I don't know how many of you have heard of Tony Dean - he's a conservationist (in the South Dakota sense of the word), columnist, radio show host and a proud Democrat and Obama supporter. He died yesterday from complications suffered after an appendectomy last month.

I received an odd phone call here in South Dakota from the Clinton campaign tonight. And I think I, like so many of us, have such campaign fatigue I'm not sure if I'm angry or just sad about it.  A Clinton volunteer called my home at 8 p.m. The caller identified himself and told me he was calling on behalf of Hillary Clinton. He asked if he could count on my support in the primary next week. I was very polite (stress is just not good for me these days) and said I was sorry, but I already voted and did not vote for Senator Clinton, but for Barack Obama. That should have been the end of the phone call. I told him I already voted.

At 5:05 p.m. CST this evening, South Dakota Governor Mike Rounds halted the execution of  Elijah Page.  Rounds said the state execution law was flawed.

[ED: I changed the title so folks wouldn't think this was just a repeat of yesterday's news]

Well, there's sort of good news and not-so-good news to report from the state of South Dakota regarding the abortion ban.

First, the bad news because it's really awful and people need to know about this. This is my first diary, so I hope it up to form.

"Tribal council outlaws abortion President suspended for alleged donations"
I'm sure many of you remember Cecelia Fire Thunder, President of the Oglala Sioux tribe (Pine Ridge). She made news shortly after the ban passed by stating she wanted to build a women's health clinic on the reservation: "Tribal President Proposes Clinic". She received thousands of dollars in donations for this clinic - albeit unsolicited.

Just today, the tribal council banned all abortions on the reservation and has suspended Fire Thunder for 20 days, after which they will vote on impeachment:

Fire Thunder, in Iowa for an annual test of the cochlear implants that restored her hearing four years ago, said the people who brought the complaint were the same people who have been opposing her presidency since she was elected in November 2004.

"It got crazy," Fire Thunder said. "On Friday they were passing around a flyer that said 'Wilma Mankiller - Cecelia Babykiller.' "

Mankiller was the first female principal chief of the Cherokee Nation; Fire Thunder is the first female president of the Oglala Sioux.

I am certainly no expert in tribal politics, but having an all male council vote to suspend and possibly impeach the first women president doesn't sit right with me. I think this says it all, though:

But "she is a hard gal to look after," Peters said. "I just believe that she has fallen out of touch with the people she was elected to represent."

Now, the better news: More than twice the signatures needed to get the issue on the ballot were turned in despite attempts from supporters of the ban to stop it. Rumors were floated about the deadline for turning in signatures in an effort to confuse people and make then turn the petitions in early (thus, ban supporters hoped to force people to turn in the petitions without enough signatures). It didn't work.

From the Argus Leader: Abortion petitions in: two issues rejected

PIERRE - Opponents of the 2006 Legislature's ban on abortion in South Dakota delivered to the secretary of state Tuesday about 38,000 signatures on a petition to give voters a chance to veto the proposed law.

If Secretary of State Chris Nelson determines that at least 16,728 of the names are registered voters in the state, voters will decide Nov. 7 whether the Legislature was right or wrong in passing a law that makes it a felony in almost all cases for a doctor to perform an abortion.

The abortion ban is scheduled to take effect July 1, as most laws do in South Dakota. If Nelson certifies the issue to the ballot, the ban will be held in check until after the November election. If voters approve the ban, it takes effect the day after the official canvass, although a court challenge almost certainly would be filed against it in federal court.

I'm glad the issue will be brought to a vote. The ban will be voted down. While many South Dakotans do not support abortion completely, most believe this ban is far too restrictive and that Rounds went too far in signing it. He's up for a tough fight in November, too, if Billion wins the Dem nomination.