The South Dakota Legislature’s Government Operations and Audit Committee is moving forward in its review of whether Gov Kristi Noem improperly influenced state officials after her daughter was denied real estate appraiser certification last year.
Shortly after the denial, Noem held a meeting that included her daughter, certification program head Sherry Bren, and state Secretary of Labor Marcia Hultman.
Two weeks later, certification was approved and Bren retired. Bren sued the state for wrongful termination, saying she was forced to retire. South Dakota settled the suit for $200,000.
Now, the Audit Committee has written to both Hultman and Bren, asking them to meet with it next week.
It’s not clear what the committee will ask them, but the simple move of inviting shows lawmakers want more answers on an episode that has sparked concerns from ethics experts.