South Dakota Governor May Have ‘Engaged in Misconduct’: Ethics Board

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem speaks during an event in Des Moines, Iowa, on July 16, 2021. Charlie Neibergall/AP Photo

A South Dakota ethics board on Aug. 23 said it found sufficient information that Gov. Kristi Noem may have “engaged in misconduct” when she intervened in her daughter’s application for a real estate appraiser license.

The three retired judges on the Government Accountability Board unanimously voted to invoke procedures that allow for a contested case hearing to give Noem a chance to publicly defend herself against allegations of “misconduct” related to “conflicts of interest” and “malfeasance.” The board also dismissed allegations that Noem misused state funds in the episode.

Lori Wilbur, the board chair, said the complaint was “partially dismissed and partially closed,” but added that the complaint could be reopened. She declined to discuss what would cause the board to reopen the complaint.

Noem reportedly met in 2020 with South Dakota Labor Secretary Marcia Hultman and Sherry Bren, a state worker overseeing the application from Noem’s daughter Kassidy Peters to become an appraiser. Noem has said her daughter did not receive special treatment.

The board also referred a complaint that Noem flew on state-owned airplanes to political events to the state attorney general’s office for further investigation. That puts the investigation under the oversight of the interim attorney general, Mark Vargo, who was appointed by Noem.

The complaints were filed by former South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg, a Republican who was impeached and removed from office after hitting a man with his car and leaving the scene. The man died.

Ian Fury, a spokesman for Noem’s campaign, said in a statement that the board did not follow state law or precedent and “have yet to point to one single statute the Governor has violated in either of these complaints.”

Fury also said the complaints were driven by politics and filed as retaliation by Ravnsborg after Noem supported the investigation into the hit-and-run.

“It is unfortunate the board chose not to bring this charade to an end today. Kassidy Peters did not receive any special treatment, and Governor Noem followed the law, period!” Fury said. Peters is Noem’s daughter.

Vargo told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement: “We will be diligent in our duty and thoroughly investigate the complaint that the Government Accountability Board has presented to the Attorney General’s Office. The investigation, as with all other investigations, will remain confidential as does the complaint that has been presented to us.”

Vargo’s spokesman declined to confirm which complaint was sent to the attorney general’s office.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.