Various SD legislators seem to be on the defense in a very vocal way after the 2024 Citizens For Liberty scorecard was published, showing plummeting scores for so-called conservatives compared to last year. In response to the comments, one in particular, Tonchi Weaver, president of CFL and who also directs the making of the scorecard, had this to say:
In regard to SD Citizen’s Scorecard and Deibert’s false statement on Mike and Julie Mueller:
“The only year that Mike Mueller was a lobbyist was ’23 – no other year and he has never been in charge of the SDCFL scorecard. It would be a conflict of interest to allow that. Julie Frye-Mueller has scored 100% on only three out of our eight scorecards and has been as low as 82.4%.
I have been in charge of that project since 2017. I have the final say on which of the hundreds of bills we track throughout session end up on the scorecard. I consult with our lobbyists and with affiliates across the state.
We DO NOT choose bills based on sponsors. We choose them based on subject, content, and whether or not they had a full vote in one or both chambers. Republican core beliefs and Constitutional provisions are the guidelines we use to make judgment on the correct vote.
It’s not about liking or not liking someone. This is a job review.”
She also pointed out historical facts that reveals the hypocrisy and double standards of the SD GOP when it comes to Justin McNeal (Catch up on that story here), who is collecting signatures to run against Dusty Johnson:
