Kristi Noem’s Blatant Misuse of South Dakota Taxpayer’s Money Uncovered
In her previous capacity as Governor, Kristi Noem kept a tight lid on the financial implications of her nation-wide travel endeavors. Now that she’s assumed office as the Homeland Security secretary under the Trump administration, the mask has finally come off. It has been found that Noem’s asking South Dakota’s taxpayers to shoulder the burden of her extensive travel bills, a clear detachment from the responsibility she owes them.
A recent excavation of travel documents hints at an egregious misappropriation of more than $150,000 connected to Noem’s political and personal affairs, none of which have any roots in South Dakota’s interests. It seems the state’s fiercely protected resources were deployed unabashedly towards her frequent junkets to the sunny coasts of Palm Beach, Florida.
Interestingly, whether or not these visits were tied to state business, South Dakota had no choice but to bear the brunt of the lavish protective measures required by Noem every step of the way. Six long years under her mobilizing leadership have seen the state cough up a jarring sum of over $640,000, all in the name of ‘official travel’.
The elaborate travel ledger includes an overseas jaunt to Paris where she addressed a conservative conference, and a marketing trip related to her book that whisked her away to New York. The wastage skyrockets in the face of Trump’s resolution to cut down on governmental waste, fraud, and abuse – a declaration that loses all sincerity with such blatant displays of extravagance.
Spending taxpayer money like a personal bank account is not just troubling – it’s a direct slap in the face of hardworking South Dakotans. ‘This kind of spending never bodes well with folks!’, comments Dennis Daugaard, a fellow Republican and predecessor to Noem in the position of South Dakota governor. Noem, as expected, refused to come clean and answer any probing queries regarding these heavy expenses.
In a twist of irony, despite the enormous splurge, no laws appear to have been violated in this abuse of power. Governor Noem time and again asserted that should she make her travel costs public, her safety could somehow be jeopardized. Loopholes in South Dakota’s lax requirements regarding the disclosure of such expenses might just come in handy for justifying her behavior.
Precedents of governors tapping into state coffers to fund their security and staff expenses while traveling have been set by both Republican and Democratic leaders, marking an unfortunate trend. The unveiled bulk of over 3,000 documents contained an assortment of receipts and bills, shedding light on Noem’s spending habits.
Few of these expenses, like in-house movie purchases at hotels, are brazenly irrelevant to state proceedings. The state auditor raised an eyebrow to these unconventional, arguably unnecessary, charges. A particularly notable expenditure involved a hefty quote from a luxury airline company that facilitated her flight to Paris and later charged an extra $2,000 as a change fee!
The state incurred disastrous late charges and interests that summed up to an eye-watering $3,300. It’s dismaying to think of how many more pressing state needs that amount could have served. However, the records fall short on clarifying the amount paid in overtime to Noem’s staff and security personnel during her political meanders.
Most of the squandering took place pointing towards Noem’s ascension within Trump’s ‘Make America Great Again’ cosmos. Every instance of dignitary stardom comes rented with exorbitant costs, a price that Noem conveniently passed onto South Dakota’s taxpayers.
Records containing specifics on Noem’s engagement at a Trump-based supporters’ rally in the vicinity of Miami were kept under wraps by Noem’s office. However, the disclosed documents did hint at some financial transactions from around the same time period in Florida, including a luxury rental car service and resort expenses.
Shortly after, South Dakota was brought upon to fund fuel and accommodation costs for Noem’s Republican fundraiser meet in New Hampshire. ‘Noem’s travel paints a grim picture of blatant disregard for fiscal responsibility’, notes Viki Harrison, program director for a non-partisan group. ‘There should be an impervious boundary segregating campaigning expenses from official state business.’
Amidst South Dakota’s inherent frugality, brought upon by low-taxation and sustained by fiscal conservation, Noem’s predecessors managed to maintain a much lower profile. Mike Rounds, a former governor and South Dakota’s junior U.S. senator, stresses on the due diligence to use state resources sparingly and keep partisanship out of government expenses.