South Dakota attorney general calls on lawmaker to repay more than $600K in COVID-19 relief funds

By SUMMER BALLENTINE
Associated Press

South Dakota’s attorney general is calling on a state lawmaker to repay more than $600,000 in federal COVID-19 relief funding her preschool received. State officials have written a letter in which they’ve given fellow Republican state Sen. Jessica Castleberry 10 days to return the funds. Gov. Kristi Noem says Castleberry violated the state constitution by accepting the pandemic aid. Castleberry says she believed her preschool was eligible for the funding and was open with the state Social Services Department about her grant applications. The South Dakota Supreme Court in 2020 advised that it’s unconstitutional for state lawmakers to accept COVID-19 funds.