bargins, or a final disposition.

You are asserting that "White Plume apparently is" a convicted felon.

The 2004 Election Board cleared White Plume to run for Vice-president. I understand there was election fraud then as well but am not sure if it was also linked to criminal background checks.

I am not a White Plume supporter and would not vote for him in a Primary and would vote for him only as a vote against Fire Thunder or Steele. However it was unlawful for Fire Thunder to manage a spot on the ballot as well.

I want to see a law abiding election, period. The year 2006 did not produce a lawful election beginning with Election Board decisions and there is abundant proof. This is not about personalities it is about the rule of law.
Anonymous said…
Odd how in all of the time that the GOP controlled the House the Senate and the White House that they never once were able to pass any legislation that protected unborn life.

Makes you wonder if all they cared about was using the issue to raise money.

Mostly, it makes me question the sincerity of the GOP leadership team. Which is why I am so ecstatic that John Thune is now a member of that leadership team. As a die hard pro-life supporter, I can't wait for John Thune to use his clout to END THE KILLING OF UNBORN LIFE.

Good luck John. I will be praying for the strength that you will need to get this done!

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