Normally when such allegations are made, and presumably the Associated Press has verified the details with several sources, the politician in question resigns. But South Dakota is not a normal place. Republicans run everything and the only rules they follow is whatever suits them on any given day.
In this instance, not only did she haul in the agency head but also her supervisor and the labor secretary to change her mind. A week later she was terminated. That led to an official complaint which was later withdrawn after South Dakota paid her $200,000, a gag order imposed as part of the settlement, naturally.
Case in point to how bad things are in South Dakota right now, their Attorney-General who killed a pedestrian, drove away from the scene, and ultimately his only punishment was a small fine. He's still in that position, too. But I digress. Noem's transgressions are less serious but ultimately just as damaging to public trust in our institutions.
Source: Associated Press
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Just days after a South Dakota agency moved to deny her daughter’s application to become a certified real estate appraiser, Gov. Kristi Noem summoned to her office the state employee who ran the agency, the woman’s direct supervisor and the state labor secretary.
Noem’s daughter attended too.
Kassidy Peters, then 26, ultimately obtained the certification in November 2020, four months after the meeting at her mother’s office. A week after that, the labor secretary called the agency head, Sherry Bren, to demand her retirement, according to an age discrimination complaint Bren filed against the department. Bren, 70, ultimately left her job this past March after the state paid her $200,000 to withdraw the complaint.
Exactly what transpired at the July 27, 2020, meeting in the governor’s office isn’t clear. Noem declined an interview request and her office declined to answer detailed questions about the meeting.
Noem, who really doesn't like criticism, pinned this tweet to her Twitter account last night.
Listen I get it. I signed up for this job. But now the media is trying to destroy my children. This story is just another example of the double standard that exists with the media... going after conservatives and their kids while ignoring Liberals #AskTheBigGuy
— Kristi Noem (@KristiNoem) September 27, 2021
One of the few elected Democrats in the state let her have it.
There is blatant nepotism and corruption coming out of Governor Noem's office. Our tax dollars should never be spent on $200,000 bribes to cover the Governor's and DOL's wrongdoing. This appears to be a serious offense and should be investigated thoroughly. https://t.co/SA9bvdvOYR
— Representative Erin Healy (@RepErinHealy) September 27, 2021
Twitter also.
“Days after a SD agency moved to deny her daughter’s application to become a real estate appraiser Gov. Kristi Noem summoned to her office the employee who ran the agency, the woman’s supervisor and the state labor secretary. Noem’s daughter attended too.” https://t.co/eHZbUMUsVZ
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) September 27, 2021
JUST IN: After her daughter was denied a real estate certificate, South Dakota governor Kristi Noem forced a meeting with the agency head who denied her. The certificate was then granted & the agency head was forced to resign. They were paid $200,000 to not complain. (@ap)
— No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen (@NoLieWithBTC) September 27, 2021
