SD GOP Executive Director Reggie Rhoden Charged With Disorderly Conduct

Reggie Rhoden, executive director of the South Dakota GOP and son of Lt. Gov. Larry Rhoden, has been charged with violating a disorderly conduct order after an alleged incident at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.

A citation filed with Milwaukee Municipal Court shows that Reggie Rhoden, 30, was reported for an incident that occurred on July 15, the first day of the convention. The incident took place at Fiserv Forum, the arena where the Republican National Convention was held.

The Dakota Scout newspaper first reported that the subpoena stemmed from an alleged altercation in which Reggie Rhoden confiscated a phone from Andreas Lauschke, a South Dakota delegate from Rapid City who was filming on the RNC floor. The state GOP executive director then threw the phone, which reportedly struck a member of the adjacent Maryland delegation.

The outlet cited sources who said Lauschke’s video at the Republican convention included Taffy Howard, a fellow South Dakota delegate, a former member of the state House of Representatives and a former unsuccessful Republican opponent of Rep. Dusty Johnson. The sources said Reggie Rhoden criticized Howard’s appearance in the video, leading to the conflict.

Larry Rhoden appeared at the Republican National Committee the same night the alleged incident took place. The lieutenant governor stood by his son as he cast the votes of the state’s 29 Republican delegates in favor of former President Donald Trump.

Larry Rhoden did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Argus Leader, nor did GOP Chairman John Wiik.

Reggie Rhoden has not entered a plea in connection with the citation, but the GOP director has a court date set for Nov. 4 in Milwaukee, according to the municipal court system. A $195 bond is attached to the citation.