The overall goal is to find out what happened to South Dakota taxpayer money.  Rep. Susan Wismer feels that goal is far in the distance after a hearing Tuesday morning.

Wismer who is also a candidate for Governor, urged the Government Operations & Audit Committee to obtain additional information about the management and outcome of the EB-5 program.  Wismer made a motion to subpoena Joop Bollen, former director of the EB-5 program in South Dakota, but the motion died for lack of a second.

Rep. Wismer isn’t satisfied with the progress and believes South Dakotans deserve to know if their tax dollars were mismanaged through this program.  In a statement via press release after the hearing, Wismer noted, “After the Government Operations & Audit Committee meeting today, I've come to believe that this committee is not faithfully executing the charge our legislature gave us under HCR 1010. The resolution gives us the right to seek additional information, yet we have sought no information outside the parameters dictated by the Daugaard administration.”

Seeking additional information ensures that all aspects of HCR 1010 are fulfilled and state business is conducted transparently and ethically.  “If the Republican legislators on this committee are not interested in looking into EB-5, it sends a message to South Dakotans that honesty and fair dealing in business doesn’t matter, “ said Rep. Wismer.

While reiterating the points of HRC 1010, other members of GOAC interrupted Wismer and attempted to move to other items. Wismer responded: “I won’t be bullied for tackling corruption on behalf of the South Dakota taxpayers”.

Wismer is the Democratic nominee for Governor squaring off the incumbent Republican Dennis Daugaard and Independent Michael Myers.

 

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