• Home
  • Campus
    • Academics
    • Greek Life
    • SGA
    • Student Life
  • State/Local
    • Around Town
    • Board of Regents
    • National
    • Pierre
    • Vermillion City Council
    • Vermillion Police Department
  • Sports
    • Cross Country
    • Football
    • Golf
    • Men’s Basketball
    • Soccer
    • Swimming/Diving
    • Track and Field
    • Volleyball
    • Women’s Basketball
  • Verve
    • Feature
    • Diversity
    • Events
    • CAB
    • The Vault
  • Opinion
  • E-Edition
  • COVID-19
The Volante
  • Campus
  • Sports
  • Verve
  • Opinion
  • State/Local
The Volante
  • Home
  • Campus
    • Academics
    • Greek Life
    • SGA
    • Student Life
  • State/Local
    • Around Town
    • Board of Regents
    • National
    • Pierre
    • Vermillion City Council
    • Vermillion Police Department
  • Sports
    • Cross Country
    • Football
    • Golf
    • Men’s Basketball
    • Soccer
    • Swimming/Diving
    • Track and Field
    • Volleyball
    • Women’s Basketball
  • Verve
    • Feature
    • Diversity
    • Events
    • CAB
    • The Vault
  • Opinion
  • E-Edition
  • COVID-19
  • Follow
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
Suspension Over for Sen. Frye-MullerOut n About
Charles Streeter | The Volante
Home
Out n About

Suspension Over for Sen. Frye-Muller

February 14th, 2023 Charles Streeter Out n About, Pierre, State/Local comments

Share this story

Facebook Twitter Google+ LinkedIn Pinterest

After being placed on indefinite suspension, the South Dakota Senate voted to reinstate Sen. Julie Frye-Mueller following the recommendation of a committee regarding her comments to a staffer.

This follows a complaint made on Jan. 25 against the Rapid City senator by a Legislative Research Council staffer in the wake of a conversation between her, Frye-Mueller and Frye-Mueller’s husband.

According to the staffer’s statement, Frye-Mueller became “emotional and aggressive” after the staffer told her she vaccinated her baby. Frye-Mueller allegedly told her that “he will die from the vaccines.”

The complaint also accused  Frye-Mueller of making inappropriate comments toward the staffer’s inability to breastfeed her child. Frye-Mueller allegedly suggested that the staffer’s husband could “‘suck on [her] breasts’ to get the milk to come in.”

Following the staffer’s complaint, the Senate voted to indefinitely suspend Frye-Mueller on Jan. 26 in a 27-6 vote. Pres. Pro Tempore Lee Schoenbeck stripped Frye-Mueller of her committee assignments.

The unprecedented move by the Senate prompted some members of the GOP to criticize the suspension as a violation of Frye-Mueller’s due process rights.

In an interview with the South Dakota Scout, Sen. John Wiik, Chair of the SD GOP, said that he would not have voted in favor of suspending Frye-Mueller.

This is not the first time Frye-Mueller has fought with GOP legislative leaders. In her 2022 primary race, her challenger, former Rep. Tim Goodwin, was backed by Gov. Kristi Noem. Frye-Mueller won her primary by only 35 votes out of 5,617 cast.

 In a written statement, Sen. Sydney Davis said, “ I did what I was tasked with by serving on the Select Committee on Discipline and Expulsion and voted to re-instate as you can see.” 

Davis was among the senators that voted to suspend Frye-Mueller on Jan. 26.

Although the Senate reinstated Frye-Mueller on a 33-1 vote, she was censured and is barred from interacting with the Legislative Research Council. The lone nay vote was Sen. Tom Pischke, Frye-Mueller’s friend and seatmate. Pischke is a fellow legislator that has been targeted by Schoenbeck in previous elections.

Post Views: 316
  • Tags
  • Gov. Kristi Noem
  • Julie Frye-Muller
  • Kristi Noem
  • pierre
  • Senator
  • south dakota
  • Suspension
  • Trending

Share this story

Facebook Twitter Google+ LinkedIn Pinterest

Charles Streeter

Related Posts

State/Local

SB 45 Repeals the Annual Intellectual Diversity Report 

Feb 14th, 20230
Senate Bill (SB) 45, which would repeal the annual intellectual diversity report for South Dakota colleges...
SD Legislature Removes Clause Limiting Drag Shows Around Town
February 14th, 2023

SD Legislature Removes Clause Limiting Drag Shows

Bill to Restrict Medical Treatments for Transgender Adolescents Passes Committee State/Local
January 31st, 2023

Bill to Restrict Medical Treatments for Transgender Adolescents Passes Committee

Facebook Comments

E-Edition

https://volanteonline.com/eedition/

For our online E-edition click here

Weather

February 2023
MTWTFSS
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728 
« Jan   Mar »
Read about: Best Detox Shampoos for Hair Drug Test and Synthetic Urine and Fake Pee manual
  • Coyote News
  • KAOR 91.1
  • Media & Journalism Department
  • Back to top

Stay Connected

  • Letters to the Editor
  • Submit an Overheard
  • Contact Us
  • Submit News Tips
  • Subscribe

About

  • Coyote News
  • KAOR 91.1
  • Media & Journalism Department
© The Volante 2015. All rights reserved.