Kristi Noem, South Dakota governor, banned from second reservation in state [View all]

Source: The Guardian

Fri 5 Apr 2024 14.37 EDT


Kristi Noem, the Republican governor of South Dakota recently sued for promoting a cosmetic dentistry company on social media, suffered another kick in the teeth when she was banned from a second reservation home to Indigenous people.

“This person has made a lot of accusations about the tribes, about the cartel, council representatives being in bed with the cartel, stuff like that,” Robert Walters, a Cheyenne River Sioux representative, told a tribal council meeting this week, presenting a motion to ban Noem from tribal lands over allegations about crime linked to Mexican drugs gangs.

“It’s all false information. I make a motion at this time to banish her from the Cheyenne River Reservation … I believe there has to be some kind of policy set up for her to show up at these tribal meetings. She can’t just go in there and do her thing.” Walters’ remarks were reported by ICT, an outlet covering Indigenous peoples, and the Rapid City Journal.

Noem has achieved national prominence as a supporter of Donald Trump and is widely seen as a possible vice-presidential pick. Her claims about crime and corruption on tribal lands are widely seen as a ploy to curry favour with Trump. Her first reservation ban, from the Pine Ridge Reservation, was imposed by the Oglala Sioux earlier this year.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/apr/05/kristi-noem-south-dakota-governor-banned-reservation