Sam Kephart, a former candidate for the U.S. Senate in the Republican primary, and former two-term state Treasurer Dick Butler unveiled a video this week that they say is proof backing up the campaign's key points. The two are leading Yes on 10, or the South Dakotans for Open and Clean Government campaign. The measure will appear on the Nov. 4 statewide ballot and would restrict political donations by people with state contracts and people related to them, would ban government-funded lobbying and would require a state Web site operated by the secretary of state containing all state contracts.
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The Vote No on 10 campaign says the measure is a gag law that limits free speech by denying thousands of people the right to participate in the political process.
"The measure claims to be about transparency, but its supporters won't say who is giving most of the money to promote it," said David Owen, president of the South Dakota Chamber of Commerce and one of the leaders of the Vote No on 10 campaign. If the initiative passes, Owen said, it wouldn't even do anything to change the bidding process.
About the pledge, Owen said, "We're not using any tax money in this campaign. The supporters of the measure signed the pledge, but they're being funded from out of state. They don't have to worry about fund-raising," Owen said. "They talk about openness, but they're hiding their cash."
Owen also said that under the measure, anyone related to anyone who does business with city, county or the state would be committing a crime by donating to a political candidate.
Yes on 10 backs ballot issue
Argus Leader (Sioux Falls, SD) - September 26, 2008
So, would donating to a political candidate become a criminal offense under IM 10? Why?
Why should anyone want to make it a crime to support candidates for public office?
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