New AP Report: Corrupt Kristi Noem Exposed for Abuse of Power (Again)

Former Chief Ethics Lawyer for President George W. Bush: “It’s Clearly a Conflict of Interest and an Abuse of Power for the Benefit of a Family Member” 

Corrupt Kristi Noem is in trouble after a new report from the Associated Press outlines how she abused her taxpayer-funded office to benefit her own family.

The Associated Press details that after an agency moved to deny her daughter’s application to become a certified real estate appraiser, Gov. Noem summoned her daughter, the state employee who ran the agency, and the state labor secretary to her office. Soon after, her daughter magically obtained the certification, and the labor secretary demanded that the head of the agency retire, which ultimately cost South Dakota taxpayers $200,000 after a complaint was filed.

Professor Richard Painter, the chief ethics lawyer for former President George W. Bush, said: “It’s clearly a conflict of interest and an abuse of power for the benefit of a family member.”

Earlier this year, Gov. Noem’s family also benefited from $600,000 in COVID relief grants under a program that was previously capped at $100,000 per recipient until the South Dakota governor personally intervened.

DGA Deputy Communications Director Sam Newton said: “This latest example of Kristi Noem putting her family’s financial gains over the people of South Dakota shows she’s a corrupt politician who thinks she gets to play by a different set of rules. South Dakotans deserve a leader who will put them first — not abusing their taxpayer-funded office to benefit themselves and their family.”

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