As you can see, three PACs that donated to the candidates in the latest City of Sioux Falls city election did not file their reports until 4 days after the filing deadline of April 7, 2022.
Ironically, 2 of the reports were filed within minutes of each other. I had asked the question why these PACs were not held accountable? And while they were filed less than 24 hours before the polls opened on Tuesday, is this really accountability?
While hindsight can be 20/20 we have been digging around on not just the money flowing into the winners column but an interesting strategy of data collection on targeting likely voters, especially in North Harrisburg (SE District).
Let’s just say the city’s use of Facebook for videos and EventBrite to book public meetings should be be BANNED immediately. They are harvesting data on citizens and it is NOT being used to improve your lives. We found out on Tuesday it is being used to manipulate voters and elections.
Mayor TenHaken made a revealing statement before the election about having the privilege of being a sitting mayor and having access to information his competitors do not. Was he using some of this access to help his campaign? I don’t know, but I do know that several years earlier he was using some of the same techniques to help the Marion Mike Rounds campaign dig up a dissenter and also trying to hide a blogger turned Deputy SOS who was also accused of using taxpayer information to assist his personal campaign consulting business. Jackboots let him off saying he didn’t steal any money from the petty cash drawer.
Is it ethical or even legal for a campaign to use this data for their personal benefit? Yes, if it is done from the outside thru other data collection tactics. Will we ever know if that is the case?
I encourage everyone to stop following the mayor and city on Facebook and Twitter. I also encourage to NOT fill out any surveys or RSVP requests from the city that use a 3rd party company.
Ethics and Democracy die a death by a thousand tiny cuts. The notion of “Just because you CAN do something doesn’t mean you SHOULD” has been grayed out. These self-righteous bit players pull this crap with a clear conscience, and each nudge into unethical/illegal maneuvers – which goes unchallenged or unpunished – gives a defacto green light to future steps down a slippery slope.
You bring up something I have been concerned about for awhile, setting precedent. Over the past 4 years we have allowed an administration do it. And every time they have been caught and challenged, not only do they wiggle their way out, they continue to build on what they get away with. When most children get caught stealing from the cookie jar a good lick’n usually gets them to stop. This administration just devises ways to take the cookies without getting caught, and if so, oh well.
meh, the per day civil forfeiture for late filing of these ($50/day late?) is a meager sum involved in the cost of doing the business (ownership of local government).
Ethical / illegal? “Well, there are no laws or statutes prohibiting this. If there is no statute, we can’t say that it is unethical.” Ethics Board Chair Jack Marsh, to everything brought to that body to-date.
And: “The civil penalty shall be in addition to any criminal sanctions …” LOL, which outside legal counsultant will the City Attorney hire to advise on criminal charges? … or is it the Minnehaha County States Attorney? Still LOL.
D.R.B
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_vXnchA8Kw