PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — The public information that several news organizations including KELOLAND Media Group are now reviewing about how Kristi Noem used two state government credit cards during her six years as governor results from Dakota Scout suing to get the records.
Dakota Scout is the official legal newspaper for the city of Sioux Falls. The public-records request for the Noem credit-card information was filed on June 6, 2024.
The South Dakota Office of State Auditor denied Dakota Scout’s request, after conferring with the South Dakota Office of Attorney General. The denial cited exemptions in state public records laws for reasons of security while a governor is in office and a provision that keeps a governor’s exempt records closed until 10 years after leaving office.
After the Office of State Auditor refused a second request, Dakota Scout on September 10, 2024, filed a legal complaint in Hughes County Circuit Court against State Auditor Richard Sattgast.
On October 3, 2024, the state Office of Attorney General filed its answer, asking that the complaint be dismissed without merit and that, if the judge ordered that documents be produced, the judge should determine what information should be redacted.
On December 19, 2024, Circuit Judge Margo Northrup told the two sides that she would conduct an in camera review of the records.
On February 6, 2025, the two sides completed a stipulation in support of their joint motion for dismissal. State Auditor Sattgast agreed to provide 137 voucher invoices subject to the Dakota Scout’s public-records request, with the auditor redacting security-related and other identifying information. The records were turned over that day.
Judge Northrup dismissed the case on February 10.
Dakota Scout published its first story from the information on February 23.
KELOLAND News filed an open-records request for the information on February 26. State Auditor Sattgast granted the request. Sattgast said that The Associated Press had also filed a request.
KELOLAND News received the information on February 27. KELOLAND News reported its first story on February 28.
KELOLAND News continues to look over the records and will have more coverage on Noem’s spending.