Home
>
Political
>
Lets Make Some Things Clear about John Thune/Dan Nelson/MetaBank MetaGate

Lets Make Some Things Clear about John Thune/Dan Nelson/MetaBank MetaGate

Let's make one thing clear: This Dan Nelson Automotive fiasco is not the bloggers' fault, not KELOLAND's fault, not the Iowa Attorney General's fault, not my fault. Let's take a look.

There were THOUSANDS of complaints against DNA in Iowa to the Iowa AG. All of those people weren't Democrats.

"Buy here pay here" is a controversial means of selling people with distressed credit vehicles, particularly when interest rates are 25% in a time when interest rates in general are at historic lows. The Iowa AG's investigation apparently found not just smoke but fire at DNA.

John Thune had a close, long term relationship with Dan Nelson. Dan Nelson had a close, long term relationship with MetaBank's Tyler Haahr. Large loans that were made on the cusp of DNA's bankruptcy by MetaBank. John Thune sat on the Board of Directors at MetaBank at the time. There is an appearance of conflict of interest with Thune sitting on the board (where the buck literally stops) and Nelson. What we don't know is if Thune pulled any strings for Nelson. We're still trying to figure out if there is actual conflict of interest. That hasn't been proven or disproven yet.

Thune has denied he has pulled any strings for Nelson. That is yet to be proven or disproven.

The reporting on MetaGate, even by the Lefty blogs, has been almost exclusively based on public records and court filings. There is a paper trail and my buddies on the Left have simply followed it. Now, some of the SDMSM is also following it.

A formerly small, family owned Iowa bank could be in financial trouble because of its bad loans. The full extent of that trouble, if any, has not been determined yet.

This case is ultimately about Dan and John's own personal responsibility and DNA's and MetaBank's own corporate responsibility. I find it funny that some Republicans like John Thune are great about preaching responsibility but when things get a little hot that they are involved in, it is suddenly somebody else's responsibility. Like the bloggers. Geez.

Sen. Thune said in the Senate campaign that he was better than Tom Daschle because he "had the President's ear" on Ellsworth and generally had more clout. Then, when EAFB goes south, he suddenly has no clout and is no better than an unknown freshman Senator from a small state. He puts on this "oh poor me" act about having to throw hardballs at the President's head to get his attention on issues like the Bolton nomination and CAFTA. Again, geez.

Same with MetaBank. You have to imagine he was put on the MetaBank board because of his connections (former Congressman, Congressional lobbyist, former legislative lobbyist, former Senate staffer, former SBA staffer), ties to President Bush (convinced him twice to run for Senate), friendship with Nelson, and the distinct possibility that he would be the next U.S. Senator from South Dakota. Now, he says he's a Lee Harvey Oswald-like "patsy" who just went to a few meetings and lots of other people signed off on loans.

If Thune was put on the MetaBank board because of his friendship with Nelson, that in and of itself is not a problem. That is how business works. You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. The problem is if Thune knew of the extent of Nelson's problems at DNA and whether he disclosed those problems to MetaBank when they were considering the loans.

Either Thune has clout and connections or he doesn't. He apparently turns his clout on and off like a faucet, depending upon the the political mess he is in.

Todd D. Epp is an attorney, Democratic activist, former broadcast journalist, and editor of "S.D. Watch" (http://thunewatch.squaresapce.com)

housekeepers near Des Plaines ..

In The News:

Hacker group Radiant stole data from 8,000 children at Kido nursery chain, demanding ransom and directly contacting parents with intimidation tactics.

As 18 states implement bell-to-bell cell phone bans, creative students use Google Docs, iMessage on MacBooks and Post-It notes to stay connected in class.

A sheriff's captain says deputies often spend hours writing reports between calls, but Axon's AI program, Draft One, helps them save crucial time in the field.

Sora 2, OpenAI's new video-generation app, can create AI-generated videos based on a singular prompt. The results are both mind-blowing and terrifying.

iPhone and Android users can reduce Wi-Fi calling battery drainage through settings adjustments, background app limits and stronger Wi-Fi connections.

Work email scams are becoming harder to detect as criminals use AI and spoofed addresses to trick employees into opening malicious attachments and links.

From her Arizona living room, Christina Chapman ran a covert hub that helped North Korean operatives infiltrate U.S. firms, netting $17 million in stolen salaries.

UC Santa Barbara researchers developed a soft robotic intubation system that achieved 100% success rates for experts and 96% for paramedics with minimal training.

Scammers exploit probate filings to target grieving families with fake fees and debts, Kurt "Cyberguy" Knutsson reports.

Automotive giant Stellantis becomes latest victim of widespread Salesforce breaches affecting companies like Google, Cisco and Adidas this year.

A woman from Washington reunited with her missing Maine Coon cat Louie after 11 days using Love Lost, a free AI-powered pet recovery platform.

Expert cybersecurity tips help Mac owners remove malware infections and strengthen defenses with antivirus software, password managers and system updates.

Meta's AI chatbot training rules bans sexual roleplay with minors and block access to child abuse material as regulators scrutinize its safety measures.

Online banking users face a new threat: web injection scams that overlay fake pop-ups to steal logins. Here’s how to spot them and protect your accounts.

Meta introduced Teen Accounts to Facebook and Messenger while launching a School Partnership Program for U.S. educators to report bullying within 48 hours.

Executive order signed by President Donald Trump tasks Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s MAHA Commission with using AI to find new cures for childhood cancers.

New FileFix attack tricks Facebook and Instagram users into running malicious PowerShell commands disguised as Meta account maintenance to deploy StealC infostealer.

Step-by-step instructions help users migrate to Windows 11 while preserving emails, contacts, documents, and software licenses during the transition.

Chrome faces its sixth zero-day attack in 2025 as Google patches critical V8 engine flaw CVE-2025-10585 discovered by Threat Analysis Group.

The Hypershell X Ultra exoskeleton features 12 terrain modes and carbon fiber construction to enhance hiking, cycling and outdoor adventures.

Personal data from public records and data brokers helps scammers create tailored scam stories, making their calls and emails more believable to potential victims.

Uber Eats partners with drone delivery startup Flytrex to test autonomous food delivery services in U.S. markets, marking the company's first investment in drone technology.

OpenAI announces 120-day plan to strengthen ChatGPT safeguards for teens, including parental controls and expert council on AI wellbeing.

Spam emails can help improve security — if reported correctly. Learn how to report spam across major email services and get key tips to protect your inbox and personal data.

Harvard researcher Avi Loeb says comet 3I/ATLAS weighs 33 billion tons and spans 3.1 miles, making it far larger than previous interstellar visitors.

Lets Make Some Things Clear about John Thune/Dan Nelson/MetaBank MetaGate

Political