This is an accepted version of this page
141-603: Thomas Andrew Daschle ( / ˈ d æ ʃ əl / DASH -əl ; born December 9, 1947) is an American politician and lobbyist who represented South Dakota in the United States Senate from 1987 to 2005. A member of the Democratic Party , he led the Senate Democratic Caucus during the final ten years of his tenure, during which time he served as Senate Minority Leader and Majority Leader . After leaving
282-429: A continental climate with four distinct seasons, ranging from cold, dry winters to warm and semi-humid summers. During the summers, the state's average high temperature is often close to 90 °F (32 °C), although it cools to near 60 °F (16 °C) at night. It is not unusual for South Dakota to have severe hot, dry spells in the summer with the temperature climbing above 100 °F (38 °C) several times
423-481: A 2015 lawsuit that Giuffre filed against Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell . Giuffre accused the two individuals of sex-trafficking her to high-profile individuals, including Mitchell, in the early 2000s while she was underage . Mitchell denied ever having met or spoken with Giuffre, and stated that he became aware of Epstein's criminal prosecution only through the media. On November 30, 2021, Epstein's former pilot Larry Visoski named Mitchell as one of
564-481: A Catholic. In the 2004 Senate election, John Thune defeated Daschle by 4,508 votes, 50.6% to 49.4%. It was the first time that a Senate party leader had lost a bid for reelection since 1952 , when Barry Goldwater defeated Ernest McFarland in Arizona. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist visited South Dakota to campaign for Thune, breaking an unwritten tradition that a leader of one party would not actively campaign for
705-532: A close victory over incumbent Republican James Abdnor . In his first year, he was appointed to the Finance Committee . In 1994, he was chosen by his colleagues to succeed the retiring Senator George Mitchell as Democratic minority leader. In the history of the Senate, only Lyndon B. Johnson had served fewer years before being elected to lead his party. In addition to the minority leader's post, Daschle served as
846-643: A co-chair of the Housing Commission at the Bipartisan Policy Center . He is one of the few people in modern times to have served in the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the federal government . Mitchell was born in Waterville, Maine . His father, George John Mitchell Sr. (born Joseph Kilroy), was born in Ireland and adopted by a Lebanese American when he was orphaned. Mitchell's father
987-605: A consultant to InterMedia Partners in 2007; this was discovered by Senator Daschle's accountant in December 2008. According to ABC News , Daschle also took tax deductions for $ 14,963 in donations that he made between 2005 and 2007 to charitable organizations that did not meet the requirements for being tax deductible. The former senator paid the three years of owed taxes and interest—an amount totaling $ 140,167—in January 2009, but still reportedly owed "Medicare taxes equal to 2.9 percent" of
1128-461: A growing controversy over his failure to properly report and pay income taxes . He is currently working for The Daschle Group, a Public Policy Advisory of Baker Donelson , a large law firm and lobbying group. Daschle was born in Aberdeen , South Dakota , the son of Elizabeth B. (née Meier) and Sebastian C. Daschle, both of German descent. His paternal grandparents were Volga Germans . He grew up in
1269-607: A janitor. In the family of five children, all three of his brothers were athletes; though a talented student as a child, he found himself overshadowed by his brothers' athletic achievements. After graduating from high school at the age of sixteen, Mitchell attended Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine , where he worked several jobs and played on the basketball team. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1954, intending to attend graduate school and then teach, but instead served in
1410-415: A large portion of the population — with nine reservations currently in the state — and has historically dominated the territory. South Dakota is the 17th-largest by area , but the fifth-least populous , and the fifth-least densely populated of the 50 United States . Pierre is the state capital , and Sioux Falls , with a population of about 213,900, is South Dakota's most populous city . The state
1551-527: A lobbying firm, became a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress , and co-authored a book advocating universal health care . Daschle was an early supporter of Barack Obama 's presidential candidacy, and was nominated by President-elect Obama for the position of Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services after the 2008 election . However, Daschle withdrew his name on February 3, 2009, amid
SECTION 10
#17328546614321692-589: A member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry . South Dakotans reelected Daschle to the Senate by overwhelming margins in 1998 . At various points in his career, he served on the Veterans Affairs , Indian Affairs , Finance , and Ethics Committees. When the 107th Congress commenced on January 3, 2001, the Senate was evenly divided—that is, there were 50 Democrats and 50 Republicans. Outgoing Vice President Al Gore acted in his constitutional capacity as ex officio President of
1833-521: A move that has been followed by several other financial companies. South Dakota was the first state to eliminate caps on interest rates . In 2007, the site of the recently closed Homestake gold mine near Lead was chosen as the location of a new underground research facility, the Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory . Despite a growing state population and recent economic development, many rural areas have been struggling over
1974-568: A national rate of 12.8%. The effect of rural flight has not been spread evenly through South Dakota, however. Although most rural counties and small towns have lost population, the Sioux Falls area, the larger counties along Interstate 29 , the Black Hills, and many Indian reservations have all gained population. As the reservations have exercised more sovereignty, some Sioux have returned to them from urban areas. Lincoln County near Sioux Falls
2115-516: A new Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution bearing his name. Mitchell led an American fact-finding commission initiated under President Bill Clinton in 2000 intended to find solutions for solving the situation between Israel and the Palestinians . Mitchell's report , published in 2001, stressed the need for Israel to halt the expansion of its settlements in the Palestinian territories and for
2256-651: A news conference with Obama on December 11, 2008. Some organizations objected to Daschle's selection, arguing that his work at Alston & Bird was tantamount to lobbying and therefore his selection violated Obama's promise to keep special interests out of the White House. According to Ellen Miller, executive director of the Sunlight Foundation , Daschle technically complies with the transition rules against lobbyists but "many power brokers never register as lobbyists, but they are every bit as powerful." Stephanie Cutter ,
2397-536: A nonprofit blindness rehabilitation agency in Portland. In 2007, Mitchell joined fellow former Senate Majority Leaders Howard Baker , Bob Dole , and Tom Daschle to found the Bipartisan Policy Center , a non-profit think tank that works to develop policies suitable for bipartisan support. Mitchell was reportedly among those considered by Al Gore as a running mate for his 2000 presidential run , but Gore selected Joe Lieberman . Had Mitchell been nominated and had
2538-508: A part of the Democratic leadership. Although Daschle was not seeking the vice presidency, he received 10 (0.30%) delegate votes for Vice President of the United States at the 1980 Democratic National Convention . Several others also received protest votes, but incumbent Vice President Walter Mondale was nevertheless renominated easily. In 1986 , Daschle was elected to the U.S. Senate in
