S.D. Watch - S.D. Watch

The Sioux Falls Argus Leader has lost its appeal to the South Dakota Supreme Court concerning the release of the list of invitees to Gov. Mike Rounds’ Governor’s Pheasant Hunts.

Read KELOLAND’s Newspaper Loses Governor’s Hunt Suit

Excerpt:

A Sioux Falls newspaper has failed in its quest to gain access to the list of people invited to the annual governor’s pheasant hunt in 2005.

The South Dakota Supreme Court ruled unanimously Thursday against the Sioux Falls Argus Leader, which had argued that the list is a public record that must be released… .

And read the Argus’ Supreme Court: Pheasant hunt list can be secret

Excerpt:

… The Sioux Falls newspaper appealed that ruling, saying the invitation list is a public record. It argued that state law didn’t give the secretary of Tourism and State Development the power to refuse public inspection of that list. The high court’s unanimous opinion said the newspaper’s remedy is with the Legislature… .

This is extremely disappointing but not unexpected. The trouble is with our laws not our courts. I’ll have more on this later today.