New Report Claims Noem Secretly Profited From Nonprofit While In Office

(Pierre, SD) — A new report is raising serious ethics questions about former South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem’s finances while in office. The watchdog outlet ProPublica says Noem secretly accepted 80-thousand dollars through a nonprofit tied to her political career. It was money that went to her private company, Ashwood Strategies. She reportedly set up that company in Delaware during her second term as governor. The payment came from a dark money group, American Resolve Policy Fund, which doesn’t have to disclose its donors. And according to the report, Noem didn’t include the money on her required financial disclosure forms after she was tapped for a federal post. Former longtime Republican state lawmaker Lee Schoenbeck tells ProPublica this kind of side business “clearly” violates state ethics norms. Noem’s lawyer claims she disclosed all income, but didn’t provide proof when asked.