In a move they said would benefit candidates, three former executive board members transferred $12,000 last December from the Yankton County Republicans to a newly-formed political action committee (PAC).
However, the newly-elected Yankton County GOP board has raised concerns about the transfer and is seeking a return of the money, according to a Forum News post late Monday night.
The three men — Roger Meyer, Butch Becker and Greg Adamson — were Yankton County GOP board members last fall when they created the District 18 Republican Political Action Committee. Meyer was vice chair of the county organization, Becker, treasurer and Adamson, state committeeman.
Becker and Adamson referred the Press & Dakotan to Meyer for comment.
The Yankton County GOP funds have been raised over time at Lincoln Day dinners and other events, Meyer noted. The donors want the money to benefit candidates, so the board members at the time formed the PAC for that reason, he said.
“Over the years, we raised a significant amount of money that was given to candidates. We want to preserve that opportunity with money intended for candidates,” he said. “We figured the best way was to put it in a PAC that was a lockbox. The only way that money would be spent is on the behalf of political candidates.”
“The money will be given for candidates and not any other purpose,” he added.
The Yankton County GOP selects its executive board after each general election. Last month, the members replaced the three men with new leadership.
The Forum News story said the Yankton County GOP held about $15,000 in net assets last fall, and the new county executive board members want the $12,000 refunded to their treasury.
“That’s not going to happen,” Meyer told the Press & Dakotan.
The P&D sought comment for this story from the new central committee members.
Chair Steve Rokahr told the P&D he was aware of the Forum News story on the Yankton County GOP situation. Based on legal counsel, Rokahr said he did not want to comment at this time.
However, he said the new board’s information and response will be laid out when the Yankton County GOP meets 6:30 p.m. Monday at JoDean’s restaurant in Yankton.
Meyer told the Press & Dakotan that the PAC paperwork was filed in late November with the South Dakota Secretary of State. A week later, the $12,000 was transferred and deposited to the PAC.
“We did this (PAC) before the meeting (where they elected new officers). We weren’t reacting to anything,” he said. “We just thought it was prudent to put aside the funds, that it was a good move.”
The former board members are following state and county GOP by-laws, Meyer said. In addition, he said he conferred with the South Dakota Secretary of State’s office in setting up the PAC.
The Forum News story included comments from new board members about their ability to fund operations and access to the Facebook page for the county party’s organization.
However, the Yankton County Republicans still have assets for conducting business, Meyer said.
The former board members didn’t transfer the full amount in the Yankton County GOP treasury, he said. The county party still has a mailing list while another copy of the list remains in private hands, he noted.
As for the Facebook page, the site belongs to a GOP member and not the party, he added.
Meyer said he, Becker and Adamson plan to remain active in the county organization.
“We’re not on the executive board, but we consider ourselves still part of the Yankton County Republican Party and will support Republican candidates,” he said. “We plan to give funds to the next round of candidates in the 2024 election cycle. They could come to us, or we could approach them.”
Meyer said he had no firm idea why the three men lost their Yankton County GOP leadership roles. The question could be asked of county members, he said, but he did note the new executive committee members are part of the Citizens for Liberty coalition.
The Citizens for Liberty has become “a very serious force” on the political scene, Meyer added.
The Press & Dakotan sought responses Tuesday from the South Dakota GOP state organization and also from GOP regional director Dan Lederman, whose area includes Yankton County. He formerly served as the South Dakota GOP executive director.
The P&D did not receive comment from either state or regional officials by the news deadline for this story.
(7) comments
This whole scam brings up several questions:
1.) Where was the immediate past Yankton County GOP chair during this charade?
2.) Who ultimately had authority to make the decisions and answer questions?
3.) Does the face book administrator of the County GOP face book page have the final authority on the content of the Yankton County GOP Face book page?
4.) Does that authority give the administrator power to overrule any local GOP decisions on content? If so who is then the actual chair of the Party, and what good is the central committee?
5.) By what authority does the PAC have any right to disperse funds?
6.) Who appointed the paymaster of the PAC?
7.) By what authority were these people given the right to remove funds from the general fund to a PAC?
8.) Should the GOP face book page been listed as an in kind donation?
9.) Has the Yankton County GOP Face book administrator expressly denied the new GOP officers access to the Face book page? If so, why? Was it written somewhere that future officers and central committee members would be denied access? If so why?
This whole issue does not smell right, and the immediate past officers should be ashamed.
The scammer got scammed! Or as they say on the street. The HOOKER got HOOKED. hahahhahhaha
Yankton resident, you are so right, these republicans and all their shenanigans needs to stop. If only they could emulate our own democratic party and be as transparent and as open as we are and watch how we take our cues from our own President Biden and other democratic leaders in congress as they show us all how to be good, honest citizens and good, honest politicians. As a democrat, I have never seen anything like this in our party ever happen, we are the shining example as to what a political party in this country should look like. Shame on you republicans, shame on you.
Re-Elect Biden, your sarcasm gives you away. It kind of hurts when you GOPers to answer to your own ignorance, arrogance, and esteemed egos doesn't it. It is ok for a GOPer to get caught with a hand in the "cookie jar", but lord forbid if it is a Demo. By the way I'm an Indy.
“We want to preserve that opportunity with money intended for candidates,...The money will be given for candidates and not any other purpose,”
The PAC was formed in late November, after the elections in early November. Why were they sitting on $12,000? If this money is for candidates, why was it not given to candidates during the 2022 election cycle? AND, what did they think a new board was going to use the money for?
“We did this (PAC) before the meeting (where they elected new officers). We weren’t reacting to anything,” he said. “We just thought it was prudent to put aside the funds, that it was a good move.”
Right after the 2022 general election the president of the Yankton County Republicans sent out an email calling for a meeting on November 21, 2022. One agenda item was to “elect officers.” This meeting was abruptly canceled two days later because the location for the meeting was “not ADA compliant.” The Republicans had been using that location for months. No new meeting was called until January 16, 2023.
“Meyer said he had no firm idea why the three men lost their Yankton County GOP leadership roles.”
Um…maybe because the people voting became suspicious AFTER reading the excuse used to cancel the meeting and vote in November. Our beloved “South Dakota Tradition” is not ADA compliant? And, 10 days is not enough time to find a new location?
“Citizens for Liberty has become “a very serious force” on the political scene, Meyer added.”
If you are going to attribute your woes to a group, please at least get the name right.
“We did this (PAC) before the meeting (where they elected new officers). We weren’t reacting to anything,” he said. “We just thought it was prudent to put aside the funds, that it was a good move.”
After the 2022 general election the president of the Yankton County Republicans sent out an email calling for a meeting on November 21, 2022. One agenda item was to “elect officers.” This meeting was abruptly canceled two days later because the location for the meeting was “not ADA compliant.” The Republicans had been using that location for months. No new meeting was called until January 16, 2023.
I remember this as well. So when would this moving of funds be voted on via a meeting that no one knew about? I thought it was unusual that JoDeans was no longer considered ADA compliant? That seemed very unusual to myself and others.
Is this how a morally constitutional and transparent group should act? Is this what we are to expect from the platforms. We have seen so much corrupt in the state and federal levels what does this say about local? I can only hope and pray that God moves in the hearts of those who may have been involved in this and make the right decision to be honest and do what the right thing would be and come together and be a united front according to the platform. Maybe everyone who decides to register needs to read over the platforms, by laws and the constitution to see where they fit in all of this with their stand on things and be honest with themselves and others.
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