The South Dakota attorney general’s office has announced it will investigate an ethics complaint against Governor Kristi Noem, a potential Republican candidate for president in 2024, The Argus Leader reported.
South Dakota’s Government Accountability Board voted to refer one of two ethics complaints against the governor to the attorney general’s office. The board examined two complaints – one that Ms Noem used the state airplane for personal purposes and another alleging that she used her position to help her daughter in the state’s real estate appraiser program.
It is unclear which complaint would move forward and which one the board partially closed because “appropriate action” had been taken. The board considers the complaints confidential.
Portions of the complaint will be made public after it is redacted. State Senator Reynold Nesiba, a Democrat, initiated the complaint about Ms Noem’s use of the state airplane.
“It shouldn't take a legislative complaint to the AG, who then sends the investigation to the GAB, to assess whether our elected leaders are appropriately using public resources,” he said. He also criticised the board’s lack of transparency.
“They should be able to have public hearings where they can tell the public what issues are under consideration and investigation,” he said.
Ms Noem is often considered a potential candidate for the 2024 Republican nomination. She chose not to close the state throughout the coronavirus pandemic and is considered an ally of former president Donald Trump, having spoken at the 2020 Republican National Convention.
But she faced scrutiny after Sherry Bren, who led the certification program, retired in March 2021 after she had a closed-door meeting with Ms Noem and the governor’s daughter.
