Today, South Dakota’s state ethics board announced that GOP Governor Kristi Noem may have “engaged in misconduct” by pressuring authorities to grant her daughter a real estate license. 

Let’s not forget: Noem has been under investigation for not one, but two possible ethics violations since September 2021. The Government Accountability Board’s findings further indicate that Noem may have used the power of her office for personal political gain.

Associated Press: “Noem, a potential 2024 White House contender, is under scrutiny from the state’s Government Accountability Board for allegations that she misused the powers of her office by interfering in her daughter’s application for a real estate appraiser license and flying on state-owned airplanes to political events. She has denied any wrongdoing.”

Don’t just take it from us — both of these complaints were brought forward by the former Republican attorney general. Noem attempted to shut down the investigation, but the board pressed forward.

Associated Press: “The board’s three retired judges… voted unanimously to deny the governor’s requests to dismiss the complaints.”

Associated Press: “[Noem] is under scrutiny from the board after Jason Ravnsborg, the state’s former Republican attorney general, filed complaints that stemmed from media reports on Noem’s actions in office.”

Noem’s conduct is so questionable, in fact, that one of the complaints was brought all the way to the attorney general’s office for further investigation.

Argus Leader: “An ethics board investigating a pair of complaints leveled against Gov. Kristi Noem voted to refer one of those complaints to the South Dakota Attorney General’s Office for investigation.”

In case there was any confusion: Kristi Noem faced investigations into two separate ethics complaints based on her conduct, which is to say nothing of her extreme and out-of-touch views on abortion that South Dakotans overwhelmingly disagree with. The people of South Dakota deserve better in their leaders.