Official: Meeting didn’t impact Noem daughter’s application

By STEPHEN GROVES
Associated Press

South Dakota’s labor secretary says officials had decided to give Gov. Kristi Noem’s daughter another chance to win her state real estate appraiser license even before a meeting in the governor’s mansion that has spurred conflict of interest questions. Secretary of Labor and Regulation Marcia Hultman testified Thursday before a legislative committee that’s investigating the July 27 meeting. The Associated Press reported last month about the meeting, which included Noem’s daughter, Kassidy Peters, just days after a state agency moved to deny Peters’ license. Hultman acknowledged it was unusual to have an applicant like the governor’s daughter in such a meeting. However, she defended her department’s handling of Peters’ licensure.