Republican Congressman Janklow kills motorcyclist while driving...

[HerbieHeadhunter]

"Rep. Bill Janklow was driving a car that hit a motorcycle and killed its rider at a rural intersection, state officials said Sunday."

http://www.9news.com/storyfull-newsroom.asp?id=17672

[jiacinto]

1. Oh my god

Was Congresman Janklow drunk? Anyway, if it turns out he was drunk, will Stephanie Herseth run in a special election should this get ugly?

[bluestateguy]

2. Could become a campaign issue

In 1996 a Republican congressman from North Carolina, William Funderburk (who I used to call Funderfuck), caused an accident and it was used against him by Bob Ethridge, who is still that district's congressman.

Do any of us doubt that if a liberal Democrat caused an accident it would not be used by the other side in the campaign?

[jiacinto]

3. Let's reserve judgment first

Let's wait to find out more. It could have simply been a horrible, unfortunate accident. Now, if Janklow turns out to be at fault or if it turns out that he had had too much to drunk, then it becomes an issue.

[NNN0LHI]

4. Janklow driver in crash; biker dies

http://www.argusleader.com/news/Sundayarticle1.shtml

<snip>Jacobs would not identify the driver or the victim. He characterized the collision as "a motorcyclist headed eastbound. A car ran the intersection going southbound and struck the motorcyclist."

[AP]

7. The car ran the intersection? Man, the Republicans think

that no law applies to them.

[salin]

5. This is how the liberal mayor of Bloomington, IN

became a 6 (?) term congressman. Frank McCloskey was running behind a sitting repub incumbent. Less than a month before the election - said repub gets in a big drunk driving accident. Suddenly Frank is elected.

I agree, wait and see about the alcohol level. Then - would he resign? Would he "tough it out"? Hard to predict the script.

[jburton]

6. If this were a Democrat...

There would be absolutely no 'reserving judgement'

It doesn't matter if he was obeying every single law in the world, the Repugs would make a big deal out of it.

Imagine if it were a Dem:
Can't you see an ad with a picture of a Dem morphing into a picture of Ted Kennedy? Repugs still get off on Chappiqudock (sp?)

It wouldn't matter if the Repug running the ad had 57 DWI's, either. They would make the Dem out to be a monster. Think about what they did to Max Cleland in GA.

[wryter2000]

13. Can you say...

Can you say, "Gary Condit"? I thought so. :)

[The Zanti Regent]

24. But republicans CAN get away with Murder!

Ask Pickles and Killer Joe Scarborogh!

[hlthe2b]

8. Janklow? the same former governor/rapist

who doesn't dare step foot near a certain N. American reservation for fear of being arrested and brought up on those not-forgotten felony charges?

I find it a bit hard to reserve judgment on him, but have to send my sympathy to yet another Janklow victim. Karma's a bitch, isn't it, Governor?

[HerbieHeadhunter]

9. Can you fill me in on this...

I don't anything about Janklow, what's the story?

[hlthe2b]

11. Janklow and rape/obstruction of justice charges unfaced...

Gotta run to work-- sorry Herbie. But if you do a google search you'll find it. Fairly well known among those living out west and among anyone from South Dakota.

[kainah]

32. good summary of Janklow rape charge

http://www.indiancountry.com/article/1042821426

[Judi Lynn]

22. I've heard of this, just from a fast google

From the way it appears, he has his own little kingdom there.



(snip) Janklow can wait to show finances
By MIKE MADDEN
Argus Leader Washington Bureau
published: 06/17/2003


Disclosure form due August 13

WASHINGTON – Rep. Bill Janklow got permission to wait until Aug. 13 to file his personal financial disclosure forms, which were due last month, according to records released Monday.

Members of Congress are required to file annual financial disclosure statements. The reports offer a broad look at lawmakers’ finances. They report assets, income and debts in wide ranges and can exclude the value of primary residences, furniture and other items. Lawmakers also are required to report trips paid for by others and any boards or foundations on which they serve.

Janklow, a South Dakota Republican, got an extension from the House. Most House members’ disclosure forms were released Monday, though 51 others also got extensions past the May 15 deadline.

Senate reports were released Friday.

