And let the darkness continue;
This space has been used at length and often to chronicle how the Noem administration has been less than open, less than willing to let the sun shine in:
- As per Noem’s directive, reporters aren’t allowed to talk directly to government sources but must instead submit questions to the department’s public information officer who may, or may not, decide to provide answers.
- The governor has largely given up on the weekly news conferences traditionally held during the legislative session.
- During her one, hastily called, legislative press conference this year, she admitted that the cost of deploying National Guard troops to monitor the Texas border was being paid for by South Dakota taxpayers.
- The Freedom Works Here workforce development commercials starring Noem came under legislative fire for the way that the winning bidder was selected and how that bidder came into possession of ideas submitted in Lawrence and Schiller’s bid.
- ”Security” has been invoked as the reason for not divulging how much it costs to protect the much-traveled governor.
- She refused to release transcripts of the calls to the “whistleblower hotline” set up to collect complaints about the state’s institutions of higher learning.
Government openness is dependent on our leaders recognizing its importance and acting in a way that sheds light on the bureaucracy. Despite running for office with a “Sunshine Initiative,” Noem has worked tirelessly to ensure that the workings of her administration be encased in darkness.
Many of the things Noem does in the name of closed government, Mayor Poops follows suit.
Paul stopped having his weekly briefings with council leadership, I believe 1-2 years ago. He is on complete information shutdown. There is going to be a very dark cloud hanging over Sioux Falls for the next two years since the upcoming election is pretty much done already and the rubber stampers have their orders!
Hopefully the news will come out soon, but Paul has been actively bullying a candidate for city council, and they have significant proof, and the mayor is aware. I can’t give a lot of details because this needs to come from the candidate. But once this hits the news, Poops is going to wish he could do the whole Delbridge Animal thingy over again instead (how is that coming along anyway? Do you have all your collector friends lined up for the giveaway?)
I also have an update about the school board candidate who 1) has a conflict of interest and really can’t serve on the school board because of the Title 9 gymnastics lawsuit (she is a plaintiff) and 2) she filled out campaign forms fraudulently, TWICE! I guess our local news media is still confused as to what she did wrong. I’m sure if the form was hanging on a menu board of a food truck they would cover the story. Lazy & Dumb, that’s our local press corp!