Governor Rhoden LIED, Broke Succession & Campaign Promises Before Election

James Bialota | Investigation | Nov. 2

The South Dakota Governor has hidden from the press, denied press access, and excluded Republicans from his last-ditch attempt bus tour.

In this article, we are releasing never before seen photos of Governor Larry Rhoden cowering in a Dollar General office while hiding from investigative journalist James Bialota. Shortly after these photos were captured, someone tampered with witnesses and press stories. Who could that have been? Was it Governor Rhoden, with phone in hand? Hiding in that office, did he order law enforcement to hassle the press for asking questions?

The photos in this article have never been published, and show video camera footage from inside the Dollar General that show Governor Rhoden hiding in an office while appearing to make calls. These calls were never turned over for the trial, despite being requested. Court records show that the State of South Dakota refused to turn over these records in the case, which is currently on appeal.  

Two separate 9-1-1 calls were made, neither by Rhoden.  In the calls, no crime was ever alleged, and no security concerns were mentioned. Despite this, police dispatch then orders the approximate dozen officers responding to “go in hot." The result from the ensuing violence? A disabled vet had a bone broken and was confined to a wheelchair for 6 weeks, all for wanting to ask a question.

It's important to understand the events that led up to this. That's the controversy, not the false story previously told. We have the truth:

1. Just hours before this arrest Judge Scott Bogue was served a subpoena in Bialota’s daughters’ case (which was dismissed after evidence of tampering with evidence). Note: Bogue is the same Judge that would rule on the Bialota/Rhoden case.

2. The state was caught retaliating against Bialota family members, which is the reason Bialota was at the SD one-stop; to correct false records targeting Bialota’s father.

The State was getting exposed for these crimes. The silencing came swiftly; the State seized the evidence of their wrongdoing and arrested the investigator. In the additional, already released videos on our YouTube, Officer Weimman was captured on body camera admitting to attempting to tamper with witnesses, by suggesting (4 minutes after the arrest) they get a clerk to say they asked Bialota to leave, in order to "make the arrest work." Watch that video here.

A Sergeant on scene then tells Lt. Ryan Phillips of Rapid City PD (RCPD) on a phone call that he isn’t comfortable making and arrest over an investigator asking questions. Watch that video here.

This is the epitome of serious police and government corruption. Who will hold them accountable?

A body camera also caught one of the Governor's security detail claiming that they were hoping to beat up Bialota personally, making us question which party was truly violent at this incident. All prior fake news stories were proven false, and Newscenter1, Forum Communications, and others were served retraction notices. The press remained silent on that issue. The security and body camera videos prove the Newscenter1 story to be a work of fiction. There were no locked doors, no beating on glass.  So who was the mysterious witness that claimed the Governor or his staff said “don’t tell anyone anything?" Why don't we know?

The court would not grant Bialota any subpoenas for trial, and he was not allowed to call government witnesses or subpoena evidence even after it was proven that the State had concealed evidence. The evidence remained hidden or destroyed. That case became a total meltdown for the State on appeal.  We will have a separate article relaying evidence in that case later.

Furthermore, when Governor Rhoden entered office on Noem’s departure, Rhoden promised accountability. 

Governor Rhoden lied. He actively refused questions and still does. Whether it’s regarding SDIC/SDRS whistleblower Renea Randall, the Governor’s office of Economic Development donor funds questions, crimes reported under the recently passed state employee law going un-prosecuted, allegations that the Governor's tour was at the taxpayers’ expense (included private donor events), and being accused of concealing his use of a donor’s private plane use for travel, the Governor has not shown any accountability. He worked hard to bury it, but we still found it.

When it came to his current campaign promise to make time for the press . . .

. . . he lied again. Only the press that would put him in a good light were allowed access, and we can prove in many instances that he advertised with these outlets.

All Bialota was accused of was trying to ask the Governor question on camera. Police and the Governor's security detail note several times that Bialota is a member of the Press.

Several months after this incident, and now even after the trial, Governor Rhoden still refuses to respond to our interview requests, which we have sent to his office and campaign. Then, there's the final straw; this lie, the campaign bus tour. Rhoden claimed was open to the public . . .

. . . but he lied about that too. Videos show the doors were locked, and access was restricted to only certain establishment republicans (RINOs). See the video Renae Randall took here.  

The video clearly shows that even Republicans were locked out, and the man in front of the door calls it a "private event." The public was denied access, the press was denied access, and some Republicans currently running for office were denied access. Primary candidates were denied access (such as Renae Randall), except Benidict Arnold turncoat Jon Hansen, who claims to have fought against the CO2 pipeline and Casey Crabtree. Interestingly, Hansen was seen supporting Casey Crabtree on the bus tour, while knowing full well that conservative Independent, CO2 pipeline opponent, and registered Republican Clint Hoyer was challenging Crabtree.

So much for the false "unity" message the establishment sent out. 

What makes the unity message of establishment characters like Rhoden and Jackley extra bitter is the PACs that are targeting conservative legislators and candidates in the general election. In response to the continued targeting of conservatives by PACs such as Mountain West Leadership (which targeted former gubernatorial candidate Toby Doeden & the SD Freedom Caucus), the Freedom Caucus issued this statement to the Bialota Network:

“The SD Freedom Caucus will continue to rally Republicans around our Republican Party Platform, despite all the naysayers who are upset that we have called them out for their duplicity.  Families need lower costs, responsible budgets, and leaders that can get things done and stop expanding the size and scope of government! Angry texts from leftist opponents won’t pay your property taxes!"

When the establishment asked for "unity" after the primary, did they mean they were uniting behind their big donor's demands? Did they mean unifying in continued division? The spending suggests that.

The Governor, Marty Jackley, Mike Rounds, Jon Hansen, and the rest of the establishment are sending a very clear message; they think they can get away with countless lies and keep getting elected.

Are they right?

The voters will give them their answer tomorrow.