‘Harassment Campaign’: Dakotans for Health director fires back response to AG letter

Rick Weiland says that he was unaware of any violations by his group

Dakotans for Health circulates petitions for its amendment to enshrine access to abortion in the state’s constitution. (Dakotans for Health/Facebook)

The leader of an effort to enshrine abortion in South Dakota’s constitution is casting doubt on accusations by his opponent that his organization violated state law.

In a letter to Attorney General Marty Jackley Thursday, co-founder of Dakotans for Health Rick Weiland writes that while he has not seen the photo and video evidence that shows evidence of misconduct, he believes that it's part of a broader “harassment campaign.”

“SD Right to Life and other anti-choice groups have chosen to mount a “Decline to Sign” campaign whose sole purpose is to prevent the people of our state from voting on this issue,” Weiland says. “The complaints you received appear to be part of SD Right to Life’s continuing harassment campaign to try to prevent voters from exercising their right to decide this issue.”

Weiland says that Dakotans for Health has requested the evidence submitted against his petition circulators – all of which he says are subjected to training on state law and best practices when collecting signatures for their constitutional amendment.

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