SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — The South Dakota House Democratic Caucus has called for a public apology from Republican Rep. Logan Manhart after a now deleted Instagram post.
Manhart said in a now deleted Instagram post on July 4 “It’s white boy summer and the boys are back in charge.”
The South Dakota House Democratic Caucus sent a letter to Speaker of the House Jon Hansen and Majority Leader Scott Odenbach calling for Manhart to make a public apology.
“We are calling for Representative Manhart to issue a meaningful public apology —not a deflection, not a ‘sorry if you were offended,’ but a clear and direct acknowledgment of how his comment was wrong, who it hurt, and how he intends to grow from this moment,” the letter, signed by five Democratic state lawmakers said.
You can read the full letter attached below.
Manhart responded in a social media post Monday afternoon stating: “Friday night, I made a post on Instagram referencing “white boy summer.” Left-wing members of our legislature have taken great offense to my post and are now using it as clickbait to increase their own social media reach. They are trying desperately to convince people that I am somehow racist, sexist, and Anti-Semitic.
“Anyone who knows me or has tracked my voting record knows that their narrative could not be further from the truth. I wake up each and every day proud to represent EVERYONE who calls South Dakota home. EVERYONE!” Manhart wrote in a post Monday.
Manhart represents District 1, which is made up of parts of Brown, Day, Marshall and Roberts Counties in northeastern South Dakota. The district includes the Lake Traverse Reservation home of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate tribe.
The South Dakota House Democratic Caucus consists of 5 lawmakers Minority Leader and Rep. Erin Healy, Rep. Eric Emery, Rep. Kadyn Wittman, Rep. Nicole Uhre-Balk, and Rep. Erik Muckey.
Healy told KELOLAND News a statement like this is absolutely not a joke and it’s not harmless.
“That kind of statement sends a message that white men should be in power and in, in control, and if others don’t belong in that group, that they should step aside,” Healy said. “Even if Representative Manhart didn’t mean it that way, it still echoes language that makes people feel excluded or threatened.”
Healy said statements like this seek to further divide South Dakotans.
“Words matter, especially from people who are in an elected official position. So when someone makes a public statement like harder for a lot of South Dakotans to feel like they’re seen or respected or included,” Healy said. “This isn’t about being too sensitive, it’s about being responsible and respectful to everyone who calls South Dakota their home.”
Healy said the government should serve everyone and not just the powerful few.
“Dismissing that post is sending a message that hate and exclusion is welcome from elected officials, and it shouldn’t be,” Healy said. “We believe that government should serve everyone and not just a powerful few.”
KELOLAND News reached out to Manhart for additional comments and will update this story if additional information is received.
