A complaint against state Republican Senator Taffy Howard alleges improper campaign contributions violated state campaign finance law.
The allegations have been sent to the Secretary of State’s office and referred to the desk of Attorney General Marty Jackley, officials said.
The crux of the complaint is an alleged donation that is over four times the state legal limit for donations that don’t come from a PAC or super PAC.
Johnny Sundby Photography
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South Dakota Legislative Research Council
South Dakota Codified Law 12-27-8 limits contributions from a business entity to $1,000. A donation from Southeastern Strategy, a consulting firm from Clear Lake, Florida, is reported to sit at $5,063.
Ranee McFarland Haglund, chair of the Pennington County Democratic Party, wrote an official complaint to the state.
“I called the firm and asked them if they were a PAC, and they said indeed, they were not,” McFarland Haglund said. “They were a campaign consulting firm.”
McFarland Haglund said she then waited for the seven-day window a candidate can refund such an overage, which never occurred.
If convicted, violation of this law is a class 2 misdemeanor and offenders could face up to 30 days in jail, but McFarland Haglund said that’s not the point.
“This isn’t about putting someone in jail. This is about transparency at all government levels,” McFarland Haglund said. “Especially on campaign finance reports so voters know what organizations they’re getting money from and individuals, so they can help make their own mind up as to how that candidate is going to represent them if they get elected.”
McFarland Haglund said trust and responsibility on the part of governmental officials is a two-way street.
“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard her say the word ‘accountability,’ and now it’s her turn to be held accountable,” McFarland Haglund said.
This allegation comes as several Republican state lawmakers have faced criminal charges in the offseason following the 2026 legislative session.
Howard did not return a request for comment, and the Pennington County Republican Party declined to comment on the matter.
Howard has amended her campaign finance report recategorizing the contribution from an “in kind donation” to an “advertising expenditure,” but McFarland Haglund says no documented proof of returning the money has been given, and that the complaint is still valid.
The full text of the complaint can be found below.
Source: www.sdpb.org
