January 6, 2021

PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) -- The State Bar of South Dakota ethics committee says a South Dakota lawyer may

Source: KELO TV (CBS) Sioux Falls, South Dakota

PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — The State Bar of South Dakota ethics committee says a South Dakota lawyer may not ethically provide legal services to a client engaged in marijuana activities when sale of marijuana is legal in South Dakota but prohibited by federal law.



“Consequently, Lawyer may not ethically provide legal services to assist a client in establishing,
licensing, or otherwise operating a marijuana business. Lawyer may only advise a client
considering this course of action about the potential legal consequences of doing so, under either
state or federal law, or assist the client in making a good faith effort to determine the validity,
scope, meaning, or application of the relevant state and federal law.”

The opinion adds a further twist to the legal fight already underway in state circuit court over the validity of Amendment A that South Dakota voters approved in the November 3 statewide election. The constitutional amendment would legalize recreational marijuana in South Dakota for persons age 21 and older and would impose a 15% excise tax on sales.



The State Bar has a disciplinary board. From its website: “Discipline may range from a private reprimand by the board, public censure, suspension from practice for a specified time, placement on probation, to disbarment by the Supreme Court.”



Read more: https://www.keloland.com/news/capitol-news-bureau/south-dakota-lawyers-may-not-serve-s-d-pot-businesses-while-sale-remains-a-federal-crime/

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I am not sure what to make of this development, hence my posting here for some insight from those far more educated and experienced in these matters than I am.

As mentioned in the citations of the article above, Rapid City law enforcement and State Highway Patrol leader are behind the lawsuit seeking to have the voter approved amendments thrown out.

I could inject a few of my opinions on this, but seeing how this is a legal issue, conjecture would not fit in at this point.


(notice to moderators: I went close to the limit on my snips from the article, but felt they were needed as several points of consideration are brought forth.)

December 23, 2019

Thune promises 'fair process' in Senate impeachment trial

Source: KELO TV (CBS) Sioux Falls SD

"SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — It’s been a big story all across the country, the impeachment of President Donald Trump.

Now that the House of Representatives has voted to impeach the President, the Senate is set to decide President Trump’s fate on remaining in office.

KELOLAND News sat down with the second-in-command in the upper chamber, Sen. John Thune (R-SD), and asked him about how the Senate is going to handle the process.

“In the Senate we will conduct a fair process. We will give both sides an opportunity to be heard, and hopefully draw a conclusion without it dragging on for a long period of time,” Thune said."

Read more: https://www.keloland.com/news/politics/thune-promises-fair-process-in-senate-impeachment-trial/

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Pandering to his locals. I also have a letter from him outright lying concerning the Downing Street Memos, too. So take what he says with a grain of salt.

October 14, 2017

Schopp to retire from role as Education Secretary

...""And earlier this year, emails surfaced that showed Schopp's education department ignored signs of trouble years earlier, in 2011 when an employee flagged what appeared to be a "co-mingling of data" for Gear Up's grants.

Schopp at the time thought one former Department of Education employee was disgruntled after she was laid off and told another the situation was being properly handled.

After the 2015 murder-suicide that generated deeper investigations into the financial scheme, Schopp said she carried guilt about notifying the cooperative the day before the Westerhuis deaths that the state planned to pull a multi-million dollar grant."

[link:http://www.argusleader.com/story/news/politics/2017/10/13/schopp-retire-early-role-education-secretary/762340001/|

Another South Dakota west river Republican escapes culpability.

September 26, 2017

Jim Abourezk hits a homer...

... I wanted to make sure all of us interested in South Dakota were made aware of this great article/essay by former Senator James Abourezk. We always mention, "America needs you Harry Truman", ...