South Dakota state Sen. Thomas Pischke, a Republican incumbent, faces two felony counts of knowingly submitting a falsified or forged document. The charges stem from an investigation into suspected fraudulent signatures on forms intended to put candidates forward for state Republican Party positions. Pischke, who is seeking a third term in November, surrendered to the Minnehaha County Jail on Tuesday and was released on his promise to appear in court. His initial hearing is scheduled for July 7.
Pischke has agreed to step down from his party duties, including his role on the executive board of the Minnehaha County Republicans, while the legal process unfolds. Jim Eschenbaum, chair of the South Dakota Republican Party, acknowledged the situation creates "a bad optic for the party" and expressed disappointment.
If convicted of a felony, Pischke would be barred from holding a position within the state Republican Party. The ability for him to continue serving in the State Legislature is uncertain, as state law prohibits individuals convicted of perjury, bribery, or an "infamous crime" from holding legislative office. The Legislative Research Council and state Senate President Pro Tempore Chris Karr were contacted for clarification.
The South Dakota Democratic Party, through vice chair Jessica Meyers, stated that officials interfering with public processes should be held accountable, emphasizing a belief in free and fair elections.
Pischke will not be attending the biennial Republican Party state convention, which begins Thursday. At the convention, precinct committee members serve as delegates to determine party leadership and shape the party's agenda. These committee members also perform community-based duties such as voter outreach and registration.
The investigation leading to Pischke's charges was initiated after the county auditor's office identified 16 forms for precinct committee positions that contained suspected fraudulent signatures and discrepancies with registered voting addresses. The auditor's office contacted the nominees on these disputed forms, and most stated they had not completed them. According to Eschenbaum, none of these candidates appeared on the ballot during the June Republican primary.
An affidavit indicates Pischke admitted to filling out a form for himself to run for precinct committeeman at the auditor's office but denied completing forms for others. He won the position unopposed in the June primary. The investigation also reportedly uncovered DNA evidence linking Pischke to envelopes containing the forms and used surveillance footage to identify a vehicle registered to Pischke near a mail drop box.
Pischke is facing independent candidate Bryan Breitling, a former state lawmaker, in the November general election. Breitling stated that he entered the race believing the district requires a senator with integrity and characterized the charges as the "latest on a long list of poor judgments made by the senator."