2679-490: A particularly tumultuous time in the company's history, needing to face such issues as Comcast 's hostile takeover attempts and a possible split with Pixar . Mitchell played an important role in the selection of Robert A. Iger as Eisner's successor as CEO in 2005. On June 28, 2006, Disney announced that its board had elected one of its members, John Pepper Jr. , former CEO of Procter & Gamble , to replace Mitchell as chairman effective January 1, 2007. In 2006, Mitchell
2820-507: A pregnant woman. (Investigators into the 2001 anthrax attacks , which included Senator Daschle's Capitol Hill office, suspect that alleged anthrax mailer Bruce Ivins may have chosen to target Daschle over his views on abortion, although Ivins's lawyer disputed this alleged motive.) In 2003, Roman Catholic Bishop Robert Carlson reportedly wrote to Daschle, criticizing his stance on abortion as conflicting with Roman Catholic teaching, and stating that Daschle should no longer identify himself as
2961-574: A relatively high-profile among Democratic interest groups. These moves were interpreted by the media as an exploration of a potential 2008 Presidential candidacy . On December 2, 2006, he announced he would not run for president in 2008. In an appearance on Meet the Press on February 12, 2006, Daschle endorsed a controversial warrantless surveillance program conducted by the National Security Agency (NSA), explaining that he had been briefed on
SECTION 20
#17328546614323102-561: A senior fellow and senior research scholar at Columbia University 's Center for International Conflict Resolution , where he works to help end or avert conflicts between nations. He was the chancellor of the Queen's University of Belfast , Northern Ireland , until his resignation in April 2009, and namesake of the George J. Mitchell Scholarship , which sponsors graduate study for twelve Americans each year in
3243-531: A spokeswoman for the Obama transition , responded that Daschle's work "does not represent a bar to his service in the transition" since "he was not a lobbyist, and he will recuse himself from any work that presents a conflict of interest." Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA, praised Daschle on his nomination to Secretary of Health and Human Services for his "deep commitment to securing high-quality, affordable health care for everyone in our nation." When Daschle
3384-617: A state on November 2, 1889, simultaneously with North Dakota . They are the 39th and 40th states admitted to the union; President Benjamin Harrison shuffled the statehood papers before signing them so that no one could tell which became a state first. Key events in the 20th century included the Dust Bowl and Great Depression , increased federal spending during the 1940s and 1950s for agriculture and defense, and an industrialization of agriculture that has reduced family farming. Eastern South Dakota
3525-533: A working-class Roman Catholic family, the eldest of four brothers. He attended Central High School in Aberdeen before becoming the first person in his family to graduate from college when he earned a B.A. from the Department of Political Science at South Dakota State University in 1969. While attending South Dakota State University, Daschle became a brother of Alpha Phi Omega . From 1969 to 1972, Daschle served in
3666-498: A year. Winters are cold with January high temperatures averaging below freezing and low temperatures averaging below 10 °F (−12 °C) in most of the state. The highest recorded temperature is 120 °F (49 °C) at Usta on July 15, 2006 and the lowest recorded temperature is −58 °F (−50 °C) at McIntosh on February 17, 1936. Average annual precipitation in South Dakota ranges from semi-arid conditions in
3807-452: Is another privately owned attraction in the Black Hills. It is a working paleontological dig and has one of the world's largest concentrations of mammoth remains. At the 2022 estimate South Dakota's population was 909,824 on July 1, 2022, a 2.61% increase since the 2020 United States census . In 2020, 6.5% of South Dakota's population was reported as under 5, 24.5% under 18, and 17.7% were 65 or older. Females made up approximately 49.7% of
3948-476: Is bisected by the Missouri River , dividing South Dakota into two geographically and socially distinct halves, known to residents as " East River " and " West River ". South Dakota is bordered by North Dakota to the north, Minnesota to the east, Iowa to the southeast, Nebraska to the south, Wyoming to the west, and Montana to the northwest. Humans have inhabited the area for several millennia, with
4089-594: Is fair. He's been meticulously even-handed". Within the first week of his appointment, Mitchell was dispatched to visit Israel , the West Bank , Egypt , Jordan , Turkey, and Saudi Arabia for peace discussions in light of the 2008-09 Gaza War between Israel and the Gaza Strip , in which both sides had recently entered into unilateral ceasefires . Mitchell began his meetings in Cairo on January 27, and Obama said his visit
4230-527: Is home to a large herd of bison . Badlands National Park was established in 1978, and features an eroded, brightly colored landscape surrounded by semi-arid grasslands. Mount Rushmore National Memorial in the Black Hills was established in 1925. The sculpture of four U.S. Presidents was carved into the mountainside by sculptor Gutzon Borglum . Other areas managed by the National Park Service include Jewel Cave National Monument near Custer ,
4371-615: Is home to most of the state's population, and the area's fertile soil is used to grow a variety of crops. West of the Missouri River, ranching is the predominant agricultural activity, and the economy is more dependent on tourism and defense spending. Most of the Native American reservations are in West River . The Black Hills , a group of low pine-covered mountains sacred to the Sioux, is in
Tom Daschle - Misplaced Pages Continue
4512-563: Is often considered part of Tornado Alley , and South Dakota experiences an average of 30 tornadoes each year. Severe blizzards and ice storms often occur during winter. South Dakota has several sites administered by the National Park Service . Two national parks have been established in the state, both in its southwestern region. Wind Cave National Park , established in 1903 in the Black Hills , has an extensive cave network and
4653-570: The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC), dedicated to finding bipartisan solutions for policy disputes. Daschle is also a co-chair of BPC's Health Project. In 2003, Daschle received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement presented by Awards Council member Senator Bill Frist. In May 2005, South Dakota State University , Daschle's alma mater, conferred upon him an honorary doctorate for public service. In May 2011, Daschle
4794-642: The Black Hills during a military expedition led by George A. Custer and miners and explorers began illegally entering land promised to the Lakota. Custer's expedition took place despite the fact that the Sioux had been granted the entire western half of present-day South Dakota ( West River ) in 1868 by the Treaty of Laramie as part of the Great Sioux Reservation . The Sioux declined to grant mining rights or land in
4935-471: The Dakota Territory was established by the United States government (this initially included North Dakota , South Dakota, and parts of Montana and Wyoming ). Settlement of the area, mostly by people from the eastern United States as well as western and northern Europe , increased rapidly, especially after the completion of an eastern railway link to Yankton in 1873. In 1874, gold was discovered in
5076-576: The Hart Senate Office Building was the focus of an intensive cleanup led by the Environmental Protection Agency . Daschle has a mixed voting record on abortion-related issues, which led the pro-choice organization NARAL to give him a 50% vote rating. In 1999 and 2003, Daschle voted in favor of the ban on partial-birth abortion , and supported legislation making it a crime to harm an unborn child when someone attacks
