Marty Jackley, was sworn in today as the 30^th South Dakota Attorney General. He replaced Larry Long who the Governor appointed as a Circuit Judge in the Second Judicial Circuit.

The swearing in ceremony was held in Sioux Falls at the Minnehaha Old Court House Museum. As many as three hundred attended the event emceed by the outgoing Attorney General. In attendance were many members of the Bar including several members of the Judiciary, State Legislature, Law Enforcement, Assistant Attorney Generals, Assistant U S Attorneys, and friends of Marty Jackley.

The Governor was there and spoke very briefly. The new AG was sworn in by his father Mike Jackley. The senior Jackley a retired attorney from Sturgis has been active in Republican and State politics for many years. Mike served as Meade County States Attorney for 12 years.

The ceremony was also attended by President Obama’s nominee to replace Jackley as U S Attorney for the District of South Dakota, Brendan Johnson. Johnson son of Senator Tim Johnson is expected to be confirmed very shortly when the Congress returns to session next week. Johnson’s confirmation could come as early as next week with Justice Sotomayor’s confirmation off the plate of the U S Senate Judiciary Committee. The Acting (Interim) U S Attorney for South Dakota is Dennis Holmes, a long time Assistant U S Attorney.

Marty Jackley is an outstanding replacement for Long who served as General for about 7 years, as Chief Deputy Attorney General for Mark Barnett for 12 years and prior to that for perhaps nearing 20 years as the Bennett County States Attorney. Long is a fair minded man and will be a good Judge.

Jackley brings quite a resume to his new office. He grew up in the Sturgis area. He is a graduate of South Dakota School of Mines and Technology with a degree in Electrical Engineering and the University of South Dakota Law School. Upon graduating from law school in 1995 Marty served as a law clerk for Chief Federal Judge Dick Battey. Leaving his Clerk’s position in 1997 Marty was associated with the Gunderson, Palmer, Nelson law firm in Rapid City. During that time he also served as needed as a Special Assistant Attorney General in Butte, Fall River, Custer, and Meade Counties prosecuting controlled substance felonies. In 2006 President Bush nominated and the U S Senate confirmed his as U S Attorney for South Dakota. In 2008 Marty Jackley received the South Dakota Prosecutor of the Year Award from the South Dakota State’s Attorney’s Association.

Last evening many of Marty Jackley’ s friends, associates from the U S Attorney’s Office, and other members of the legal fraternity had a dinner at the Downtown Holiday Inn in Sioux Falls to wish the new Top Cop well as he embarked on his new job. I was not there but it was reported to me that perhaps the most notable kudos given to the exiting U S Attorney was from Senior Federal Judge Lawrence Piersol. Judge Piersol in his remarks said that under Jackley’s leadership, attorney’s under his direction were always prepared and only presented facts they could absolutely substantiate. When some facts were not on their side of the argument they did not take up the Court’s time by saying they were. (note – this is my interpretation of what the Judge said and any errors are mine – though in any event my source said His Honor's remarks were flattering.) This is a pretty high compliment given the partisan nature of the Judge who before he sat on the Bench was the Democrat Majority Leader in the South Dakota Legislature.  Judge Piersol also led Tom Daschle’s legal effort in the recount effort when Daschle won his first election in 1978 to the District 1 U S Congressional seat. (Daschle won by 139 votes – 64683 to 64544).

Jackley will hit the ground running and there will be little transition time in the AG’s office with the arrival of a new boss. Jackley might be the best qualified person to ever become Attorney General coming directly from running a large prosecutor’s office. His experience with Native American law as USA is especially notable.

I expect Marty to seek the Republican nomination in 2010. In earlier press reports he said he will give the election some thought after taking office. He will clearly be the favorite as the incumbent to win the GOP nomination. Jackley prior to serving as U S Attorney was active in the Republican Party. Growing up in Meade County and living in both Rapid City and Sioux Falls gives him a statewide base.

For the Democrats, they better start looking for some First Class talent to oppose him if they want to have any chance to win the Attorney General’s office. Recycling Ron Volesky again is not a winning formula.

It is very safe to say that today there is another political star ascending in South Dakota.

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