South Dakota GOP Rep Banned From Chamber After Placing Bottle Of Aunt Jemima Syrup On Rep’s Desk

The Argus Leader reports:

A state senator has been banned from the House of Representatives floor and lobby for the last week of the 2024 legislative session for placing a bottle of syrup on another lawmaker’s desk.

Sen. Tom Pischke, R-Dell Rapids, was informed of the action Monday in a letter from Speaker of the House Hugh Bartels, R-Watertown. Pischke’s action was a violation of decorum, Bartels said.

Pischke placed the bottle of syrup on Rapid City Republican Rep. Kristin Conzet’s desk days after Conzet motioned to defeat a commemoration celebrating the late Nancy Green, whose likeness was used to create the Aunt Jemima advertising character.

Read the full article. See Pischke place the syrup in the video below. The Republican-authored resolution would have condemned the “wokeness” that has “erased” Green’s role in creating the character, which was discontinued in 2021 as an offensive stereotype.

SD State Sen. Tom Pischke (R) has been banned from the House floor after placing a bottle of syrup on Rep. Kristin Conzet’s (R) desk.

Conzet objected to Pischke’s commemoration of Nancy Green, whose likeness he claims was used for Aunt Jemima.

(We did not add the music). pic.twitter.com/7QK2IJkQq3

— Heartland Signal (@HeartlandSignal) March 5, 2024