5217-613: The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail , the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site , which features a decommissioned nuclear missile silo and a separate missile control area several miles away, and the Missouri National Recreational River . The Crazy Horse Memorial is a large mountainside sculpture near Mount Rushmore being built using private funds. The Mammoth Site near Hot Springs
5358-588: The Missouri River . By 1500, the Arikara (or Ree) had settled in much of the Missouri River valley. European contact with the area began in 1743, when the LaVérendrye brothers explored the region. The LaVérendrye group buried a plate near the site of modern-day Pierre , claiming the region for France as part of greater Louisiana . In 1762 the entire region became part of the Spanish Louisiana until 1802. By
5499-521: The Mitchell Principles that regulated access to subsequent all-party peace talks. Mitchell then co-chaired the all-party talks, leading to the Belfast Agreement , signed on Good Friday 1998 (known since as the "Good Friday Agreement"). Mitchell's mediation between the parties was crucial to the success of the talks. He was succeeded as special envoy by Richard Haass . For his leadership in
5640-541: The Philippines , Mexico , Sudan and Ethiopia . The center of population of South Dakota is in Buffalo County , in the unincorporated county seat of Gann Valley . According to HUD 's 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report , there were an estimated 1,389 homeless people in South Dakota. In 2022, South Dakota had the lowest drug overdose death rate of any US state, at 11.3 per 100,000 people. According to
5781-776: The Public Religion Research Institute in 2020, 73% of the adult population were Christian. Per the Pew Research Center 's separate 2014 study, the largest religious denominations in Christianity by number of adherents as a percentage of South Dakota's population in 2014 were the Catholic Church with 22 percent, evangelical Protestants with 25 percent, and mainline Protestants with 32 percent. Together, all kinds of Protestants accounted for 57 percent. Those unaffiliated with any religion represented 18 percent of
Tom Daschle - Misplaced Pages Continue
5922-691: The Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. He is the founder of the Mitchell Institute , in Portland, Maine , whose mission is to increase the likelihood that young people from every community in Maine will aspire to, pursue and achieve a college education. In 2007, he became a visiting Professor in Leeds Metropolitan University 's School of Applied Global Ethics, and the university is developing
6063-671: The United States Air Force as an intelligence officer with the Strategic Air Command . In the mid-1970s Daschle was an aide to Senator James Abourezk . In 1978 Daschle was elected to the United States House of Representatives at the age of 31, winning the race by a margin of 139 votes, following a recount, out of more than 129,000 votes cast. Daschle served four terms in the House of Representatives and quickly became
6204-419: The United States Air Force , he was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1978 and served four terms. In 1986 , he was elected to the U.S. Senate, becoming Minority Leader in 1995 and Majority Leader in 2001, becoming the highest-ranking elected official in South Dakota history. In 2004 , he was defeated for reelection in a close race. Later, he took a position as a policy advisor with
6345-534: The United States Army from 1954 to 1956, rising to first lieutenant . In 1961, Mitchell received his Bachelor of Laws from Georgetown University Law Center by attending its part-time program at night. He has since received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Bates College . After having performed well academically at Georgetown, Mitchell served as a trial attorney for the Antitrust Division of
6486-528: The United States Department of Justice in Washington from 1960 to 1962, and then as executive assistant to Senator Edmund S. Muskie from 1962 to 1965, where he first gained interest in the political world. Afterwards, Mitchell practiced law with Jensen & Baird in Portland, Maine , from 1965 to 1977 and was assistant county attorney for Cumberland County, Maine , in 1971. In 1974 Mitchell won
6627-726: The World Justice Project . The World Justice Project works to lead a global, multidisciplinary effort to strengthen the Rule of Law for the development of communities of opportunity and equity. Since 1995, Mitchell has been active in the Northern Ireland peace process , having served as the United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland under President Bill Clinton . He first led an international body to review options for paramilitary arms decommissioning , which produced
6768-595: The bill establishing Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a federal holiday and the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987 (as well as to override President Reagan 's veto). Mitchell voted against the nominations of Robert Bork and Clarence Thomas to the U.S. Supreme Court , stating explicitly that he believed Thomas' nomination constituted a racial quota . Mitchell served as Senate Majority Leader from 1989 to 1995. While in this role, Mitchell led
6909-437: The ring-necked pheasant , has adapted well to the area after being introduced from China . Growing populations of bald eagles are spread throughout the state, especially near the Missouri River . Rivers and lakes of the grasslands support populations of walleye , carp , pike , bass , and other species. The Missouri River also contains the pre-historic paddlefish . Due to a higher elevation and level of precipitation,
7050-406: The 1990 and the 2000 census. During that time, nine counties had a population loss of greater than 10%, with Harding County , in the northwest corner of the state, losing nearly 19% of its population. Low birth rates and a lack of younger immigration has caused the median age of many of these counties to increase. In 24 counties, at least 20% of the population is over the age of 65, compared with
7191-549: The 2008 presidential campaign, Daschle served as a key advisor to Obama and one of the national co-chairs for Obama's campaign. On June 3, 2008, Obama lost to Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary in Daschle's home state of South Dakota, although that night Obama clinched his party's nomination anyway. Two days later, sources indicated Daschle "is interested in universal health care and might relish serving as HHS secretary ." In
SECTION 50
#17328546614327332-467: The 2022 census estimate, the racial composition of the population was: Source: Ethnically, 4.9% of South Dakota's population was of Hispanic , Latino, or Spanish origin (they may be of any race). Ethnicity for the remainder of the population is not similarly accounted by the federal government. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 25.4% of South Dakota's population younger than age 1 were 'minorities' as of 2011, meaning they had at least one parent who
7473-414: The Black Hills ecology differs significantly from that of the plains. The mountains are thickly blanketed by various types of pines , including ponderosa and lodgepole pines , as well as spruces . Black Hills mammals include deer , elk (wapiti) , bighorn sheep , mountain goats , pine marten , and mountain lions , while the streams and lakes contain several species of trout . South Dakota has
7614-588: The Black Hills, and war broke out after the U.S. failed to stop white miners and settlers from entering the region. Eventually the U.S. won and broke up the Great Sioux Reservation into five reservations, settling the Lakota there. In 1980 the Supreme Court and Congress ordered compensation to be offered but the Lakota still refuse to accept it, insisting on return of their land. A growing population in
