Pennington Democrats Request Records on Taffy Howard Payment
A new filing asks state officials to determine if a $5,063 transfer was a lawful service fee or an illegal corporate contribution.
By Anthony Brooks ·
Pennington County Democrats have filed a supplemental complaint with the South Dakota Secretary of State's Office. The group wants records regarding a $5,063 transaction between Republican State Senate candidate Taffy Howard and the consulting firm South Eastern Strategy.
The dispute centers on how the money was reported. The original complaint, submitted on Oct. 28, argued that the transaction was listed as a business contribution. State law caps corporate contributions to legislative candidates at $1,000.
Howard previously told KOTA-TV that she filed an amended report to fix an oversight. However, Democratic officials state they have not received any documentation to back up that explanation.
The new filing asks state officials to collect specific financial data. This includes payment records, invoices, bank documentation, and any amended campaign finance reports. The goal is to decide if the transfer was a campaign expenditure for services or an illegal contribution.
The party notes that the complaint seeks an official review rather than declaring a violation has occurred. It aims to verify how the transaction fits under state law.
The Secretary of State's Office had already sent the initial complaint to Attorney General Marty Jackley for review.
Source: KDSJ
