# South Dakota openly embraces corruption **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 31, 2017, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-dakota-openly-embraces-corruption/778671 "2017-01-31T16:57:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2017, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-dakota-openly-embraces-corruption/778671/1 "2017-01-31T16:57:18Z")
I am surprised this isn’t making bigger headlines (maybe it is because South Dakota is a small state population-wise). Last November the people of South Dakota passed a ballot initiative to create and independent ethics commission as well has strengthening ethics rules in the state to limit how much money legislators can receive and reporting requirements when they do receive money among other measures. The state legislature had conniption fits over it and immediately challenged it in court. When it looked like they may not get all they wanted from the court they decided to take matters into their own hands. So, they declared a “state of emergency” which means when they repeal the law the repeal goes into effect immediately and deny voters a veto referendum and voted in the house yesterday to repeal the law (by a wide margin). It goes to the state senate tomorrow and the governor has said he will sign it. They are also looking to double the number of signatures needed to get a ballot initiative on the state ballot. > [@](#): > > “We are pretty squeaky clean, and I can say that with a great deal of pride in South Dakota; the ethics among the people that serve the state in the legislature, I would call impeccable.” > > \ > > The nonpartisan Center for Public Integrity recently ranked South Dakota 47th in the nation for accountability, largely because of its lax lobbying laws. “Little to none of [state legislative and lobbyist interaction] is reported to the public in any detail,” [the report said](https://www.publicintegrity.org/2015/11/09/18522/south-dakota-gets-f-grade-2015-state-integrity-investigation). > > Proponents of the ethics commission say South Dakota has earned its “F” rating on integrity. The state has been wracked by two major ethics scandals in the past two years: Investigations into [misuse of the federal green card program for wealthy immigrant investors](http://www.argusleader.com/story/davidmontgomery/2014/10/08/eb-5-primer/16890965/) and [the theft](http://www.cbsnews.com/news/ag-south-dakota-couple-who-died-in-murder-suicide-stole-grant-money/) by a private company of more than $1 million of federal grant money to help Native Americans get ready for college. > > As a grim aside, people implicated in both scandals either committed suicide or murder or both. > > SOURCE: [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/01/24/south-dakota-republicans-are-about-to-get-rid-of-the-states-first-independent-ethics-commission/?utm\_term=.4aa187d72d63](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/01/24/south-dakota-republicans-are-about-to-get-rid-of-the-states-first-independent-ethics-commission/?utm_term=.4aa187d72d63) I would hope even conservatives would be upset at a brazen attempt to overturn this in such a manner. Truly shocking. ---
**Author:** ![Evan\_Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@Evan\_Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evan_Drake)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2017, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-dakota-openly-embraces-corruption/778671/2 "2017-01-31T17:20:03Z")
_ **"This Is Nobody’s Business But Our Own"** _ I’ve always thought there was something odd about South Dakota… ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2017, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-dakota-openly-embraces-corruption/778671/3 "2017-01-31T17:49:02Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > I would hope even conservatives would be upset at a brazen attempt to overturn this in such a manner. Truly shocking. They might find it shocking that they haven’t yet tried this tactic in their home states. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2017, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-dakota-openly-embraces-corruption/778671/4 "2017-01-31T17:51:12Z")
Hey hey now. The Republicans won the election and they can do whatever they hell they want without regard for the laws and ethics. Just ask them. ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2017, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-dakota-openly-embraces-corruption/778671/5 "2017-01-31T17:56:03Z")
This is sad, because South Dakota was the first state to adopt initiatives and referendums, in the early 1900’s. The farmers and voters of that era throughout the upper Midwest were quite progressive and forward-thinking citizens. It sounds like some (quite a few?) of the legislators are worried about getting caught with their hands in the cookie jar. SD is (now) a solidly Republican state, but I’m sure this will be a major issue in the 2018 elections. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2017, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-dakota-openly-embraces-corruption/778671/6 "2017-01-31T19:44:11Z")
> [@JohnGalt](#): > > … > It sounds like some (quite a few?) of the legislators are worried about getting caught with their hands in the cookie jar. SD is (now) a solidly Republican state, but I’m sure this will be a major issue in the 2018 elections. In a deep red state? In 2018 it’ll be new boss, same as the old boss. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2017, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-dakota-openly-embraces-corruption/778671/7 "2017-01-31T19:59:06Z")
> [@Evan\_Drake](#): > > _ **“This Is Nobody’s Business But Our Own”** _ > > I’ve always thought there was something odd about South Dakota… Its a shame they’ve elected Block Heads. Personally, I think that they take Mount Rushmore far too literally.