Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire FBI investigates SD Senate Candidate Mike Rounds

National Review Online is reporting that the FBI (a wholly-owned subsidiary of the DOJ) has made the highly unusual decision to disclose their investigation into Mike Rounds (pictured above), a Republican Senate candidate in South Dakota, less than a week before next Tuesday�s vote.

The alleged misconduct being investigated is somewhat obscure�something involving a work visa program in the state�but it is notable that the alleged misconduct was to have occurred three years ago, and the FBI�s announcement comes a year after the state�s own attorney general closed its own investigation without bringing any charges.

The concern, of course, is that the FBI announcement was timed to influence Rounds� prospects in next week�s voting. When asked for more detail, the FBI replied that the agent in charge of the investigation would be unavailable to provide additional information until late next week, after the election, thus leaving a cloud over Rounds� candidacy through election day.

The National Review Online piece brought in some interesting insight from a career FBI agent, now retired, Jeff Lanza:

Jeff Lanza, who worked for the FBI for more than 20 years, tells National Review Online that the acknowledgement of an investigation is a breach of FBI protocol unless a public official has made the investigation public, knowledge of the investigation is already widespread, or the public admission serves a law-enforcement function. Lanza tells NRO that it remains unclear whether the investigation met any of these standards, and he says he is surprised by the bureau�s acknowledgement of the ongoing investigation. �It�s highly unusual that you would acknowledge an investigation into a political figure who is running for office in an upcoming election,� he says. �I think it deserves an explanation, because it does come off as potentially political when you announce an investigation in a candidate who�s running for office.� The FBI has not identified the specific target or targets of its investigation publicly.

Curiouser, and curiouser.

Color me cynical.

The FBI is still "actively" probing South Dakota's EB-5 program, it was reported Wednesday -- a new detail that could further complicate the Senate campaign of former governor Mike Rounds (R).

The investigation "is active but I can't say anything more about it," FBI Minneapolis Division Chief Counsel Kyle Loven told The Washington Post Wednesday in a brief interview. He said the probe is focused on the South Dakota Regional Center.

According to its Web site, the center "manages limited partnerships which fund economic development projects on behalf of EB-5 investors in accordance with federal laws and regulations."

As the Sioux Falls Argus Leader reported, federal officials had previously refused to confirm or deny that the investigation was ongoing.

They have done it in at least 6 places around the country this cycle. What the heck, it worked great on Senator Ted Stevens 4 years ago. Eric Holder dropped the charges after the election, citing "prosecutorial misconduct" for witheld evidence and lies. They were not held accountable however. Go figure.

And thats how we wound up with Mark Baggage.

Of those surveyed 39 percent of South Dakotans have a favorable opinion of Rounds, which is a ten point drop from when he was governor. When it comes to an unfavorable view of the former governor 35 percent of South Dakota voters shared that opinion in the poll.

Rounds blames the negative U.S. Senate campaign for the drop.

"I think once we get through the political season, the silly season as I call it, when we get back down to some normal times where we actually start talking about policies again and start talking about those things that bring us together then favorability ratings begin to rise again," Rounds said.

Took the words right out of my mouth�.if ever there was any doubt about the lengths that this administration will go in their desperation, it should be obvious by now�.even to the stupid!