“I got busy,” Janklow said through a spokesman when asked why he hadn’t completed the report. (snip/...)

http://www.southdakotaelections.com/Story.cfm?Type=USHouse&ID=1851

[NewJerseyDem]

28. That doesn't matter

A lot of other congressmen, 51 actually, got extensions. That doesn't show anything.

[Judi Lynn]

25. Someone with some time to look into it should look for his name

under "governor" in a search.

I'm in a rush, only had time to do a superficial look under "Rep.
Bill Janklow" and saw this article quickly:


(snip) William "Wild Bill" Janklow is the current governor of South Dakota. In 1955, at the age of 16, he was convicted of the sexual assault of a 17-year old woman. As a juvenile offense, this conviction carried little weight under U.S. law.

However, in 1966, while working as the tribal attorney for the Rosebud Sioux, Janklow--aged 27--was accused of raping his children's 15-year-old babysitter, Jancita Eagle Deer. Adult sexual offenses being more grave than this earlier recorded exploit, Janklow used his capacity as head of reservation legal services to stave off the (illegible) of formal, federal charges. He then resigned his position and left tribal jurisdiction.

Having progressed through the "mainstream" South Dakota legal system during the intervening seven years, Janklow achieved status as the state's Deputy Attorney General by the time of the 1973 American Indian Movement (AIM) occupation of Wounded Knee. Opting to run for Attorney General the following year, he undertook a campaign of hardline prosecutorial assault upon AIM members designed to win him the advantage of local headlines and support of South Dakota's virulently anti-Indian white citizenry.

AIM countered this offensive when organization member Douglass Durham discovered the old Rosebud rape files. AIM leader Dennis Banks secured the filing of charges and brought the case before tribal judge Mario Gonzales. Durham, meanwhile, had located Jancita Eagle Deer in Iowa, where she had resided since dropping out of high school shortly after the 1966 incident. (snip/...)

http://www.dlncoalition.org/dln_issues/strangecaseofjanklow.htm

I'm coming back later to read this thread more closely. This state's politics could use some policing, you'd think. They've been strange a long time.

[Fridays Child]

10. Is the devil in the details? There's no mention of the time of day...

...the accident occurred and there's no mention of the sex of the staff member traveling with Janklow.

[stitz58]

23. the accident occured at 4:30 p.m.

Being from South dakota Jaklow has been known to drive with a heavy foot. He did it all the time as Gov.
I'm not sure on the staff member.
It'll be really interesting to see what becomes of this.

[stevedeshazer]

12. News reporters were kept a mile away from scene

Crews were called to scene around 4:30 Saturday. Our
news cameras were not allowed within a mile of the accident site. One witness tells us
he saw and spoke to Janklow. He says Janklow appeared to be confused but not hurt.

http://www.kelotv.com/NewsDetail9.cfm?Id=22,26294

[wellstone_democrat]

15. "Confused" + Janklow = Drunk

But, you'll never hear of it again. Once they cordoned it off from the press by one mile(!) you can bet that if a breathalyzer was even done that it will be "lost" and, I think you can guarantee that no field sobriety or alcohol tests were done.

(Nope, I'm not in the great northern plains but my husband's family is in huge numbers and they've been bitchin' about Janklow, his power and his boozin' for a loooong time.)

[SoCalDem]

17. So congressmen have "first amendment zones" too??

if it had been a dem, the reporters would have been brought in by the busload....

[RapidCreek]

14. You'll never know

South Dakota is allot like Georgia in the early fifties. Janklow is Boss Hogg. If he was drunk it'll be covered up. Here in South Dakota laws the rethugs don't like, they don't enforce. Ten to one you'll never hear another word about it and there is a reason for this. South Dakota hosts the largest Motorcycle Rally in the world in a small town called Sturgis. This year over half a million attended. I'd guess revenue generated by the rally is in excess of 250 million annaully...which is, for a small state like South Dakota, an incredibly large sum. It would not look good for SD's rethug poster boy to be convicted of piloting his tuna barge over motorcyclists while drunk. Here is a little history on Janklow and booze:

http://www.dlncoalition.org/dln_issues/janklowphilbrick1.htm

http://hp.state.sd.us/events/christmas02.htm

http://www.argusleader.com/specialsections/2003/pardons/Tuesdayarticle4.shtml

http://www.state.sd.us/governor/Press/Misc/1999/bills/Veto1999SB0097.htm

Here is a little bit on the alleged rape....Which I don't particularily believe took place.

http://www.indiancountry.com/article/1042821426

http://www.dlncoalition.org/dln_issues/janklowpolygraph.htm

RC
Spearfish SD resident

[maxanne]

20. why

don't you "particularly" believe that the rape of Jancita Eagle Deer took place?

