Controversy follows Noem in South Dakota as she eyes national stage
CNN
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has emerged as a lightning rod within the field of potential GOP presidential contenders, serving as such a forceful champion for former President Donald Trump that she's been talked about as a possible running mate if he vies for the White House again in 2024.
But back home, in a state where the governor won her post by promising transparency and accountability in government, her ambitions have been clouded by the controversy over a July 2020 meeting that she held with members of her staff, her daughter -- who was applying to become a state-certified real estate appraiser at the time -- and top state officials who oversaw that program.
Noem contends she never sought "special treatment" from the state and that her daughter Kassidy Noem Peters was certified in November 2020 after completing the same process as every other applicant. But lawmakers, even those from her own party, want answers about what occurred during the meeting and why her daughter was present.
Tulsi Gabbard, Donald Trump’s pick to lead the intelligence community, was briefly placed on a Transportation Security Administration list that prompts additional security screening before flights after her overseas travel patterns and foreign connections triggered a government algorithm earlier this year, three sources familiar with the matter told CNN.