SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — A tribal leader called a now-deleted Fourth of July Instagram post by a South Dakota lawmaker a “disappointment” during a State-Tribal Relations committee meeting Thursday.
Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Tribal Chairman Garrett Renville briefly shared comments about Republican Rep. Logan Manhart’s now deleted Instagram post. Manhart represents District 1 in the state legislature, includes parts of the Lake Traverse Reservation, home to the Sisseton-Wahpeton tribe.
“It’s white boy summer and the boys are back in charge,” Manhart posted on July 4. The post was deleted and three days later Manhart responded to criticism from the South Dakota House Democratic Caucus.
Renville told the committee the statement by Manhart was inflammatory.
“I typically don’t lend weight to inflammatory or racially charged remarks. Often, I know they are intended to distract or appeal to the lowest instincts in politics, and history has taught us that those strategies rarely produce progress,” Renville said. “It certainly doesn’t reflect the kind of leadership that we needed here.”
“Despite these disappointments and comments made by one of the district reps, I still believe in the promise of public service,” Renville added. “I believe there’s always hope, hope that other leaders, such as yourselves, will continue to lead by example.”
Republican Rep. Will Mortenson, co-chair of the committee, responded to Renville’s comments.
“I want to assure you that those are not reflective or commonplace of this legislature,” Mortenson said. “This committee doesn’t associate ourselves with it, and I think shares your sentiments to a large extent.”
Toby Morton, a former writer for the TV show South Park created a website sharing other social posts by Manhart after he saw the deleted Instagram post. Morton is not from South Dakota.