[RapidCreek]

27. I will believe he raped her when a court of law determines his guilt

I do not have access to the testimony of Ms. Eagle Deer or her parents or her physician or her guidance counselor. I do not have access to her medical records from P.H.S. either. Until I have access to these things I can base my judgment of Mr. Janklows guilt, only upon hearsay and allegation and my personal dislike of the man. I cannot in good conscience do this to the degree that I will state, I believe he is guilty of the crime he was accused of committing. I will presume him innocent until he is proven guilty. This is a right all Americans enjoy, including yourself....and one which I will defend.

If you will recall William J. Clinton was accused of rape by Juanita Broaddrick and Paula Jones. It has been asserted by those in the Clinton camp that these allegations found their origins in politically motivated, intentionally manufactured character assassination. I won't particularly believe in his guilt as it pertains to either of these accusations either....until I have access to all evidence and/or he is convicted of said crimes in a court of law.

I live in Western South Dakota/Eastern Wyoming and I have worked for the equitable treatment of the Sioux tribe over the years. That being said, Indians are no more saints than non-indians. They suffer the members of their ranks political machinations the same as anyone else. These machinations like the ones our culture is familiar with are constructed by those seeking personal aggrandizement, power and wealth. Russel Means, Denis Banks, Vernon Bellecourt and AIM are classic examples. Thier little games have hurt those they claim to represent more than helped, for the most part.

Personally I feel that Mr. Janklow is a racist prick. That being said, his history with Indians in South Dakota is turbid at best and that of a vengeful racist at worst. It is not beyond the scope of reason that Means and his crew would have engineered an attack on Janklows character similar to that waged on Bill Clinton. They are fully capable of it and happy to do it to their own, when it serves them. Until I have something in front of me other than allegations and hearsay, I shall not convict either man.

If you'd like to see what Indians think of the AIM organization go here.

While I will admit the information contained on the pages for which I have provided links seems damning....it is not worthy of a conviction without trial. I would not have provided the links if I believed that Mr. Janklow was lilly white. I, more than most here, am aware that he is far from it. I'd be perfectly happy to see Mr. Janklow tried for the allegations made against him. In fact I believe that he should be. I will not surmise as to his guilt or innocence before a verdict is rendered by twelve of his peers, however. To do otherwise, serves only to cloud an already cloudy isseu.


Rapid Creek

[aquart]

21. Why, sweetie, don't motorcycle groups have email and websites?

Is there any reason why concerned citizens should not inform them that one of their number has been killed by a drunken congressman joyriding with a "staff member"?

My goodness, who needs newspapers?

[RapidCreek]

35. Yes they do.

Unfortunately they, like you and I don't have access to unbiased documentation of the situation after it occured. We cannot ascertain whether the "blood sample" taken from Mr. Janklow was taken from blood he had given prior to the accident or from his arm directly following it. Since he enjoyed many years as governer of the state and was commander and chief of those investigating him at present, the very same group who prevented the press from going to the accident scene, we have no way of gauging the veracity of thier investigation. We can only suspect...nothing more. I feel the question at hand, should be, why was the press forbidden access to the scene of the accident? Like I said before....we will never know. Of course this sort of shit is typical in my state.....a place where the freedom of information act was squelched long before the Bush regime came to power. It could be asserted that Bushes close freindship with Janklow is based on his appreciation of Janklows creation of the perfect facsist state. What Bush and his cronies are now doing nationally follows almost exactly what Janklow did in South Dakota. South Dakota it might be said, was the trial balloon. Well that balloon is flying high to this day.

RC

[arikara]

26. There is a lot of evidence that it did happen

Its written about in the book that Janklow tried and failed to have banned, "In the Spirit of Crazy Horse".

