Rapid City, S.D. (August 8, 2023) – The South Dakota Freedom Caucus is exposing a recurring theme of misconduct within the state’s political inner workings, in light of the accusations lobbied against State Sen. Jessica Castleberry, R-Rapid City, who has been accused of illegally accepting over $600,000 in COVID-19 relief funds for her child care business, Little Nest Preschool. Senator Castleberry who has been cooperating with the Attorney General’s office in their investigation of the matter, still may face legal action for a demand of repayment by Governor Kristi Noem and Attorney General Marty Jackley. 1 & 2

Sen. Castleberry is only one of many incidents revealing a pattern of corruption within South Dakota’s political landscape. During a debate on Senate Bill 65 for workforce housing funding on March 3, 2022, Rep. Roger Chase of District 22 openly admitted to a conflict of interest, a violation of the South Dakota Joint Rules that prohibit such conflicts. 3 & 4

“The audacity of Rep. Chase to openly admit to a high possibility of a conflict of interest and then vote is deeply concerning,” said South Dakota Freedom Caucus Chair Aaron Aylward. “It’s a clear violation of the ethical guidelines that govern our state’s legislature.”

Further, the South Dakota Constitution Article 3 Section 12 explicitly prohibits members of the Legislature from having an interest in any contract with the state or any county thereof, authorized by any law passed during their term. 5 Senator Helene Duhamel’s decision to keep her county job, despite this constitutional prohibition, further illustrates the disregard for ethical guidelines within the state’s political sphere. 6

“The disregard for the constitution by Senator Duhamel is unacceptable,” said South Dakota Freedom Caucus Vice-Chair Representative Tony Randolph. “We must hold our elected officials to the highest standards of integrity and accountability.”

Such inherent conflicts of interests is a growing trend in the legislature, with recently elected Senator Randy Deibert, who also serves as a Lawrence County Commissioner in contradiction to a long-standing Attorney General opinion that “a conflict of interest would exist if an individual held the office of county commissioner and state legislator simultaneously,” specifically because “a county commissioner elected to the Legislature would, perhaps, have the opportunity to vote on matters affecting his commission tenure and compensation while serving in the Legislature.” 7

And in fact, during the last legislative session, Senator Deibert introduced the topic of an interim summer study to evaluate county funding in the Senate Local Government that he serves on, 8 which was approved and Senator Deibert now serves as the Vice-Chair of that interim study with Senator Helene Duhamel. 9 Both Senators are directly either employed or hold office with their respective counties.

In another alarming case, Gary Cammack of Union Center, who served District 29 and was elected Senate Majority Leader in 2021, was released from jail just a week into the 2020 legislative session on January 19th. The details of his arrest remain unclear, as the case was sealed. 10 Additionally, Cammack’s son, Chris Cammack, received more than $1 million in COVID relief funding for a business that appeared to operate in Texas, not South Dakota, as required by the rules of the program. Gary Cammack himself had been involved in receiving funds for supplies and materials, and his business, Cammack Ranch Supply, received significant amounts from various departments. 11, 12 & 13

“South Dakota public funds are for the people of South Dakota, not for political insiders to self-enrich themselves,” stated South Dakota Freedom Caucus Treasurer Tina Mulally.

The appearance of potential wrongdoing reaches the highest levels of our state government, as illustrated by Lieutenant Governor Larry Rhoden’s financial dealings, since payments have come to light that the Lieutenant Governor has received from Game Fish and Parks for “Contractual Services” and from the Governor’s Office for the “Governor’s Hunt” for “Contractual Services” for “Advertising” in 2022 and 2023. 14 & 15

“The time for complacency is over. The people of South Dakota deserve transparency, honesty, and a government that works for them, not against them. We believe it to be in the best interest of the South Dakota Attorney General to investigate and prosecute these blatant violations of the public trust,” declared South Dakota Freedom Caucus Chair Representative Aylward.

Now, after years of a culture of corruption and misconduct, the South Dakota Freedom Caucus is taking a stand against the corruption that has plagued the state’s political landscape.