7755-461: The Black Hills, long considered sacred by Native Americans, differs from its surroundings to such an extent it can be considered separate from the rest of western South Dakota. At times the Black Hills are combined with the rest of western South Dakota, and people often refer to the resulting two regions divided by the Missouri River as West River and East River . Eastern South Dakota generally features higher precipitation and lower topography than
7896-517: The Board after 43% of the company's shares were voted against Eisner's reelection (35% was the minimum for disposal). Mitchell himself received a 24% negative vote, a fact that led dissident Disney shareholders Roy E. Disney and Stanley Gold to criticize the appointment of Mitchell, whom they saw as Eisner's puppet. Having already served on the boards of companies including Xerox , Starwood , FedEx , and Staples, Inc. , Mitchell assumed his new role at
8037-473: The Dakota Territory caused political dissatisfaction between northern and southern territory residents, with the southern half being always more populated. Following the territorial capital being moved from Yankton to Bismarck in the northern part, calls for dividing the territory increased. South Dakota held constitutional conventions in 1883, 1885, and 1889. Other account(s) state that the real reason for
8178-476: The Democratic nomination for governor of Maine , defeating Joseph E. Brennan . He lost in the general election to independent candidate James B. Longley , but was appointed United States Attorney for Maine by President Jimmy Carter in 1977. Mitchell served in that capacity from 1977 to 1979. Mitchell was nominated by President Carter on July 31, 1979, to the United States District Court for
8319-425: The Democratic ticket won that year, he would have been the first Lebanese American to serve as the vice president of the United States , and only the second vice president from Maine, after Hannibal Hamlin . He also was mentioned in both 2000 and in 2004 as a potential secretary of state for a Democratic administration, due to his role as Senate Leader and the Good Friday agreements. Since 2002, Mitchell has been
8460-423: The District of Maine , to a new seat authorized by 92 Stat. 1629. He was confirmed by the Senate on October 4, 1979, and received his commission on October 5, 1979. His service terminated on May 16, 1980, due to his resignation. Mitchell was appointed to the United States Senate in May 1980 by the governor of Maine, Joseph Brennan, when Edmund Muskie resigned to become US Secretary of State . After serving out
8601-448: The Middle East since. In 2010, he led the US delegation to the Palestine Investment Conference . On May 13, 2011, Mitchell tendered his resignation from the post of Special Envoy to the Middle East. Obama praised Mitchell, stating, "His deep commitment to resolving conflict and advancing democracy has contributed immeasurably to the goal of two states [Israel and Palestine] living side by side in peace and security." In 2012, Mitchell
SECTION 60
#17328546614328742-411: The Missouri River create four large reservoirs: Lake Oahe , Lake Sharpe , Lake Francis Case , and Lewis and Clark Lake . South Dakota can generally be divided into three regions: eastern South Dakota, western South Dakota, and the Black Hills . The Missouri River serves as a boundary in terms of geographic, social, and political differences between eastern and western South Dakota. The geography of
8883-605: The Northern Ireland peace negotiations, Mitchell was awarded the Liberty Medal (on July 4, 1998) and the Presidential Medal of Freedom (on March 17, 1999). In accepting the Liberty Medal, he stated: "I believe there's no such thing as a conflict that can't be ended. They're created and sustained by human beings. They can be ended by human beings. No matter how ancient the conflict, no matter how hateful, no matter how hurtful, peace can prevail." On March 4, 2004, Disney's board of directors , on which Mitchell had served since 1995, named him Michael Eisner 's replacement as Chairman of
9024-427: The Palestinians to prevent violence. Interest in the report was renewed when Mitchell was named Special Envoy for Middle East Peace in 2009. Mitchell served as co-chairman (with Newt Gingrich ) of the Congressionally mandated Task Force on the United Nations , which released its findings and recommendations on June 15, 2005, after having been formed that January. George J. Mitchell serves as an Honorary Co-chair for
9165-401: The Press , Thune accused Daschle of "emboldening the enemy" in his skepticism of the Iraq War . When the race began in early 2004, Daschle led by 7% in January and February. By May, his lead was just 2% and summer polls showed a varying number of trends: Daschle or Thune led by no more than 2%, but some polls showed a tie. Throughout September, Daschle led Thune by margins of 2–5% while during
9306-446: The Red Sox". On January 22, 2009, President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton appointed Mitchell as the administration's Special Envoy to the Arab-Israeli peace process, formally known as the "Special Envoy for Middle East Peace". The appointment was seen as an indication of the new Obama administration 's increased focus on the Israeli–Palestinian conflict . The choice of Mitchell allowed Obama to demonstrate
9447-483: The Senate , and used his tie-breaking vote to give the Democrats the majority in that chamber. For the next two weeks, Daschle served as Senate Majority Leader . Upon the commencement of the Bush administration on January 20, 2001, Dick Cheney became president of the senate, thereby returning Democrats to the minority in that body; Daschle reverted to the position of Senate Minority Leader . However, on June 6, 2001, Senator Jim Jeffords of Vermont announced that he
9588-415: The Senate just as Obama entered. These included Daschle's outgoing chief-of-staff Pete Rouse who helped to create a two-year plan in the Senate that would fast-track Obama for the presidential nomination. Daschle himself told Obama in 2006 that "windows of opportunity for running for the presidency close quickly. And that he should not assume, if he passes up this window, that there will be another." During
9729-420: The Senate to pass significant health-care legislation. The seat ultimately went to Stephen Breyer . Nevertheless, Congress was not able to pass any significant health-care legislation at the time, and Mitchell did not run for reelection in 1994 . For 1994, Mitchell's last year in the Senate, the American Conservative Union gave him a rating of 0.00 on a scale of 0 to 100, with 100 being most conservative. For
9870-445: The Senate, Mitchell played a leading role in negotiations for peace in Northern Ireland and the Middle East . He was appointed United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland (1995–2001) by President Clinton and as United States Special Envoy for Middle East Peace (2009–2011) by President Barack Obama . Mitchell was a primary architect of the 1996 Mitchell Principles and the 1998 Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland, and
10011-415: The Senate, he instead worked as a "special policy adviser" for the firm. Alston & Bird's healthcare clients include CVS Caremark , the National Association for Home Care and Hospice, Abbott Laboratories , and HealthSouth . The firm was paid $ 5.8 million between January and September 2008 to represent companies and associations before Congress and the executive branch, with 60% of that money coming from
10152-401: The Senate. He served as Deputy President pro tempore in the 100th United States Congress , because of the illness of president pro tempore John C. Stennis , and remains the only senator other than Hubert Humphrey to have held that post. The position of deputy president pro tempore was created specifically to be held by a current senator who is a former president or former vice president of
