S.D. Public Doubts Fair Treatment For Janklow

[pruner]

Favoritism Expected For Congressman

By T. R. Reid
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 3, 2003; Page A03

FLANDREAU, S.D., Sept. 2 -- Rep. William J. Janklow (R-S.D.) went to court for the first time today to face a charge of manslaughter following the accident last month that killed a motorcyclist on a rural road.

Prosecutors pressed the toughest charge available against Janklow, but many people here are concerned that the powerful politician, who also has served as governor, will receive special treatment. Letters to newspaper editors and callers to radio talk shows complain that he has already received preferential treatment.

<snip>

A four-term governor who won the state's at-large House seat last November, Janklow faces as many as 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine if convicted on the felony charge.

His political career is also in jeopardy. A statewide poll recently showed that a large majority of South Dakotans want him to resign from Congress if he is found guilty of causing the crash; 45 percent said he should resign now. If Janklow were to resign, a special election would be called. Analysts here say the seat might well switch to the Democrats if that happened.

<snip>

There has also been speculation that Janklow's driving record, with several speeding tickets and accidents, might be doctored. Janklow's son and spokesman, Russ Janklow, felt the need to make a statement denying it: "I can assure you that no state employee was directed to clean my dad's records. That's ridiculous."

<snip>

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A15154-2003Sep2.html

[jiacinto]

1. Thune would probably run if Janklow resigns

And he would win comfortably unless 2002 nominee Stephanie Herseth (D) ran. But even then she would be the underdog against Thune.

[arcos]

3. I think he would skip it and run for the Senate instead... n/t

[jiacinto]

6. I disagree

He lost to Johnson last year, who was widely considered to be the more vulnerable of the state's senators. A race against Daschle would be brutal and he would be the underdog.

Running for his House Seat is a much surer bet for him and would probably be the easier race. It would be more a sure thing than a campaign against Daschle.

[ButterflyBlood]

8. exactly

that also means Daschle should then easily coast to victory. If he does decide to run against Daschle, Stephanie Herseth can pick up the House seat. And if Thune decides he would prefer to remain in private life and spend more time with his family, we get the best of both worlds.

[NewJerseyDem]

9. Well

I don't really know what Thune will do so I can just say what I saw on TV. On CNN, I guess, one pundit was saying that Thune really doesn't want to go back to the House and would much rather run for senate but he may be pressured into filling a vacant seat. He may just not like the House of Representatives, it can be a scary, vicious place sometimes and he may enjoy the civility and fame that a senate seat would have.

[agates]

12. Thune

will do whatever Rove tells him to do.

[bluestateguy]

13. I'm sure it's already being arranged

Once again Karl Rove will stick his fat fingers where they have no business and he will bully Janklow out of the race (heaven forbid the voters should be allowed to hold him accountable in 2004), and Janklow will be replaced by some Bush-loving tool like Thune.

[ButterflyBlood]

15. well while it's to the right's benefit not to have Janklow run again

I doubt anyone here encouraged Condit to run again, and if it was a Dem we'd agree they should resign/not run again.

If anyone besides Thune runs though, my guess is that Stephanie Herseth picks up the seat. She can get a lot more of the rural white male vote than any other Democrat, just because she's so good looking.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

2. The guy ran a stop sign

seems pretty open and shut as to his guilt.
Also, isn't this guy who may have raped the American Indian girl?

[bicentennial_baby]

4. Jacinta Eagle Deer

"I am enclosing evidence relating to the alleged rape of Jancita Eagle Deer by William Janklow on January 13, 1967 within the boundaries of the Rosebud Reservation for which he was disbarred in Rosebud Sioux Tribal Court on October 31, 1974 by Judge Mario Gonzalez. A summary of the evidence is as follows:

Ms. Jancita Eagle Deer Sheldahl was struck by an oncoming car near Aurora, Nebraska while outside of a vehicle on April 4, 1975 and died. This was hundreds of miles away from where she lived, and only a few months after she had testified in Rosebud Sioux Tribal Court that she was raped at gunpoint by William Janklow. At the time, Mr. Janklow was undergoing Senate confirmation as a Board Member for Legal Services Corporation, and in this context, the allegations were raised. In the absence of her testimony, the Senate committee was impaired, which led to claims of insufficient evidence - a fact that has been much touted by Janklow as the imprimatur of his innocence. No analysis was done on the admissibility of her prior in-court testimony - whether it bore adequate indicia of reliability since it was not subject to cross-examination. Mr. Janklow well-knows that absolution does not come at the hand of a Senate inquiry, but by a jury of his peers, but that requires a prosecutor to care about the sanctity of a Lakota child.

In his disbarment order of October 31, 1974, Judge Gonzalez writes that Ms. Jancita Eagle Deer Sheldahl testified under obvious emotional difficulty that she had been raped by William Janklow, and that he threatened her life with a gun. Portions of her testimony were corroborated by her high school guidance counselor (Kaye Lord) (1), her foster parents, a rape examination, and a BIA investigator."

more:

http://www.jancitaeagledeer.com/

[arcos]

5. ROFL!!!

"About two dozen Janklow supporters, bearing signs that said "We Still Love Bill," lined the lobby of the courthouse and encouraged him as he entered."

oh god...

[agates]

7. I'm so embarrassed

to be from South Dakota after seeing that on the local news.

[Democat]

10. His supporters aren't the only ones with signs

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/030902/168/554ch.html

[agates]

11. I missed

that one. Thanks for sharing.

[Sideways]

14. Nice Tape On The Knuckles

Punch a wall fuckface?

[SoCalDem]

16. Did his "victim" recieve "fair treatment"??

not :(