Senator Pischke again told Legislature has autonomy to discipline its own

For second time in a week, Frye-Mueller ally has complaint rejected

PIERRE — The South Dakota Attorney General is in agreement with a Hughes County prosecutor that the state Legislature has full ability to discipline its members as it sees fit.

Attorney General Marty Jackley in a letter Thursday informed Sen. Tom Pischke that his office will not proceed with his request that it determine whether the Senate violated Sen. Julie Frye-Mueller’s rights when it stripped her of her committee assignments and suspended her from office for a week.

“It is the position of the Attorney General’s Office that neither the state’s Executive Branch nor Judicial Branch have any role in the internal workings of the Legislative Branch,” Jackley wrote, echoing a response Pischke also got after making the same request to Hughes County Jessica LaMie last week.

NEWS: Prosecutor says she has no authority to probe Frye-Mueller suspension