10293-465: The Sioux becoming dominant by the early 19th century. In the late 19th century, European-American settlement intensified after a gold rush in the Black Hills and the construction of railroads from the east. Encroaching miners and settlers triggered a number of Indian wars , ending with the Wounded Knee Massacre in 1890. As the southern part of the former Dakota Territory , South Dakota became
10434-714: The Two Years That Changed America Forever , published in 2003. With Charles Robbins, he has also written the book The U.S. Senate , part of the Fundamentals of American Government series. In October 2001, while he was the Senate Majority Leader, Daschle's office received a letter containing anthrax , becoming a target of the 2001 anthrax attacks . Some of his staffers were confirmed to have been exposed, as well as several of Senator Russ Feingold 's staffers and Capitol police officers. His suite at
10575-606: The U.S. entry into World War II in 1941, when demand for the state's agricultural and industrial products grew as the nation mobilized for war. In 1944, the Pick–Sloan Plan was passed as part of the Flood Control Act of 1944 by the U.S. Congress, resulting in the construction of six large dams on the Missouri River, four of which are at least partially in South Dakota. Flood control, hydroelectricity , and recreational opportunities such as boating and fishing are provided by
10716-469: The United States and the Lakota Sioux Nation , the massacre resulted in the deaths of at least 146 Sioux, many of them women and children. 31 U.S. soldiers were also killed in the conflict. During the 1930s, several economic and climatic conditions combined with disastrous results for South Dakota. A lack of rainfall, extremely high temperatures and inappropriate cultivation techniques produced what
10857-484: The United States. Humphrey is a former vice president of the United States and Mitchell is the only person to have been deputy president pro tempore who has never held one or both of the two highest offices of the US government. In 1988 Mitchell was reelected with 81 percent of the vote, the largest margin of victory in a Senate election that year and the largest majority ever for a senator from Maine. Mitchell voted in favor of
10998-433: The area formed the shoreline of an ancient inland sea. Much of South Dakota (except for the Black Hills area) is dominated by a temperate grassland biome. Although grasses and crops cover most of this region, deciduous trees such as cottonwoods , elms, and willows are common near rivers and in shelter belts . Mammals in this area include bison , deer , pronghorn , coyotes , and prairie dogs . The state bird,
11139-520: The area. In 1855, the U.S. Army bought Fort Pierre but abandoned it in 1857 in favor of Fort Randall to the south. Settlement by Americans and Europeans was by this time increasing rapidly, and in 1858 the Yankton Sioux signed the 1858 Treaty , ceding most of present-day eastern South Dakota to the United States. Land speculators founded two of eastern South Dakota's largest present-day cities: Sioux Falls in 1856 and Yankton in 1859. In 1861,
11280-618: The board of directors of National Democratic Institute for International Affairs . Daschle is a member of the ReFormers Caucus of Issue One . Daschle is the co-chair of the national advisory board at the National Institute for Civil Discourse (NICD). The institute was created at the University of Arizona after the 2011 shooting of former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords that killed six people and wounded 13 others. In 2019, Daschle
11421-465: The dams and their reservoirs. In recent decades, South Dakota has been transformed from a state dominated by agriculture to one with a more diversified economy. The tourism industry has grown considerably since the mid-twentieth century, with the Black Hills becoming more important as a destination. The financial service industry began to grow in the state as well, with Citibank moving its credit card operations from New York to Sioux Falls in 1981,
11562-438: The defeat of the other. Throughout the campaign, Thune, along with Frist, President George W. Bush , and Vice President Cheney, frequently accused Daschle of being the "chief obstructionist" of Bush's agenda and charged him with using filibusters to unjustly block confirmation of several of Bush's nominees. The Republican candidate also drove home his strong support for the war. In a nationally televised debate on NBC 's Meet
11703-575: The early 19th century, the Sioux had largely replaced the Arikara as the dominant group in the area. In 1803, the United States purchased the Louisiana Territory , an area that included most of South Dakota, from Napoleon Bonaparte , and President Thomas Jefferson organized the Lewis and Clark Expedition to explore the region. In 1817, an American fur trading post was set up at present-day Fort Pierre , beginning continuous American settlement of
11844-540: The entire month of October into the November 2 election, most polls showed that Thune and Daschle were dead even, usually tied 49–49 among likely voters. Some polls showed either Thune or Daschle leading by extremely slim margins. Following his reelection defeat, Daschle took a position with the lobbying arm of the K ;Street law firm Alston & Bird . Because he was prohibited by law from lobbying for one year after leaving
11985-472: The firm's chairman. He was criticized for lobbying on behalf of the firm's Big Tobacco clients. He is also senior counsel to Preti, Flaherty, Beliveau, Pachios , Orlick & Haley in Portland, Maine. He is partner and chairman of the Global Board of DLA Piper , US LLP, a global law firm. Mitchell served as an Advisor of ZeniMax Media Inc. He has also served on the advisory board of The Iris Network ,
12126-475: The form of democratic institutions, open markets, human rights and the rule of law. It does so by making available, discreetly and in confidence, the experience of former leaders to today's national leaders. It is a not-for-profit organization composed of former heads of government, senior governmental and international organization officials who work closely with heads of Government on governance-related issues of concern to them. Daschle also served as vice chair of
12267-414: The general election campaign, Daschle continued to consult Obama, campaign for him across swing states , and advise his campaign organization until Obama was ultimately elected the 44th President of the United States on November 4, 2008. On November 19, 2008, the press reported that Daschle had accepted Obama's offer to be nominated for Health and Human Services Secretary . His selection was announced at
12408-421: The geology of this area. The Black Hills are in the southwestern part of South Dakota and extend into Wyoming . This range of low mountains covers 6,000 sq mi (16,000 km ), with peaks that rise from 2,000 to 4,000 feet (600 to 1,200 m) above their bases. The Black Hills are the location of Black Elk Peak (7,242 ft or 2,207 m above sea level), the highest point in South Dakota and also
12549-477: The government, directly or through insurers, is responsible for paying doctors, hospitals, and other health-care providers." They argue that a single-payer approach is simple, equitable, provides everyone with the same benefits, and saves billions of dollars through economies of scale and simplified administration. They concede that implementing a single-payer system in the United States would be "politically problematic" even though some polls show more satisfaction with
12690-618: The happiest, healthiest state in the United States. South Dakota is in the north-central United States, and is considered a part of the Midwest by the U.S. Census Bureau; it is also part of the Great Plains region. The culture, economy, and geography of western South Dakota have more in common with the West than the Midwest. South Dakota has a total area of 77,116 square miles (199,730 km ), making
