"Conflicts of interest in the state Legislature? They certainly exist, and even a casual observer can spot some of them.

But legislative conflicts jumped into the state’s headlines when Scott Heidepriem, head of the Senate Democrats, was accused of pushing a bill that some feel could have benefited his Sioux Falls law firm.

As Heidepriem backed a proposal to allow unlimited gambling in South Dakota, Rep. Kristi Noem, a Republican, openly noted that Heidepriem’s firm represented the Flandreau Sioux Tribe, which operates a large casino a short drive north of Sioux Falls. If unlimited gambling was allowed, Noem suggested the tribe would be among the first in line to open a casino in Sioux Falls.

Heidepriem claims he was only backing the legislation as a way to prevent a casino from being built just across the border from Sioux Falls in Larchwood, Iowa. It’s important to note that Heidepriem is from Sioux Falls, and may only have been trying to protect his home turf from a negative flow of big money — and tax dollars — into Iowa."

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Our View: Conflicts exist in S.D. Legislature (The Mitchell Daily Republic 3/5)