While this is certainly extremely unethical, some are wondering if it is even legal?
A company directly connected to a member of Gov. Kristi Noem’s cabinet received nearly $600,000 in coronavirus relief grants from the state, while additional companies registered to the cabinet member’s business associates received at least $3 million.Â
Steve Westra is the commissioner of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development. When Noem appointed him to the job in 2019, he was chief operating officer of Hegg Companies in Sioux Falls. He filed a financial interest statement at that time listing income from Hegg Companies, but cabinet members are not required to update those statements annually.Â
What makes it even more ironic is that Steve is the one who testified in front of the Sioux Falls City Council about the importance of more socialist handouts to big business in the form of TIF-23, all the while helping some of his other buddies out. I have also heard rumors that since his former(?) employer couldn’t get a deal with housing at the USD Discovery Center, he cut state funding. Notice there hasn’t been a lot of talk about it.
Like I said, I cannot determine if this is legal or not, but it is pretty arrogant to think no one would connect the dots on Federal funding. Besides Pierre being full of Fascist Authoritarian Corporate Welfare Socialists, they also appear to be crooked as all get out.
I’m hoping and praying one of the first orders of AG Garland’s DOJ is to investigate the State of South Dakota and the massive corruption. Not only what is going on under the Noem regime but Gear-Up ad EB-5. It’s time for Federal officers to head to Pierre and round up all the crooks, lock them up, and throw away the key.
“I’m hoping and praying one of the first orders of AG Garland’s DOJ is to investigate the State of South Dakota and the massive corruption. Not only what is going on under the Noem regime but Gear-Up ad EB-5. It’s time for Federal officers to head to Pierre and round up all the crooks, lock them up, and throw away the key.”
I am not going to hold my breath for that one. Democrats Brendan and Randy ran the SD US Justice Department offices at the height of the EB-5 and Gear-Up scandals in our state, yet, no indictments.
Have to agree with VSG. Don’t count on a Biden appointee to mount any sort of pursuit of those matters.
I never understood the lack of a vigorous federal investigation and prosecution by Johnson in the EB-5 and Gear Up situations … except perhaps that the flame would burn some Democrats (or highly-placed friends of Democrats) somewhere in the process.
Seiler was never anything but a temporary placeholder near the conclusion of the Obama administration. A career federal prosecutor, who was retained under both Democrat and Republican Presidential administrations. Likely made lots of friends and did not make any waves.
And how about that both Mike Rounds AND Marty Jackley endorsed Seiler’s appointment to US Attorney …
Really just underscores that the staff of federal prosecutors in the South Dakota District are not immune to the incestuous swill which is Pierre/Fort Pierre.