Ben Nesselhuf for South Dakota—Democratic Candidate for Secretary of State

Millions of dollars have flown through the Governor’s Club over the years but how and where the money has been spent is unclear.

The Governor’s Club is a 30-year old tradition in South Dakota that needs to be changed.

The Governor’s Club isn’t a creation of the Republican governor who currently enjoys its benefits. Not at all. The club was started by a Democratic governor in the 1970s and has grown through every administration since.

And it has grown.

Today, it’s a $1,000 donation to be in the club that generates millions of dollars some for party use and additional amounts that go to the governor.

Donations to the Governor’s Club are sent through the Republican party and put in a federal fund. And while contributions to the party are reported to the Federal Elections Commission, it’s not clear who gave, or how much he or she gave, as a Governor’s Club donation.

Obviously the practice is going to raise questions of conflict of interest and pay-to-play practices in state government. More accountability should be built into the Governor’s Club to avoid any appearance of impropriety.

Understandably, Democrats are skeptical of the club donations.

State Senate Democratic leader Sen. Scott Heidepriem of Sioux Falls said campaign finance reporting laws should be changed to accurately reflect Governor’s Club donations – an idea that made it to a bill two years ago before being killed in committee.

With a democratic governor in South Dakota would the same conversation be taking place? Maybe not. But we shouldn’t write off the concerns the minority party has simply because it doesn’t have a place at the Governor’s Club table.

There should be a higher level of openness in South Dakota. Funneling contributions through the Governor’s Club and the Republican Party only detracts from our ideal – and one we think many South Dakotans share – of an open government.

Why shouldn’t the people of South Dakota know who is giving money to politicians and how that money is being spent?

Critics call it a slush fund, a pile of money impossible to trace.

“We have no idea who’s donating or what sort of favors they may be getting out of that,” said Democratic state Sen. Ben Nesselhuf of Vermillion. “That’s the entire point of transparency, so you can connect the dots and the public can decide. If it’s perfectly innocent, there’s no problem.”

The people of South Dakota should know where money that influences South Dakota politics originates from. That holds true when we’re talking about major donations to influence ballot measures just as it holds true with Governor’s Club donations.

Tracking the Governor’s Club donations would take relatively little effort but the payback – in terms of openness and transparency of state government – would be immeasurable.