A South Dakota state lawmaker claims impropriety, conflict of interest, and possible illegal activity in the Secretary of State's office.
District 32 Senator Stan Adelstein made accusations against a political website operated by Pat Powers, the Secretary of State's Director of Operations.
Adelstein says, "The Dakota Campaign Store" is soliciting business and is using private information to help certain campaigns. He speculates "The Dakota Campaign Store" was taken down due to
the investigation. However, Secretary of State, Jason Gant said that he asked Powers to stop the business so there were no distractions on Powers' part.
The District 32 Republican says Powers is the first to see filings from candidates and may be using that access, which is not accessible to his competition. Adelstein says he is also concerned if finances are being used for Gant's campaigns. Gant said that is not the case and any information that the public needs is available in his office.
Adelstein is asking attorney general Marty Jackley to look into the matter, saying if not illegal, at the least, it is wrong and does not represent South Dakota well.
"South Dakota is a very traditionally honest and open state," said Adelstein, "The fact that there's a possibility of dishonesty or misconduct would begin to deteriorate our very values."
But, Gant is certain there is no illegal activity. "The allegations that the senator talks about are completely false," says Gant. "My office is one of the most open and transparent of state government. Every piece of information is open to the public."
When contacted Monday morning, Attorney General Marty Jackley's office had no information.
Below is the letter sent by Adelstein:
####
17 June 2012
Attorney General Marty Jackley
1302 E Hwy 14 Suite #1
Pierre SD 57501-8501
Dear Attorney General
Jackley
I request that you investigate
the office of
South Dakota Secretary of State. I am concerned about allegations of
impropriety, conflict of interest, and possible illegal activity.
A political commercial
enterprise, "Dakota
Campaign Store," solicits political consulting campaign material. It
appears that it may actually be operating out of the Secretary of
State's office
by Mr.Pat Powers, who is employed at the office and
providing services he is advertising from Dakota Campaign
Store.
Does Dakota
Campaign Store use
political filings from candidates to solicit business? It appears
obvious that Mr. Powers is the first to see any such filing - and with
the new
"assistance" program offered by his office - has access to private
information, not available to his competition.
I am concerned about the endorsement of a primary
election of the
incumbent Speaker of the House of Representatives. Does that
endorsement
arise out on any financial arrangements with this "consulting" service?
Were any of the campaign material used in that primary race purchased
through or by that enterprise?
Does the Secretary himself directly or indirectly
participate in earnings of this political operation? By indirectly, I
mean
discounts for material, utilization of services pro bono,
etc.
Has the Secretary purchased, even at market value,
campaign material from that enterprise for his re-election campaign, or
made use
of mailing lists, etc?
Has any of the business of this commercial service
utilized State computers, office space, lists, office supplies, etc. in
the
conduct of it's affairs.
Time may be of the essence! I went online at
12:40 mountain time, June 15 and perused in detail Mr Powers advertising
on DakotaCampaignStore.com.
Shortly thereafter I expressed my concern to most of my Senate
colleagues.
Since my posting to them, that website has been taken down! Mr
Powers, among other things, is well known as a computer Guru. and I fear
that
evidence of wrongdoing could be erased, revised, or otherwise
distorted.
If you establish
apparent impropriety or misbehavior, I am also asking for your
advice with regard to two sections of Article XVI of the SD
Constitution.
Is it possible that Section 2 - "impeachment" - is something I should
be
seeking as a senator or possibly (and to my engineer's mind) more likely
Section
3 "Removal from Office." Education and background makes this
distinction
between the offenses listed and somewhat unclear.
Stanford M Adelstein State Senator, District
32
