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Rick Weiland Returns With New Nonpartisan Political Group

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — Former Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Rick Weiland is starting a South Dakota-based political organization dedicated to removing special interest influence in government.

Weiland and retired Democratic Sen. Tim Johnson’s former chief of staff, Drey Samuelson, will formally announce an advocacy group and political action committee Thursday under the umbrella of TakeItBack.Org.

They plan to use the ballot initiative process to push for policy reforms and also support similarly minded candidates for office.

Weiland says the nonpartisan organization aims to attack corruption in government and cut through the partisan rancor that grips politics.

Samuelson says ballot initiatives could address issues such as instituting a nonpartisan redistricting commission, as well as ethics and campaign reforms.

Weiland says the group hopes to eventually expand and notes that 24 states have the initiative process.