12831-451: The healthcare industry. Daschle was recruited by the former Republican Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole . Daschle's salary from Alston & Bird for the year 2008 was reportedly $ 2 million. Daschle was also a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress . In addition, he served as National Co-Chair of ONE Vote ‘08, along with former senator Bill Frist . He and former senators George Mitchell , Bob Dole, and Howard Baker formed
12972-529: The highest point in the United States east of the Rocky Mountains . Two-billion-year-old Precambrian formations, the oldest rocks in the state, form the central core of the Black Hills. Formations from the Paleozoic Era form the outer ring of the Black Hills; these were created between roughly 540 and 250 million years ago. This area features rocks such as limestone , which were deposited here when
13113-579: The issue, in part responsible for the league's decision to commission an independent investigation. To this day Mitchell is known to have held meetings with only two active players, Jason Giambi , who was ordered to meet Mitchell by Commissioner Selig in light of his public admissions on the issue, and one additional player whose name was initially not made public but was later revealed to be Frank Thomas . Mitchell did however hold extensive meetings with several known steroid dealers, club attendants, personal trainers, and others who had ties to all players named in
13254-579: The legislature passed a law to make English the "common language" of the state. Since 2019, "the language of the Great Sioux Nation , comprised of three dialects, Dakota, Lakota, and Nakota " is the official indigenous language. As of the 2000 census, 1.90% of the population age 5 or older speak German at home, while 1.51% speak Lakota or Dakota , and 1.43% Spanish. As of 2010, 93.46% (692,504) of South Dakota residents age 5 and older spoke English as their primary language . 6.54% of
13395-561: The midst of the COVID-19 pandemic . On February 21, 2007, the Associated Press reported that Daschle, after ruling out a presidential bid of his own in December 2006, had thrown his support behind Senator Barack Obama of Illinois for the 2008 presidential election , saying that Obama "personifies the future of Democratic leadership in our country." In January 2005, having suggested that Obama take on some of his staffers, Daschle exited
13536-797: The movement to reauthorize the Clean Air Act in 1990 and pass the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 . Additionally, under his leadership, the Senate approved the North American Free Trade Agreement and the formation of the World Trade Organization . In 1994, Mitchell turned down an offer of appointment by President Bill Clinton to the United States Supreme Court , to replace the retiring Harry A. Blackmun so that he could continue helping with efforts in
13677-475: The nation's largest population of Hutterites , a communal Anabaptist group which emigrated in 1874 from German-speaking villages in what today is Ukraine but at that time was part of the Russian Empire . American Indians , largely Lakota , Dakota , and Nakota (Sioux), are predominant in several counties and constitute 20 percent of the population in West River . The seven large Indian reservations in
13818-739: The national average; Ziebach County ranked as the poorest county in the nation in 2009. The unemployment rate in Fort Thompson , on the Crow Creek Reservation , is 70%, and 21% of households lack plumbing or basic kitchen appliances. A 1995 study by the U.S. Census Bureau found 58% of homes on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation did not have a telephone. The reservations' isolation also inhibits their ability to generate revenue from gaming casinos, an avenue that has proved profitable for many tribes closer to urban centers. In 1995
13959-429: The northwestern part of the state (around 15 inches or 380 mm) to semi-humid around the southeast portion of the state (around 25 inches or 640 mm), although a small area centered on Lead in the Black Hills has the highest precipitation at nearly 30 inches (760 mm) per year. South Dakota summers bring frequent, sometimes severe, thunderstorms with high winds, thunder, and hail. The state's eastern part
14100-495: The past 50 years with locally declining populations and the emigration of educated young adults to larger South Dakota cities, such as Rapid City or Sioux Falls, or to other states. Mechanization and consolidation of agriculture has contributed greatly to the declining number of smaller family farms and the resulting economic and demographic challenges facing rural towns. However, the state often ranks highly for its way of life, and Gallup's well-being index in 2018 named South Dakota
14241-552: The people he recalled flying on one of Epstein's private planes, but claimed to have never seen sexual activity nor indication that such activity had taken place. In 1994, Mitchell received the US Senator John Heinz Award for Greatest Public Service by an Elected or Appointed Official, an award distributed annually by Jefferson Awards . In recognition for his role in the Northern Ireland peace process, Mitchell
14382-645: The population spoke a language other than English. 2.06% (15,292) of the population spoke Spanish, 1.39% (10,282) spoke Dakota , and 1.37% (10,140) spoke German. Other languages spoken included Vietnamese (0.16%), Chinese (0.12%), and Russian (0.10%). Over the last several decades, the population in many rural areas has declined in South Dakota, in common with other Great Plains states. The change has been characterized as " rural flight " as family farming has declined. Young people have moved to cities for other employment. This trend has continued in recent years, with 30 of South Dakota's counties losing population between
14523-595: The population. As of the 2020 census, South Dakota ranked fifth-lowest in the nation in population and population density, only North Dakota , Alaska , Vermont , and Wyoming have fewer residents. Of the people residing in South Dakota, 65.7% were born in South Dakota, 31.4% were born in another U.S. state, 0.6% were born in Puerto Rico, U.S. Island areas, or born abroad to American parent(s), and 2.3% were born in another country. The top countries of origin for South Dakota's immigrants and refugees in 2018 were Guatemala ,
14664-523: The population. The breakdown of other religions was <1% Muslim, <1% Hindu and 1% Buddhist. The number of Jewish people in South Dakota is under 400, the lowest total in any of the fifty states. George J. Mitchell George John Mitchell Jr. (born August 20, 1933) is an American politician, diplomat, and lawyer. A leading member of the Democratic Party , he served as a United States senator from Maine from 1980 to 1995, and as Senate Majority Leader from 1989 to 1995. After retiring from
14805-673: The program while he was the Democratic leader in the Senate. In addition, Senator Daschle is a member of the board of trustees for the Richard C. Blum Center for Developing Economies at the University of California, Berkeley . The center is focused on finding solutions to address the crisis of extreme poverty and disease in the developing world. Daschle is a Member of the Global Leadership Foundation , an organization which works to support democratic leadership, prevent and resolve conflict through mediation and promote good governance in
14946-607: The remainder of Muskie's term, Mitchell was elected to his first full term in 1982 with approximately 61 percent of the vote against Congressman David Emery , and rose quickly in the Senate Democratic leadership. He was elected as the chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in 1984, helping the Democrats regain control of the Senate in 1986 with a net eight new seats and a 55–45 majority in
15087-486: The report was commissioned by Selig, and no members of the Milwaukee Brewers , whom Selig once owned, appeared in the report. The Los Angeles Times reported that Mitchell acknowledged that his "tight relationship with Major League Baseball left him open to criticism". Mitchell responded to the concerns by stating that readers who examined the report closely "will not find any evidence of bias, of special treatment of
