Top line
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem used social media to deny that there was something inappropriate about a meeting she held last year with her daughter Kassidy Peters and the head of a state bureau that was decided, Peters ‘Reject application for certification Real estate appraiser – then reversed his decision months after the meeting.
ORLANDO, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 27: South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem addresses the Conservative Political … [+]
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Important facts
In the nearly three-minute video posted on Noem’s YouTube channel, the governor denied that she asked for “special treatment” for Peters, saying that her daughter had “followed the same steps as other reviewers,” such as exams as part of the Appraiser Qualifications Board.
Noem also claimed that she worked for years to fix the “broken” system of the real estate appraisal certification process, which she believed had extended waiting times for South Dakota residents trying to get a home in the state.
She implied that Sherry Bren, director of the South Dakota Appraiser Certification Program – who claims she was pressured after meeting the governor last year – was part of that system and that efforts to streamline the certification process under her tenure were unsuccessful.
Noem didn’t say what happened between her, Peters, and Bren during the meeting.
Key background
Noem told Bren to come to her office for a meeting a few days after the South Dakota Appraiser Certification Program was postponed to deny Peters’ application for the license, according to the Associated Press. Four months after the meeting, Peters received the license. A week after Peters was certified, Labor Secretary Bren reportedly called to request her retirement. Bren filed an age discrimination complaint against the department. She eventually resigned from her position in March and withdrew her complaint after the state paid her $ 200,000. In response to the report, a spokesman for Noem said “The Associated Press is belittling the governor’s daughter” in order to “politically attack the governor.” The state Department of Labor and Regulation has claimed Peters’ application was never denied.
tangent
Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg and state lawmakers have announced that they will be considering the meeting. The State Parliament’s Government Operations and Audit Committee will look into the matter in late October.
Against
A South Dakota MP, Erin Healy, accused Noem of “corruption” and said on Twitter, “Our tax dollars should never be spent on $ 200,000 in bribes to cover wrongdoing by the governor and the DOL. She claims the meeting between Noem, Peters and Bren was “a serious offense” and “should be thoroughly investigated”.
further reading
When daughter applied for a state license, Noem called the agency’s head (Associated Press)
South Dakota AG reviews Noem’s meeting with daughter (Associated Press)
source https://www.bisayanews.com/2021/10/02/n-d-gov-noem-denies-daughter-had-special-treatment-in-gaining-real-estate-appraiser-license/
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