Meet Doug Kronaizl: The person standing up against lobbyists and big business in South Dakota politics
July 26, 2018
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By Ellen Moorhouse Grassroots Communications Manager, RepresentUs |
Against All Odds: Fighting for the People’s Rights in South Dakota
Doug was born and raised in Vermillion, SD, and he's been a champion of voting rights in his home state for a long time. South Dakota is the 4th most corrupt state in the country, and has a long history of corruption scandals.
Doug wasn't satisfied with that.
In 2016, Doug was a 22-year-old budding organizer, and he threw himself into the campaign to pass America's first statewide Anti-Corruption Act. Doug volunteered to gather signatures for the Act, known in South Dakota as Initiated Measure 22 (IM-22), to get it on the ballot.
Doug was deeply involved in the campaign, organizing nonpartisan community meetings with partners and coalition members to speak with voters about the initiative.
The Anti-Corruption Act—and the Shockingly Undemocratic Repeal
Voters approved the South Dakota Anti-Corruption Act on November 8, 2016. The Act was the most sweeping and comprehensive ethics and campaign finance overhaul ever passed at the state ballot. The measure was popular among both Republicans and Democrats.
Here's a few things the Act did:
- Stopped secret, unlimited gifts from lobbyists to politicians, closing lobbying loopholes.
- Required more transparency, so the people know who’s buying influence.
- Created an independent ethics commission
But in a brazen grab for political power, politicians quickly moved to overturn the will of the voters and repeal the measure in 2017.
Late on a Friday evening, politicians declared a fake "state of emergency" to overturn America's first statewide Anti-Corruption Act. By declaring an “emergency,” politicians could repeal the Act without sending their decision back to the voters—locking the people out of the process.
If that isn't sickening enough, get this: Local lobbyists planned a lavish “Appreciation Night” for politicians on the night that the Senate planned to repeal the law. The repeal took effect immediately, and repealed all of the provisions of the act.
The Governor signed the repeal on February 2nd, 2017. It was a major slap in the face for South Dakota voters—and the shocking move made national headlines. The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The New York Times and many other outlets covered the repeal, with scathing headlines like "State of emergency is a brazen political coup against anti-corruption law" and "South Dakota lawmakers are showing that populism is a lie."
“If the legislature can come in and say they don’t believe an election result—that’s just not something that you can let fly by. You’re giving an inch and they’re taking a mile,” said Doug.
Repealing the Anti-Corruption Act wasn’t just an attack on the voters of South Dakota. It's an attack on the anti-corruption movement across the country—and the people are doing something about it. Doug wasn’t about to let politicians get away with this.
Round 2: Bringing the Bill Back to the People
Doug and voters all across South Dakota were outraged. Doug helped organize a "Respect Our Vote" protest of the repeal, and dozens of people came to the capitol from all across the state. They packed the Senate gallery and showed politicians the people were watching. Surrounded by other supporters who had come from across the state, he recalled:
“You could feel the frustration in the air - but you could also feel the energy, that we all just need to band together, work together, and channel our energy towards this goal.”
Doug and so many others worked incredibly hard on the campaign to pass IM-22, and they weren’t about to give up on fixing corruption in South Dakota. As a result, Doug took on a leadership role in crafting Amendment W, known as the South Dakota Anti-Corruption Amendment.
Doug didn’t give up. Instead, he doubled down on his mission to reach voters about the importance of fighting corruption in South Dakota. Doug drove across the state—north and south, east and west—to create a strong grassroots coalition of voters and volunteers. Together, they worked to host informational forums and sessions about the amendment, speak with voters about what they’re trying to do and why—and what folks can do to support the initiative.
The South Dakota Anti-Corruption Amendment will protect many of the anti-corruption measures from IM-22 in the South Dakota Constitution, and prevent them from being repealed again without the voters’ permission. Not only does it include the anti-corruption provisions in IM-22, but also mechanisms to protect them from legislative meddling.
This effective statewide organizing is instrumental in connecting with volunteers in an authentic grassroots way. From his experience with the 2016 Anti-Corruption Act and the 2018 Anti-Corruption Amendment campaigns, Doug feels inspired by local volunteers working together to make real impact for everyday South Dakotans. Doug says that getting input from his fellow South Dakotans makes all the difference.
"It makes it so much more of a personal fight when it’s our ideas and our energy that we’re channeling into change here in South Dakota.”
From his experience with the IM22 campaign and Amendment W, Doug has felt inspired by local communities and volunteers working together for these measures that make a real impact for everyday South Dakotans.
What’s in the 2018 South Dakota Anti-Corruption Amendment?
You might be thinking, "Won't the Anti-Corruption Amendment just get overturned by politicians again?" The short answer: no.
In South Dakota, Constitutional Amendments can't be repealed by politicians. But even better: this amendment includes a provision that would prevent politicians from tampering with future voter-approved laws. Politicians would be barred from repealing laws passed at the ballot without first going back to the voters.
The Anti-Corruption Amendment also reinstates the most popular provisions of the Anti-Corruption Act passed in 2016, including:
- Restricting lobbyist gifts to politicians
- Banning foreign money from South Dakota politics
- Toughening ethics law enforcement
- Banning campaign money from unions and corporations to candidates and political parties
- Stopping politicians from using public office for personal gain
In a nutshell? If South Dakotans pass the Amendment, they'll stand a very good chance of improving their corruption ranking from 4th most corrupt state.
A Wonk at Heart
When he was in college, Doug read something that changed the way he thinks about South Dakota. The Plains Political Tradition: Essays on South Dakota Political Culture is a collection of essays that highlights what makes South Dakota politics so unique.
“Despite having lived my whole life in South Dakota, it was the first time that someone presented the state to me in a way that was a unique and special thing. It was a group, a statewide community worth fighting for, and worth being a part of.”
Doug’s passion for South Dakota doesn’t stop at politics. In his free time, he enjoys spending time outside with friends and family by the beautiful Missouri River, which is near where he lives. He also enjoys staying in and playing board games with friends. Most of all he loves to share in good conversation with good company.
Fight Corruption in South Dakota and Beyond!
South Dakotans are organizing to make this crucial amendment a reality. To join in, visit a RepresentUs chapter in Rapid City, Sioux Falls, and Vermillion.
If you don’t live in the Dakotas or aren't near these chapters, you can start your own chapter where you are, or volunteer with us anywhere else in the country.