If you think Kathy Tyler was naughty for taking the state job of Democratic House caucus secretary right after leaving her District 4 House seat (and Republicans certainly thought so), then what would you think of a sitting legislator taking another job apparently prohibited by the same constitutional clause on which Tyler was skewered?
On December 17, 2013, Governor Dennis Daugaard appointed Royal River Casino general manager Chuck Jones of Flandreau to fill the District 8 Senate seat left vacant the previous summer by the resignation of Russell Olson. On November 4, 2014, District 8 elected Democrat Scott Parsley to replace the Governor's Republican appointee. On December 2, 2014, the Moody County Commission appointed Jones to fill the two years remaining in the term of Tom Peper, who resigned November 6.
Two years in a row, Chuck Jones gets a government appointment for Christmas? Now there's a guy who knows how to make Santa's list!
But are you sure you were looking at the right list, Santa? When the Moody County Commission appointed him to their august ranks, Chuck Jones was still a state senator. He was a member of the Legislature's Tribal Economic Development Task Force, which held its first meeting of the 2014 interim on December 9 (a month before the end of the interim—priorities, anyone?). But Senator Chuck Jones skipped that meeting so that Commissioner Chuck Jones could attend his first Moody County Commission meeting to, among other things, set the county employee appreciation dinner for December 30.
Technically, Jones was Senator and Commissioner until Scott Parsley took his oath in January. And technically, that double duty could be read as a violation of Article 3, Section 12, of the South Dakota Constitution:
No member of the Legislature shall, during the term for which he was elected, be appointed or elected to any civil office in the state which shall have been created, or the emoluments of which shall have been increased during the term for which he was elected, nor shall any member receive any civil appointment from the Governor, the Governor and senate, or from the Legislature during the term for which he shall have been elected, and all such appointments and all votes given for any such members for any such office or appointment shall be void; nor shall any member of the Legislature during the term for which he shall have been elected, or within one year thereafter, be interested, directly or indirectly, in any contract with the state or any county thereof, authorized by any law passed during the term for which he shall have been elected [South Dakota State Constitution, Article 3, Section 12].
Now I think I can read Chuck out of trouble, but who cares what I think. let's think like the Republicans who lit into Tyler. One would think those constitutionally vigilant Republican leaders would have immediately demanded that Jones resign one of his offices.
But we know better than that. We know that Republican fealty to the letter of the law is a matter of convenience.
@CAH You are a good political reporter. The thing holding you back from being a great one? Giving into the guilty pleasure of hitting every Republican with a broad brush. Hold these politicians individually accountable. Just as you are not responsible for every error of every Democrat, not every Republican is responsible for every crooked thing every other Republican is involved in.
You want Democratic candidates to have a shot in SD? Lead by example. Remember that in order for Democrats to win? They need to sway conservative leaning Republican and Independent voters.
So Disgusted, now you want individual responsibility for the SDGOP when they break their own laws
You, along with every other Republican, Democrat, Independent and Libertarian paint with a broad brush, that is the nature of the beast.
Expecting Cory to follow your secret guidelines for calling out the GOP is foolish, if you want some kind of fairness, go read the Dump Site, they should fit you fancy.
And, Cory is a great reporter, a reporter that tells the Democrats the truth about the ineptitude, ignorance, and criminal elitist behavior of South Dakota Republicans.
Disgusted Dakotan, do you think Cory should be going after guys like Marty Jackley, Dennis Daugaard, Mike Rounds, John Thune and Kristie Noem?
Sorry Roger, no broad brushes here. I believe in individual, personal, responsibility.
@Tara CAH does a great job of highlighting these politicians. Unfortunately, he has a target rich environment in the SDGOP.
Disgusted Dakotan says "Hold these politicians individually accountable."
Where's Gant these days? Annette Bosworth? Chad Haber? Guessing they're not appreciating Cory, and subsequently his voting audience, holding them responsible.
Disgusted,
I would say that "fortunately" not "unfortunately Cory has a target rich environment in the SDGOP".
It is good that you pretend not to paint with a broad brush, but the reality is you do.
With your fit throwing you are distracting from the real issue here, and that the SDGOP has not exercised their individual or collective responsibility in upholding South Dakota law when it comes to one of their own, namely Chuck Jones.
So Disgusted Dakotan, who is responsible for enforcing the laws and constitution of the state of South Dakota? In this case it seems that a portion of the population was not represented as they should have been.