The state’s top law enforcement official is referring complaints about the governor to a panel of retired judges.
The complaints are about a meeting that reportedly involved the governor, her daughter and other state officials.
“In response to questions and concerns from a number of legislators and citizens who reached out to me I have referred the issue to the Government Accountability Board,” Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg said in a statement.
The Associated Press reports Gov. Kristi Noem's daughter, Kassidy Peters, initially faced a denial of her application to upgrade from state-licensed to certified residential appraiser. Months after the reported meeting, which reportedly included Gov. Noem and the head of the state appraiser certification program, Peters received her appraiser license.
Gov. Noem responded to reporting by the AP about the meeting in a prerecorded video.
“I never once asked for special treatment for Kassidy,” Noem said. “She is my daughter and I’m proud of her. I raised her to accomplish things on her own and I’m proud of her. Other appraisers went through the same process that Kassidy did.”
The governor’s office has not responded to questions about why her daughter was reportedly in that meeting last July.
The Government Accountability Board was established in 2017, following the passage of Initiated Measure 22, which was a sweeping government ethics reform ballot-question package.
The board reviews and investigates allegations of misconducts by anyone holding a statewide office, or employee of the executive branch.