15228-760: The report. Even though the union that protects the players had pressured all but Giambi and Thomas into maintaining the culture of silence that had helped the drug problem remain a secret, there was plenty of other evidence against those named in his report. Mitchell released a 409-page report of his findings on December 13, 2007. The report includes the names of 89 former and current players for whom it claims evidence of use of steroids or other prohibited substances exists. This list includes names of Most Valuable Players and All-Stars , such as Roger Clemens , Andy Pettitte , Miguel Tejada , Denny Neagle , Paul Lo Duca , David Justice , Barry Bonds , Éric Gagné , Todd Hundley , Randy Velarde , and Benito Santiago . Mitchell
15369-505: The same year, the Americans for Democratic Action gave him a score of 90 on a scale of 0 to 100, with 100 being most liberal. Mitchell has served as a director of companies including Walt Disney Company ; FedEx ; Xerox ; Unilever ; Staples, Inc. ; Starwood ; and the Boston Red Sox baseball team. After leaving the Senate, Mitchell joined the Washington, D.C., law firm Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson and Hand ; he later became
15510-648: The seriousness and sincerity of his intentions regarding the peace process, without forcing him to immediately embark on a specific initiative before conditions were yet ripe. An analyst at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars said Mitchell's appointment "says to the world, 'I care about this issue; be patient with me.'" Abraham Foxman , the National Director of the Anti-Defamation League , has stated that, "Sen. Mitchell
15651-583: The single-payer Medicare system than private insurance . South Dakota South Dakota ( / d ə ˈ k oʊ t ə / ; Sioux : Dakȟóta itókaga , pronounced [daˈkˣota iˈtokaga] ) is a landlocked state in the North Central region of the United States . It is also part of the Great Plains . South Dakota is named after the Dakota Sioux tribe, which comprises
15792-456: The southeastern corner of South Dakota. Layers deposited during the Pleistocene epoch, starting around two million years ago, cover most of eastern South Dakota. These are the youngest rock and sediment layers in the state, the product of several successive periods of glaciation which deposited a large amount of rocks and soil, known as till , over the area. The Great Plains cover most of
15933-446: The southwest part of the state. Mount Rushmore , a major tourist destination, is there. South Dakota has a temperate continental climate , with four distinct seasons and precipitation levels ranging from moderate in the east to semi-arid in the west. The state's ecology features species typical of a North American grassland biome. While several Democrats have represented South Dakota for multiple terms in both chambers of Congress ,
16074-462: The split was a political lure for four Republican senators instead of two from the Republican dominated Dakota Territory and in their push to split the territory, Republican congressmen also ignored the uncomfortable fact that much of the land in the anticipated state of South Dakota belonged to the Sioux. Eventually, in the 1887 general election, Dakota Territory residents voted for the division, so it
16215-469: The state government is largely controlled by the Republican Party , whose nominees have carried South Dakota in each of the last 14 presidential elections . Historically dominated by an agricultural economy and a rural lifestyle, South Dakota has recently sought to diversify its economy in other areas to both attract and retain residents. South Dakota's history and rural character still strongly influence
16356-568: The state occupy an area much diminished from their former Great Sioux Reservation of West River, which the federal government had once allocated to the Sioux tribes. South Dakota has the third-highest proportion of Native Americans of any state, behind Alaska and New Mexico . Five of the state's counties are wholly within the boundaries of sovereign Indian reservations . Because of the limitations of climate and land, and isolation from urban areas with more employment opportunities, living standards on many South Dakota reservations are often far below
16497-454: The state the 17th largest in the Union. Black Elk Peak , formerly named Harney Peak, with an elevation of 7,242 ft (2,207 m), is the state's highest point, while the shoreline of Big Stone Lake is the lowest, with an elevation of 966 ft (294 m). South Dakota is bordered to the north by North Dakota ; to the south by Nebraska ; to the east by Iowa and Minnesota ; and to
16638-576: The state's culture. Humans have lived in what is today South Dakota for several thousand years. The first inhabitants were Paleoindian hunter-gatherers, and disappeared from the area around 5000 BC. Between 500 AD and 800 AD, a semi-nomadic people known as the Mound Builders lived in central and eastern South Dakota. In the 14th century, the Crow Creek Massacre occurred, in which several hundred men, women, and children were killed near
16779-559: The use of the car and driver "a generous offer" from Hindery, "a longtime friend." Daschle told the Senate Finance Committee that in June 2008—just as he was letting the press know he would like to be HHS secretary in an Obama administration—that "something made him think that the car service might be taxable" and he began seeking to remedy the situation. Daschle reportedly also did not pay taxes on an additional $ 83,333 that he earned as
16920-616: The value of the car service he received, amounting to "thousands of dollars in additional unpaid taxes." On February 3, 2009, Daschle withdrew his nomination, saying that he did not wish to be a "distraction" to the Obama agenda. Daschle co-wrote the 2008 book Critical: What We Can Do About the Health-Care Crisis ISBN 9780312383015 . He and his co-authors point out that "most of the world’s highest-ranking health-care systems employ some kind of 'single-payer' strategy – that is,
17061-665: The west by Wyoming and Montana . The geographical center of the U.S. is 17 miles (27 km) west of Castle Rock in Butte County . The North American continental pole of inaccessibility is between Allen and Kyle , 1,024 mi (1,648 km) from the nearest coastline. The Missouri River is the largest and longest river in the state. Other major South Dakota rivers include the Cheyenne , James , Big Sioux , and White Rivers. Eastern South Dakota has many natural lakes, mostly created by periods of glaciation. Additionally, dams on
17202-925: The western part of the state. Smaller geographic regions of this area include the Coteau des Prairies , the Dissected Till Plains , and the James River Valley. The Coteau des Prairies is a plateau bordered on the east by the Minnesota River Valley and on the west by the James River Basin. Further west, the James River Basin is mostly low, flat, highly eroded land, following the flow of the James River through South Dakota from north to south. The Dissected Till Plains, an area of rolling hills and fertile soil that covers much of Iowa and Nebraska, extends into
17343-503: The western two-thirds of South Dakota. West of the Missouri River the landscape becomes more arid and rugged, consisting of rolling hills, plains, ravines, and steep flat-topped hills called buttes . In the south, east of the Black Hills, lie the South Dakota Badlands . Erosion from the Black Hills, marine skeletons which fell to the bottom of a large shallow sea that once covered the area, and volcanic material all contribute to
17484-476: Was a janitor at Colby College in Waterville, where Mitchell was raised. Mitchell's mother, Mary ( née Saad), was a textile worker who immigrated to the United States in 1920 from Bkassine , Lebanon , at the age of eighteen. Mitchell was raised a Maronite Catholic and in his childhood served as an altar boy at St. Joseph's Maronite Church in Maine. Throughout junior high school and high school, he worked as
