Seems business is booming for SDGOP hired legal hitman and Summit lobbyist, Justin Bell. Principles don’t get you that kind of money!
Justin Bell is one of the lobbyists in Pierre for Summit Carbon Solutions, the company behind the CO2 pipeline, carbon capture boondoggle, World Economic Forum Green New Deal scam. He was successful in convincing weak uniparty legislators in Pierre earlier this year to sell out the citizens of South Dakota and pass a bill that would allow these pipeline companies to steal your land via eminent domain. The bill, SB201, was signed into law by Gov Kristi Noem this past summer. Grassroots citizens, in an effort to uphold your constitutional rights, mobilized quickly and petitioned around the state for signatures to get the bill referred. That referral was successful and is on the Nov ballot as RL21.
Justin Bell has also been representing the Republican party in lawsuits dealing with our broken election systems and processes. Most recently, he represented the SDGOP as they intervened in a court case brought by Republican, turned Independent, Justin McNeal as he sought court intervention related to petition signatures that the Secretary of State’s Office rejected in his bid to make the November ballot to challenge RINO Rep. Dusty Johnson. The Dakota Scout published an article in early August which covered the entirety of the events of that situation here https://www.thedakotascout.com/p/republican-turned-independent-candidate
Bell is a practicing attorney with May, Adam, Gerdes & Thompson LLP. A quick search of opensd.gov reveals that since 2022 the law firm has received eight contracts with the state totaling $1.46 Million. Why doesn’t the state just hire another attorney to address these “needs” instead of continuing to funnel the cash on through to their donor firms?
Lawyers tied the Noem team sure seem to be living the good life!
I’m having trouble reconciling the fact that a Republican just called out another Republican for making enough money to buy land. Profit is good. Land ownership is good.
We agree, Truthinator. Profit is good. Land ownership is good. Can the average American afford a lot worth $1M+? The average American can barely afford their mortgage or apartment rent right now. We just wonder how much profit and land ownership the people are going to continue to be OK with as they reconcile that Justin Bell is a lobbyist. Bell is a lobbyist for Summit Carbon Solutions. The same company currently looking to take land from hard working South Dakotans via eminent domain for this CO2 pipeline mess. The irony of the situation is something else. Thanks for your comment.
Serious lobbyist reform should be a top priority this next session.
The way half the legislature was treated by these lobbyists was outrageous.
They truly think they should be able to buy legislative seats.
I don’t care for how there are 3 “related posts” in between the end of a blog post and the comments. It makes it hard to find the comments.
I also don’t like that the comment has to be approved before it shows up. Just a thought.
Otherwise great blog.