Gov. Kristi Noem (left) and Kassidy Peters.Photo: Kassidy Peters/ instagram
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem’s daughter will quit her job as a real estate appraiser and give up her license — saying the scrutiny of her position had become toxic and overbearing — as lawmakers push for more information on whether her mom may have inappropriately boosted her career.
“I’m writing to you today to express my disappointment and anger that my good name and professional reputation continue to be damaged,” Kassidy Peterssaid in a letter to South Dakota’s Labor Secretary Marcia Hultmanon Tuesday, according to Dakota News Now. “It is clear that none of this will stop until my reputation and that of my young family are destroyed.”
Thesaga of Peters' real estate appraiser licensebegan in July 2020, when her application to be certified was originally denied. Days later, Noem held a meeting at the governor’s mansion with Sherry Bren, the state employee who ran the agency that rejected her daughter’s application, as well as Bren’s supervisor and others. Peters also attended the meeting.
Bren filed an age discrimination complaint with the agency but ultimately left her job in March after the state paid her $200,000 to withdraw the complaint, theAssociated Press reported in September.
Noemdefended herself and her daughterin a video she tweeted on Oct. 1. “I never once asked for special treatment for Kassidy. She is my daughter and I’m proud of her,” she said then. “I raised her to accomplish things on her own just like my parents raised me.”
The governor also addressed Bren’s tenure at the certifying agency. “I’ll be honest, my administration started fixing that process and it was way too difficult. Appraisers weren’t getting certified and South Dakotans were having to wait much longer to buy a home than in other states. This system had been broken for decades,” she said. “It was designed to benefit those who were already certified and keep others out. The person in charge of the appraisal certification process had been in that role for 40 years.”
Gov. Kristi Noem.Brandon Bell/Getty
This week, lawmakers finalized a subpoena to compel Bren totestify before the Government Operations and Audit Committeeas part of their inquiry into the matter of how the governor’s daughter got her license after initially being denied certification.
“It’s important that we make sure we’re protecting the employees of our state,” Rep. Chris Karr, a Republican committee member,told the AP, indicating that at least part of the investigation focuses on why Bren was asked to leave her position. “We’re trying to sort out all the facts.”
Hultman hadtestified in Octoberthat the agreement was reached before the meeting at the governor’s mansion, even though it was signed after.
“I believe a key piece of the issue is the timing of the agreement between the Appraiser Certification Program and Kassidy Peters,” South Dakota Republican Sen. David Wheelertold the AP. “Secretary Hultman said an agreement has already been made before the meeting at the residence. I simply want to confirm that.”
In her letter, Peters implied that she wants the scrutiny to end.
source: people.com
