Democrat calls for discussion of whether Hunt should be punished
Posted: Sunday, December 31, 2006
PIERRE, S.D. (AP) -- State Rep. Dale Hargens of Miller says legislators should discuss whether Republican state Rep. Roger Hunt of Brandon should be punished.
Earlier this year, Hunt failed to identify the person who gave $750,000 to a corporation that gave the money to a failed effort to get voters to ratify the abortion ban that passed the 2006 legislative session.
"When you have someone who has taken an oath -- not once but twice, once as an attorney and once as a state representative -- to uphold the constitution of the state of South Dakota and the laws of South Dakota, to thumb his nose at the Legislature and the voters of South Dakota, there's something wrong with that," Hargens said Thursday on the South Dakota Public Television program "South Dakota Focus."
Hargens, the House Democratic leader, had said he planned to challenge whether Hunt should be able to serve in the 2007 session. But Hargens backed off from that statement on Friday.
"It looks like there's no way I can stop him from being seated," Hargens said.
But at the very least, Hunt should be censured in some way, the Democratic leader said.
Hunt, an attorney, has said he thinks he has met campaign finance laws requirements.
But the attorney general, Larry Long, and Secretary of State Chris Nelson both have said the information should be disclosed. And Nelson said he plans to offer bills tightening campaign-spending laws.
The Legislature should not short-circuit the attorney general, said Rep. Joel Dykstra of Canton, assistant House Republican leader. "I would try to stay out of the attorney general's way."
During "South Dakota Focus," Hargens was asked if Hunt's case is different from that of Sen. Garry Moore, D-Yankton, who has said he deliberately missed last June's campaign filing deadline because the campaign finance law seldom is enforced.
Hargens said it's not the same thing.
"We have one individual who put $750,000 to a dummy corporation to try to influence the vote in the last election, and I think the people of this state have a right to know who did it," Hargens said.
State Sen. Dave Knudson, incoming Senate Republican leader, said revising the campaign spending laws is a good idea. "I do think our election finance laws are in utter shambles," Knudson said.
Earlier this year, Hunt failed to identify the person who gave $750,000 to a corporation that gave the money to a failed effort to get voters to ratify the abortion ban that passed the 2006 legislative session.
"When you have someone who has taken an oath -- not once but twice, once as an attorney and once as a state representative -- to uphold the constitution of the state of South Dakota and the laws of South Dakota, to thumb his nose at the Legislature and the voters of South Dakota, there's something wrong with that," Hargens said Thursday on the South Dakota Public Television program "South Dakota Focus."
Hargens, the House Democratic leader, had said he planned to challenge whether Hunt should be able to serve in the 2007 session. But Hargens backed off from that statement on Friday.
"It looks like there's no way I can stop him from being seated," Hargens said.
But at the very least, Hunt should be censured in some way, the Democratic leader said.
Hunt, an attorney, has said he thinks he has met campaign finance laws requirements.
But the attorney general, Larry Long, and Secretary of State Chris Nelson both have said the information should be disclosed. And Nelson said he plans to offer bills tightening campaign-spending laws.
The Legislature should not short-circuit the attorney general, said Rep. Joel Dykstra of Canton, assistant House Republican leader. "I would try to stay out of the attorney general's way."
During "South Dakota Focus," Hargens was asked if Hunt's case is different from that of Sen. Garry Moore, D-Yankton, who has said he deliberately missed last June's campaign filing deadline because the campaign finance law seldom is enforced.
Hargens said it's not the same thing.
"We have one individual who put $750,000 to a dummy corporation to try to influence the vote in the last election, and I think the people of this state have a right to know who did it," Hargens said.
State Sen. Dave Knudson, incoming Senate Republican leader, said revising the campaign spending laws is a good idea. "I do think our election finance laws are in utter shambles," Knudson said.
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Kay Humphrey wrote on Oct 19, 2007 11:37 PM:
Kay Humphrey wrote on Jan 2, 2007 9:20 PM: