Jackley, Noem Stumble to Finish Line
With less than two weeks to go until the June 5 primary, both Republican candidates for governor have suffered serious setbacks, which raise new questions about their abilities and qualifications to serve as governor of our great state.
Attorney General Marty Jackley has begun a war of words with the victim of sexual harassment in the Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) – whose claims of harassment he rejected before the victim was forced out of the DCI – over the delay in the payment of the settlement to the victim. Further, according to the victim, this delay was due to her refusal to sign a non-disparagement agreement that would have barred her from making negative comments about Jackley.
Representative Kristi Noem suffered a huge setback last week when the House of Representatives failed to pass a new Farm Bill, despite her party controlling the House. Noem left the House Ag committee and appears to once again be failing to garner the support necessary to pass the bill without delay. It now seems it will be at least a month before another attempt is made to vote. Noem’s failure to pass a Farm Bill means South Dakota’s farmers and ranchers are without the needed stability a Farm Bill brings. This is especially troublesome for farmers amid a pending trade war with China prompted by the President.
These episodes raise serious questions about the competence and leadership of both Jackley and Noem. In Jackley’s case, his rejection of the victim’s claims of harassment, and then entering into a public disagreement with the victim, raises questions about how seriously he takes the issue of sexual harassment. Further, the delay’s connection to the refusal of the victim to sign a non-disparagement agreement that would help Jackley sweep this under the rug raises questions about when Jackley will stop politicizing the work of his office.
In Noem’s case, her failure highlights her inability to bring both parties, or even the different factions of her own party, together to get things done for the people of South Dakota. This failure is emblematic of her entire career in congress – one marked by a lack of accomplishments and leadership.
Whether Noem or Jackley ends up winning their party’s nomination for governor, they will enter the general election campaign with serious questions about their competence and leadership.
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