Pastor and State Representative Steve Hickey issued a remarkable public statement yesterday, accusing illegitimate U.S. Senate candidate Annette Bosworth and her husband Chad Haber of corruption and violations of state and federal law. Rep. Hickey says he has recordings involving Bosworth and Haber that support those allegations.
That Sioux Falls paper has chosen to headline this story as a "feud" between Rep. Hickey and Bosworth. Feud doesn't seem to be the right word. Hickey actions do not appear to flow from some prolonged mutual hostility or quest for revenge for some past personal injury. Before this spring, I don't recall Hickey saying boo about Bosworth and Haber or vice versa. Some have accused Hickey of simply seeking attention, but I can think of less damaging ways for a Republican to seek attention than attacking a fellow Republican.
Rep. Hickey says he is using the access and authority granted him by the voters to serve people who are living in fear of Bosworth and Haber:
With all seriousness, these are good people who genuinely fear Chad Haber in particular knowing first-hand what he has been doing to those who have walked away from them. There is a real fear of retaliation, for them and their kids. I'm just reporting what citizens in our state tell me, through tears [Rep. Rev. Steve Hickey, press release, 2014.05.05].
I can vouch for Rep. Hickey's statement here. Since last June, when Bosworth began her Senate campaign scam, a number of people have contacted me—unsolicited and, contrary to Annette Bosworth's absurd assertions, unbribed—and expressed the same fears. People are afraid of Annette Bosworth. They are afraid of Chad Haber. They have witnessed aggressive, violent behavior and they fear for themselves and for their children. Something is very wrong in the Bosworth-Haber world, and we should not wait for an election to address it.
In challenging Bosworth and Haber, Representative Steve Hickey is not feuding with anyone. He is doing the job he has been elected to do: representing citizens, helping them find their voices, and standing with them against the powers that would oppress them with fraud and fear.
Bill Janklow frequently called the Argus Leader "a third paper in a first class city." That applies today more than ever. I saw the "breaking news" alert to the Hickey story yesterday and thought I'd find it today on top of the front page. Checked with the enewspaper version this morning, and it was not on the front page. It was not even on the first section with the rest of the hard news.
The Argus posted it on the top of the third section, Voices. Worse, it posted it right next to the other Steve Hickey story of the Reverend apologizing for his recent comments on gays. Even worse, both stories were placed under the banner headline "Hickey regrets words, not message."
By far, any first year jouralism student can tell you which of the two stories had greater relevance: The story on Bosworth violating state and federal law.
But the Argus chose to bury the more relevant story under a headline that makes anything Hickey says deeply questionable.
This was bad news judgment, to say the least. A major hard news story belongs on the front page, or at least page 3, and not on the front of the opinions section.
Third rate, Argus. Third rate, indeed.
Remarkably, public servant Hickey is silent about the millions of dollars lost to the Rounds' EB5 scandal.
So does LeAnn Batiz have to issue a position statement on EB-5 before we permit her to criticize Annette Bosworth?
Well now, "that" third rate paper in a first class city at least provides some coverage about Bosworth and Hickey.
The Republican owned and operated Rapid City Journal that lives by Reagan's 11th Commandment provides NONE.
The Urinal limits its coverage of EB-5 to periodic reports by Bob Mercer and the AP.
They didn't cover stories on the Bosworth raffle scams, gave us weak coverage and an editorial on her fraudulent petitions, have not said a word about her not paying employees and service providers.
From my perspective, "that" paper provides superb coverage of Bosworth and Hickey.
Local tv stations are just as bad if not worse. Even worse is that local tea party advocate Shad Olsen is a news anchor on KNBN, the local FOX news channel.
When I want real news, i go to Cory.
C'mon South Dakota! There are many innocent children and adults to protect! Investigate!
(I mean a Real Investigation, not the Benda/Bollen/EB5 show.)
Calling attention to crimes, fraud and hypocrisy does not constitute a "feud." News outlets, if they were doing their job, would investigate the vast amount of information and witnesses out there and produce a thorough report about this US Senate candidate. All of the news outlets are doing a disservice to their audiences by downplaying these claims about Dr. Bosworth, or ignoring the claims entirely. This is big news. It's real news. It's timely news with an election upcoming. Good for Rep. Hickey and Cory for trying to bring the truth out despite the press taking a "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" approach.
"In challenging Bosworth and Haber, Representative Steve Hickey is not feuding with anyone. He is doing the job he has been elected to do: representing citizens, helping them find their voices, and standing with them against the powers that would oppress them with fraud and fear." Unless, of course, you happen to be gay - then you and your coprophilia are on your own. I'm not criticizing him for attempting to bring this crazy Bosworth/Haber circus to a close, but I do wonder how he chooses his battles. I would think basic human rights would be something that all of our lawmakers should champion, but apparently, we're still not all created equal.
Jen, we do have a serious bone to pick with Hickey over his anti-gay positions. We will continue to pick that bone. But I will walk hand-in-hand with him to the Attorney General's office to demand investigation and prosecution of Bosworth and Haber's fraud and corruption.
I hope Rep Hickey don't represent all of SD, we will all look like idiots. Sigh
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/05/06/1297332/-South-Dakota-Republican-explains-gay-sex-to-you?showAll=yes
Oh man! I read the Kos story Tim. How does Hickey expect to be taken seriously? He's the butt of jokes like that Missouri doofus who said that women could just "shut that whole thing down" so they wouldn't get pregnant from rape. (Not positive about the state.)
Hickey can't go on with his fecal matter obsession yet want to be taken seriously on another topic. I can't blame the non-SD press for ignoring him since he destroyed his own credibility. That's no excuse for the SD media though.