Stace Nelson

Last updated

Stace Nelson
Stace Nelson 2014-02-14 00-02.jpg
Member of the South Dakota Senate
from the 19th district
In office
2016–2020

Threat toward another lawmaker

In January 2012, Nelson got in a heated argument with State Representative Nick Moser of Yankton after a heated debate on the House floor. As a result, Speaker of the House Valentine Rausch moved Nelson's seat in the legislature, [17] and the incident was cited as one of the reasons Nelson was removed from the Republican Caucus for a period of time. [18] In removing Nelson from the caucus, House Majority Leader David Lust stated "I am not going to condone the conduct he engaged in toward another member of the Legislature very publicly. It's just not acceptable." [18]

Robocall controversy

In 2013 Stace Nelson was named as an unindicted co-conspirator in a case where the State of South Dakota prosecuted Dan Willard for political robodialed phone calls that were made without a disclaimer. [19] He was later added to a civil lawsuit filed by the political action committee Rushmore PAC over the matter. [20] On June 11, 2018, Second Circuit Court Judge Mark Salter dismissed the six-year-old case with prejudice after the former lawmaker who filed it failed to keep the case going. "This case is stale and focuses upon conduct alleged to have occurred prior to the 2012 general election," Second Circuit Court Judge Mark Salter wrote. "The lack of action is unreasonable and unexplained." [21]

Facebook blocking lawsuit

In December 2019, Jeff Church of Vermillion, South Dakota filed a lawsuit against Nelson in United States District Court for the District of South Dakota, alleging that Nelson violated his civil rights and the 14th Amendment, as well as his First Amendment right of free speech and right to petition the government for a redress of grievances by blocking him on his public Facebook page. [22] Church alleged in the lawsuit that Nelson would not let him challenge the Senator's “misinformed and inaccurate statements.” [23]

Personal life

Nelson lives with his wife, Aiza, in Fulton, South Dakota. They have six children. [24]

References

  1. "Stace Nelson for Senate | Conservative South Dakota Values". stacenelson.com. Archived from the original on April 18, 2019. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  2. "Stace V. Nelson". South Dakota Legislature.
  3. "DISTRICT 19 SENATOR STACE NELSON RETIRING FROM POLITICS". Freeman Courier. November 17, 2019. Archived from the original on November 18, 2019. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
  4. "Shadow box".
  5. 1 2 "usurped title". stacenelson.com. Archived from the original on August 16, 2013. Retrieved May 17, 2025.{{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help)
  6. "Ret. NCIS Agent Discusses Military Sexual Assaults". Archived from the original on December 29, 2014. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
  7. 1 2 "Stace Nelson - Ballotpedia" . Retrieved October 10, 2017.
  8. "Judiciary Committee, South Dakota House of Representatives". Ballotpedia. Retrieved May 26, 2025.
  9. "Local Government Committee, South Dakota House of Representatives". Ballotpedia. Retrieved May 26, 2025.
  10. Brokaw, Chet (August 13, 2013). "SD state Rep. Stace Nelson to make US Senate run". The News Tribune. Retrieved August 16, 2013.
  11. "South Dakota Secretary of State".
  12. "Nelson tops Finck in District 19 senate primary". Archived from the original on October 11, 2017. Retrieved October 10, 2017.
  13. "Stace Nelson serves up Sunday dinner with an attack. Via robocall, of course". South Dakota War College. June 6, 2016. Retrieved October 10, 2017.
  14. "Russell Graeff - Ballotpedia" . Retrieved October 10, 2017.
  15. "Video". www.facebook.com.
  16. "Lt. Governor election results" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 2, 2018. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
  17. "SD Speaker of the House determines if you're out of line" . Retrieved October 10, 2017.
  18. 1 2 staff, David Montgomery Journal. "Two state Republican lawmakers banned from party caucus". Rapid City Journal Media Group. Retrieved October 10, 2017.
  19. "Day Two Of Robocalls Trial". KELOLAND News. Archived from the original on October 11, 2017. Retrieved October 10, 2017.
  20. "Rushmore PAC V Doe. – Rushmore PAC". www.rushmorepac.org. September 21, 2012. Retrieved October 10, 2017.
  21. "Robocall case dismissed after South Dakota judge said it became 'stale'".
  22. Kaczke, Lisa. "State Sen. Stace Nelson sued over Facebook spat with Vermillion resident". Argus Leader. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
  23. Powers, Pat (December 4, 2019). "Lawsuit filed against State Senator Stace Nelson for violating civil rights of voter by blocking them on Facebook". South Dakota War College. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
  24. "South Dakota state senator retires from legislature". Dakota News Now. November 18, 2019. Retrieved May 26, 2025.