Former Senator Larry Pressler announces his candidacy for the lone SD Senate seat being vacated by retiring Senator Tim Johnson.
Pressler reaches out to tribes in senate run
By Karin Eagle
Native Sun News Staff Writer RAPID CITY — In a strategic move that includes the seeking of support from South Dakota tribes, former Republican Senator Larry Pressler seeks to gain the senate office as an Independent. "Today, I am announcing that I am running for the United States Senate, and I truly believe that I can win,” Pressler said last Thursday at a press conference in Rapid City. Pressler served in the Senate from 1979 to 1997. He is a moderate who supported President Obama in 2008 and 2012. “South Dakota needs powerful growth in the U.S. Senate, and I can be that; I can be an independent senator,” said Pressler. Pressler sited eight or nine senators who served in the Senate as independents, or who had become independents. “South Dakota would send the message that people are fed up with the roadblocks that are stopping Congress from acting for the good of the people.” When asked by Native Sun News to comment on the issue of economic development on the reservations, Pressler said that business loans should be available to tribal members from local banks to open real businesses on the reservation. Just like when Congress rebuilt America with the Marshall Plan after World War II, Pressler said Congress has to make the same commitment to the Indian reservations. “Funds should be made available by Congress and issued to local banks that would use the money to fund prospective Indian business people that present strong business plans.” “It’s going to take a real old fashion change in attitude in that our bankers are going to have to receive Indian clients and have to be fair and give them loans, not mandate certainly,” said Pressler. ”I think things are getting much better as there are more Indians working in Rapid City than ever before and across the state.” Pressler included comments about his readiness to approach the individual tribes in an effort to increase voter registration and to spread the word on the benefits of having an independent voice in the U.S. Senate for South Dakota. Addressing concerns that are often brought up about his endorsement of President Obama, Pressler acknowledges that he is indeed a friend of Obama, and noted that it could not be a bad thing for South Dakota to have a Senator who can sit and visit with the President about the concerns affecting South Dakota. ”I think we can change history, SD has not had contested Senate races in the past few years. I will bring debate to the contest at least, shedding light on some of the more important issue and generate discussion,” said Pressler.”In recent years it has been more like coronations rather than contests for the SD Senate seat.” The Health Care Reform Act, often called Obama Care, was brought up in questions by the audience. “I think that we cannot be against Obama Care without being for something.” He mentioned the poorer counties in SD where people are under-served or un-served for basic health care. Pressler mentioned the Abscam story recently brought back to the public conscious by the movie American Hustle. Abscam was an FBI run operation in the late 1970s and early '80s. The operation initially targeted trafficking in stolen property but was converted to a public corruption investigation. Abscam was the name given to the investigation by the FBI. The investigation ultimately led to the conviction of a U.S. senator, six members of the House of Representatives, one member of the New Jersey State Senate, members of the Philadelphia City Council, the Mayor of Camden, New Jersey, and an inspector for the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Former FBI supervisor John Good oversaw Abscam in its entirety, from 1978 to 1980. The undercover operation put six congressional representatives and one senator in prison for bribery and conspiracy, and secured nearly a dozen other significant convictions. Senator Larry Pressler (R-SD) refused to take the bribe when approached, saying at the time, "Wait a minute, what you are suggesting may be illegal." He immediately reported the incident to the FBI. When Senator Pressler was told Walter Cronkite referred to him on the evening news as a "hero" he stated, "I do not consider myself a hero... what have we come to if turning down a bribe is 'heroic'?" Pressler throws his hat into the race that includes former governor Mike Rounds (R) and Democrat Rick Weiland, among others. (Contact Karin Eagle at staffwriter@nsweekly.com) Copyright permission Native Sun News
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