17625-629: Was asked to lead talks towards determining fines involved in the 2010 San Bruno pipeline explosion . In June 2014, Mitchell was hired as a senior advisor at the public relations and advisory company Teneo , a firm closely connected to the Clintons. Like Mitchell, who in 1995 had been appointed special envoy to Northern Ireland by President Bill Clinton, Teneo founder and CEO Declan Kelly had been appointed economic envoy to Northern Ireland in September 2009 by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Mitchell
17766-740: Was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Liberty Medal, and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1998. In addition, in 1999 Mitchell was invested as an Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE). In 2002, he received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement . In 2003, he received the Freedom Medal . On January 28, 2014,
17907-405: Was criticized for having a conflict of interest with the report as he was a director of the Boston Red Sox , especially because no prime Red Sox players were named in the report, despite the fact that Red Sox stars David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez were later accused of using performance-enhancing substances during the 2003 season, as reported by The New York Times on July 30, 2009. Likewise,
18048-548: Was diagnosed with acute leukemia , but by April 2023, he described himself as "pain-free and in remission." Virginia Giuffre , a woman who has long claimed that disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein forced her to have sex with powerful men, named Mitchell in documents unsealed on August 9, 2019 (a day before Epstein's death), by a Federal court in the Southern District of New York . The papers included affidavits and depositions of key witnesses in
18189-433: Was divided in half and Republican President Benjamin Harrison signed proclamations formally admitting South Dakota and North Dakota to the union on November 2, 1889. Harrison had the papers shuffled to obscure which one was signed first and the order went unrecorded. On December 29, 1890, the Wounded Knee Massacre occurred on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation . Commonly cited as the last major armed conflict between
18330-495: Was further honored with an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by Northern State University in his hometown of Aberdeen. In late September 2005, Daschle caught the attention of the media by reactivating his political action committee , changing its name from DASHPAC to New Leadership for America PAC and procuring a speaking slot at the Iowa Democratic Party's annual Jefferson-Jackson Day dinner. He continued to keep
18471-589: Was known as the Dust Bowl in South Dakota and several other plains states. Fertile topsoil was blown away in massive dust storms, and several harvests were completely ruined. The experiences of the Dust Bowl, coupled with local bank foreclosures and the general economic effects of the Great Depression , resulted in many South Dakotans leaving the state. The population of South Dakota declined by more than 7% between 1930 and 1940. Economic stability returned with
18612-559: Was leaving the Senate Republican caucus to become an independent and to caucus with Democrats; this once again returned control of the body to the Democrats and Daschle again became majority leader. Democratic losses in the November 2002 elections returned the party to the minority in the senate in January 2003, and Daschle once more reverted to being minority leader. Daschle recounted his senate experiences from 2001 to 2003 in his first book, Like No Other Time: The 107th Congress and
18753-529: Was married for 26 years until he and his wife Sally divorced in 1987. They are the parents of a daughter, Andrea. In December 1994, he married Heather MacLachlan, 35, a sports management consultant. They have a son, Andrew, and daughter, Claire, named in honor of Claire Bowes ( née Gallagher) who had so inspired him when she was blinded in the Omagh bombing . Mitchell was diagnosed with a "small, low grade, and localized" prostate cancer in 2007. In August 2020, he
18894-567: Was named to the advisory board of Northern Swan Holdings Inc., a cannabis investment firm. Daschle stated: "I believe it is imperative to loosen the restrictions on cannabis so we can research its properties and fully understand how patients can benefit from its medicinal use." In 2020, Daschle endorsed Constitutional Amendment A , a ballot initiative to legalize cannabis for recreational use in South Dakota. In 2021, Daschle co-wrote an op-ed for The Hill criticizing proposed cuts to pandemic preparedness programs, describing them as "unthinkable" in
19035-544: Was not non-Hispanic white. As of 2000, the five largest ancestry groups in South Dakota are German (40.7%), Norwegian (15.3%), Irish (10.4%), Native American (8.3%), and English (7.1%). German Americans are the largest ancestry group in most parts of the state, especially in East River (east of the Missouri River), although there are also large Scandinavian-descended populations in some counties. South Dakota has
19176-453: Was officially nominated for his Cabinet position on January 20, 2009, confirmation by the Senate was required. The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee held a confirmation hearing for Daschle on January 8, 2009. A second Senate committee, the Finance Committee , also traditionally reviews HHS Secretary nominees; the committee discussed his nomination behind closed doors on February 2, 2009. On January 30, 2009, it
19317-766: Was part of the president's campaign promise to listen to both sides of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict and negotiate a peace deal. However, in a continuation of a George W. Bush administration policy, Mitchell did not plan to talk to Hamas , a group Israel and the United States consider a terrorist organization , but instead focus on talks with the Palestinian National Authority . Mitchell first met with new Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in February 2009 and has met with many notable figures of
19458-500: Was reported that Daschle's friendship and business partnership with businessman Leo Hindery could cause problems for Daschle's Senate confirmation. Daschle has been a paid consultant and advisor to Hindery's InterMedia Partners since 2005, during which time he received from Hindery access to a limousine and chauffeur . Daschle reportedly did not declare this service on his annual tax forms as required by law. A spokeswoman for Daschle said that he "simply and probably naively" considered
19599-525: Was tapped by MLB Commissioner Bud Selig to lead an investigation into the use of performance-enhancing drugs by Major League Baseball players. The investigation derived largely from charges against Barry Bonds , and revelations in the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative (BALCO) trials of Victor Conte and Greg Anderson . Selig has said that revelations brought forth in the 2005 book Game of Shadows were, by way of calling attention to
19740-663: Was the main investigator in two "Mitchell Reports": one on the Arab–Israeli conflict (2001); and one on the use of performance-enhancing drugs in baseball (2007). Mitchell served as chairman of the Walt Disney Company from 2004 until 2007, and later as chairman of the international law firm DLA Piper . He was the Chancellor of Queen's University in Belfast , Northern Ireland , from 1999 to 2009. Mitchell also has served as
19881-402: Was the seventh fastest-growing county (by percentage) in the United States in 2010. The growth in these areas has compensated for losses in the rest of the state. South Dakota's total population continues to increase steadily, albeit at a slower rate than the national average. Religious self-identification, per Public Religion Research Institute 's 2022 American Values Survey According to
#431568