Please, explain this to me: residents of South Dakota voted and passed a referendum to create an independent ethics commission to investigate abuses by statehouse politicians and lobbyists, reduce election spending and institute a $100 annual limit on lobbyists’ gifts to elected officials.

Then legislators in Pierre called a “state of emergency” so they could repeal the law.

Keep in mind South Dakota is ranked 47th in the nation for public accountability by the nonpartisan Center for Public Integrity.

This activity in South Dakota's state capital is not going unnoticed around the nation.  Other states are wondering what the heck is going on out here in the wild west.

The New York Post printed:

Brutally rejecting the people’s will, South Dakota’s Republican-controlled Legislature is rushing to repeal a vital ethics reform referendum approved by voters in November.

So explain to me again.  What am I missing here?  With so many other urgent issues in South Dakota, why is the repeal of this referendum that restricts corruption an 'emergency'?

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