FBI: ‘Active’ Investigation Continues Into Scandal Embroiling GOP Senate Nominee

FILE - In this June 3, 2014 file photo, former South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds and candidate for U.S. Senate, visits with supporters at his campaign headquarters in downtown Pierre, S.D. On Monday, Sept. 22, 2014, Roun... FILE - In this June 3, 2014 file photo, former South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds and candidate for U.S. Senate, visits with supporters at his campaign headquarters in downtown Pierre, S.D. On Monday, Sept. 22, 2014, Rounds released his written answers to questions on what he knew about the state's involvement in the federal EB-5 program that lets foreign investors obtain a green card with a $500,000 investment in an approved job-creating project. The state’s Government Operations and Audit Committee plans to review his answers and those from Gov. Dennis Daugaard on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Nora Hertel, File) MORE LESS
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The FBI confirmed Wednesday that its investigation into the South Dakota immigration-visa program that has ensnared Republican Senate nominee Mike Rounds remains “active,” the Argus Leader reported.

“We have an active investigation,” Kyle Loven, chief division counsel for the FBI’s Minneapolis division, told the newspaper. “As it is an active investigation, I’m not in a position to provide any details.”

The scandal over the EB-5 program, which gives wealthy foreign investors an opportunity for U.S. residency, is devilishly complex, but has included a suicide by one of the principals and nagging questions about Rounds’s knowledge about possible conflicts of interest in the program’s administration during his time as South Dakota’s governor. Vox and the Argus Leader have complied extensive overviews of the controversy.

What seems certain, though, is it has opened up an unexpected opportunity for either Democratic candidate Rick Weiland or former GOP Sen. Larry Pressler, now an independent, to pull an upset in the three-way race. Rounds was getting only 55 percent of GOP voters in a poll earlier this month.

According to TPM’s PollTracker average, Rounds is currently at 36.3 percent, Weiland at 31 percent and Pressler at 26 percent.

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  1. Avatar for bdtex bdtex says:

    If the DSCC was serious about putting money in SD,now is the time to go all out.

  2. Serious question. I recall that back in Saint Ronnie’s day INS began a program wherein rich foreigners who were willing to invest so much money in the US were given fast track citizenship. I believe this is how Rupert Murdoch became a US citizen, although why he did seems to have been more related to US laws regarding limiting foreign ownership of media outlets. Anyone have any hard data on this topic?

  3. Taking this seat would be very very very sweet.

  4. Avatar for giatny giatny says:

    As soon as the FBI finishes its investigation of Terry McAuliffe.
    Hillary’s brother and the IRS… This is a completely corrupt leak
    from the FBI. SD is NOT going to vote for monarchy and open
    borders.

  5. No because CONS love corrupt politicians, just as long as they have an R before their name. Let them elect this guy, and then us liberals will laugh when he is a sitting Senator who gets indicted on corruption charges.

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