What to Know Ahead of Kristi Noem’s DC Speeches

As South Dakota governor Kristi Noem starts her three day political speech tour in Washington, DC today, she’ll be forced to face the party establishment while reckoning with her own ethics issues and an ongoing battle to make a name for herself as one of the most anti-abortion extremists in the GOP.

Here’s what you need to know:

Noem has been weighed down for months by ethics investigations back home in South Dakota.

AP: “[The South Dakota Government Accountability] board’s three retired judges considering the complaint voted unanimously last month to find that there was evidence that Noem, who is considered a potential 2024 White House contender, engaged in a conflict of interest and malfeasance when she held a meeting in July 2020 that included her daughter, Kassidy Peters, and key decision-makers in Peters’ licensure just days after the agency had moved to deny her a license. After the meeting, Peters got another opportunity to demonstrate she could meet federal standards and was ultimately awarded the license.”

After defending South Dakota’s draconian abortion ban with no exceptions for rape or incest, Noem has been picking fights with other 2024 presidential hopefuls over who has the most extreme anti-choice record.

CNN: “South Dakota governor defends state’s abortion ‘trigger’ ban when asked if 10-year-old should be forced to give birth”

Ian Fury, spokesman for Governor Noem: “Governor Noem was the only Governor in America on national television defending the Dobbs decision. Where was Governor DeSantis? Hiding behind a 15-week ban.”

CBS: “Gov. Kristi Noem says she would ‘nudge’ GOP governors, including Florida’s Ron DeSantis, to do more to restrict abortion”

AP: “The Republican governor and South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley released a letter to South Dakota pharmacists saying they are ‘subject to felony prosecution’ if they procure or dispense abortion-inducing drugs. The state bans all abortions except to save the life of the pregnant person.”