Jancita Eagle Deer's testimony was corroborated and she was conveniently killed after she testified against her rapist; but she was only one of many more dozens of "accidental" Pine Ridge deaths. Remember, the coroner even said that another woman, Anna Mae Aquash's death was accidental and her with a bullet in the back of her head.

On edit, remove sentence and more links re: the Jancita Eagle Deer story

http://www.jancitaeagledeer.com/
http://ishgooda.org/peltier/eagledeer/
http://www.dickshovel.com/sd.html

[kainah]

33. They did have "In the Spirit of Crazy Horse" pulled

It was out of print and unavailable for many, many years although, if memory serves, it was as much through the influence of the FBI as Janklow. After many years of litigation, it finally was put back into print. And for those who have never read it, I highly recommend it.

[RapidCreek]

36. Thanks for the heads up on the book

I shall have to give it a read. Good to see a Wyoming person on the board by the way.

RC

[Dude_CalmDown]

16. If you ride a bike and you've never had an accident...

...wait. I'm not saying this does not need to be investigated but a lot of motorcycle accidents happen at intersections with a sober biker and a sober driver. Even if the driver stops at the stop sign and looks it's common that they don't notice the biker. Another thing to consider is what kind of bike this was: a nice sport bike, a rural road, a biker that has a pulse - it's not too far a stretch to imagine that they may have been going a tad over the limit.

Let's just wait for more info.

[goobergunch]

18. AP: alcohol wasn't a factor, also, the victim didn't have a helmet on

Mosteller says Scott was not wearing a helmet. He says there's no indication that alcohol or drugs were a factor, but authorities say blood tests for the victim and driver will be done to make sure.

http://www.kare11.com/news/news-article.asp?NEWS_ID=50918

It's too early IMHO to say what role this will play in the 2004 election.

[BiggJawn]

19. Oh, well, then give Janklow a ferkin' MEDAL...

Geez, the biker wasn't wearing a HELMET? The magic protect-all?

Well, The cage pilot's absolved of all responsibility, then. Lets' rule it "Suicide by Motorcycle", because EVERYONE knows helmets ALWAYS protect you!

Right after Indiana repealed their helmat law, there was a bike fatality out on the interstate around Indy. the press reports that the biker wasn't wearing a helmet. What they failed to report was that he was decapitated by the ARMCO barrier down the middle of the median...Helmet wouldn't had made any difference.

A helmet will save you if you go down and slide, or get hit stnding still at a stoplight. It will not save you in a car vs. bike wreck at speed.

I've ridden over a quarter-million miles. I know of what I speak. I wore a helmet when I rode.

[Bozola]

29. kinda sorta

"A helmet will save you if you go down and slide, or get hit stnding still at a stoplight. It will not save you in a car vs. bike wreck at speed."

It depends on the situation. It saved a buddy of mine. Bounced his face off the side of an SUV as it popped out into an arterial.

I'm pushing a over a half million miles myself, and I road-race to boot.



Jacobs would not identify the driver or the victim. He characterized the collision as "a motorcyclist headed eastbound. A car ran the intersection going southbound and struck the motorcyclist."

In the case of a fat f*cker running an intersection, you are correct in this case that it probably would not have mattered.

I've listened to hours of non-riders say "oh, motorcycles are dangerous". Bull. It's the f*cking numbnut on the cell phone in their big fat bloatowagon that's dangerous, not the bikie. If you are on the road, you've GOT TO PAY ATTENTION!

This is murder.

[TheZoo]

30. I hope the he gets...

Some prayers from the group. Or at least his family. I'm replying in regards to the victim's family.

A human being is dead.

He might have been liberal, he might have been conservative, he might have heen a moderate.

It doesn't matter; a human being is dead. Just like the U.S. soldiers, just like the Afgans / Iraquis, just like Marie.

Even though I've given up on G-D, I will still say a prayer for the families; no one deserves to be dead in this manner.

Lou

[dArKeR]

31. New member of the Laura Bush club. Let's see if her punishment is the same

http://darkerxdarker.tripod.com/

[Unknown Known]

34. Just another day in the life of a toady repuke

Responsibility is for wimps:puke: