J.A.I.L. News Journal
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Los Angeles, California December 28, 2022
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The Inherent Right of ALL People to Alter or Reform Their Government The Right Upon Which All Other Rights Depend
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J.A.I.L. To Outshine All Politics in South
Dakota
Ron Branson, National J.A.I.L.
CIC
Every two years among the fifty states around the nation, politicians line up for competitive races for various seats up for grab. Ordinarily the competitive seats of interest are for governor, congressional seats, or U.S. senate. However in South Dakota the political scene appears to be drawing away from "who" is on the ballot, to "what" is on the ballot, namely, judicial accountability.
The interest of South Dakotans in judicial accountability is showing signs of overshadowing the candidates and their platform issues so as to give their candidacy little to no attention. This tends to give the candidates a reason to take sides on the judicial question of interest before the voters next November in hopes that their position will assure their re-election, or defeat the incumbent and sweep them into office. In other words, the outcome of the election for governor in South Dakota may very well be determined not on the parties, or the candidate running for governor, but rather on where the candidate stands. This, of course, opens a door of opportunity for alternative party candidates should their position be opposite that of their opponents, which would be revealed in their debates with one another.
I have long stated that once J.A.I.L. hits the ballot in any state, it will become the hottest issue in the history of initiative ballots across this country. There is no doubt that the entire nation will be watching the 2006 election in South Dakota.
Our thanks to David Kranz for his excellent article published in the Argus Leader, and encourage everyone to write and thank him.
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Judicial review issue likely to spark more debate than �06 candidates
DAVID KRANZ
[email protected]
Article Published: 12/27/05, 3:05 am
There are plenty of uncertainties in South Dakota politics as a new
year approaches.
Most significant is the lack of a Republican who
comes close to being a threat to Democratic U.S. Rep. Stephanie
Herseth.
On the Democrat side, they have Ron Volesky committed to
challenge Republican Gov. Mike Rounds, but rumblings continue about others
entering that race.
And there is still discontent with Rounds by
some state senators in his own party.
That dissatisfaction has not
translated into a primary challenge, though.
Spin forward to 2006,
and you will likely conclude that the U.S. House and governor�s races are
not going to set South Dakota on fire with interest.
In fact, the
most spirited of the campaigns will not likely be for a candidate, but for
a ballot issue � the Judicial Accountability Initiative Law that will be
first offered to voters in South Dakota.
Bill Stegmeier of Tea,
the local spokesman for the initiative, submitted an explanation of the
ballot issue to the Secretary of State along with the petitions.
It
says in part: �Simply put, J.A.I.L. will make the Judicial Branch of our
state government answerable and accountable to no entity other than
itself. The entity that this amendment creates is a Special Grand Jury,
comprised of ordinary South Dakota citizens who are empowered to hear
complaints of judicial misconduct.
�If, after careful investigation
including testimony from both the complainant and the Judge, the Special
Grand Jury finds for the complainant, the �judicial immunity� from lawsuit
will be set aside, thereby allowing the complainant to sue the Judge for
damages.�
Stegmeier says passage will lead to an honorable and
accountable judiciary today and for future generations and inspire
citizens from other states to restore integrity and accountability to the
entire judicial branch.
E-mail communications from the national
group supporting the measure say they are preparing for a difficult
road.
Most recently, a supporter of the cause, David Estes of
Vashon, Wash., offered �serious information,� saying this campaign will
not be a social picnic.
�For our part, we need to give support
wherever and whenever we can. Communicate your support and, above all, go
to South Dakota and get involved.
�This is not going to be a
social picnic. I hope you all begin to understand how mean and vicious
this campaign will become,� he wrote.
Estes encouraged volunteering
to combat money from lawyers.
David Kranz�s column appears
Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Write to him at the Argus Leader, P.O.
Box 5034, Sioux Falls, SD 57117-5034.