A lawyer representing a Pierre Lobbyist at the center of a dispute with the Speaker of the State House says the dispute is all but over.
Attorney David Lust representing the South Dakota Municipal League and Executive Director Yvonne Taylor confirmed today (Mon.) with the South Dakota Broadcasters Association that all parties had reached an agreement late last week.
Attorneys for both sides were working out the language of that agreement when news of a Temporary Restraining Order arrived late Friday afternoon.
Federal Judge Roberto Lange issued his TRO mid afternoon Friday after not receiving any formal paperwork indicating the case had been settled.
Earlier Friday, House Majority Leader Lee Qualm and announced in a regularly scheduled press conference that the lawsuit had been settled.
Lust says the matter had been settled at that point, but that the final language and other details were not yet formalized.
Judge Lange appears to have been taking no chances and issued a TRO based upon information in the original filing.
In his decision, Judge Lange wrote the filings, “meet the standard for issuance of a TRO and present a case for entry of a preliminary injunction.”
He issued the TRO Friday, “to avert immediate and irreparable injury to Plaintiffs while settlement discussions occur.”
Lusk says he expects the formal agreement to be submitted to the Court late today or early tomorrow.
Spokespersons for the South Dakota Attorney General’s Office did not immediately return calls for comment this morning.
