Kristi Noem Brings Even More Conflicts of Interest for Incoming Trump Administration (I was asked to make this an OP)

[Celerity]

https://accountable.us/watchdog-kristi-noem-brings-even-more-conflicts-of-interest-for-incoming-trump-administration/

WASHINGTON, DC — A new analysis from government watchdog Accountable.US found Governor Kristi Noem (R-SD)’s family investments pose a potential conflict of interest if confirmed as President-elect Trump’s choice to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). At issue are tens of thousands of dollars in investment in Granite Falls Energy—a “fuel-grade ethanol, distillers’ grains, and crude corn oil” company that exports ethanol and other products on the international market—that could benefit from Noem’s control of DHS. These investments appeared again in Noem’s ethics disclosure form made public this week.

Specifically, Granite Falls Energy LLC is invested in a controversial multi-billion dollar carbon dioxide pipeline likely to be overseen by DHS’s Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and could qualify for federal carbon sequestration payments. And the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which oversees exports, controls border crossings that affect the biofuels industry, and administers potential new tariffs on ethanol. If confirmed, Noem could be in the position to reduce inspections on export shipments and block new tariffs.

Noem’s investments add to a rapidly growing list of conflicts of interest for the incoming Trump administration that set the stage for special treatment for corporate interests at the expense of everyday Americans.

“Kristi Noem brings even more conflicts of interest and potential for corruption to the incoming Trump administration. Noem made no apologies when she was accused of abusing South Dakota taxpayer resources for her personal benefit, so it’d surprise no one if she used her newfound federal powers to grease the wheels for her family’s biofuel interests,” said Accountable.US Executive Director Tony Carrk.

https://sites.google.com/accountable.us/twr-factsheet-kristinoem/

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Pattern of abuse of power

A South Dakota ethics board found sufficient information that Noem may have “engaged in misconduct” when she intervened in her daughter’s application for a real estate appraiser license. The state paid $200,000 to settle a complaint from the agency director after she was later forced to retire by Noem’s labor secretary. Noem’s family members received $600,000 from a COVID-19 relief program, previously capped at $100,000 until Noem raised the cap. Noem’s use of a state plane “blurred the lines between official travel and attending family or political events,” prompting a state investigation.

Governance challenges

During Noem’s tenure, the South Dakota governor’s office had a rapid turnover. Mark Miller became Noem’s fifth chief of staff to depart the office, leaving the governor’s office without a chief of staff for over a year. Noem was criticized for the trend of out-of-state staffers completing short stints in the governor’s office, which detached them from institutional knowledge and local relationship-building.

Politics over leadership

A recent report details Noem’s decision not to deploy South Dakota’s National Guard amidst historic flooding that ruined homes and businesses. Noem said, “We have to be wise about how we use our soldiers.” Noem was traveling out of state to support Trump during a “critical point in the disaster.?? Noem had previously spent millions of taxpayer dollars to deploy the Guard to the US-Mexico border, which was one reason Trump nominated her to lead DHS. The Department of Homeland Security also includes the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which assists with flooding and other climate-related disasters.

Lack of experience

Kristi Noem has no experience in federal homeland security policy. Her time in Congress did not include a stint on the Homeland Security Committee. In her book, Noem described meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during her time in Congress and canceling a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron last year. The anecdotes appeared to be an attempt to bolster her foreign policy experience, but her office later admitted the book contained errors.

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These are the 7 Democratic US Senators who voted to confirm her:

Sen. John Fetterman (Pa.)
Sen. Maggie Hassan (N.H.)
Sen. Tim Kaine (Va.)
Sen. Andy Kim (N.J.)
Sen. Gary Peters (Mich.)
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.)
Sen. Elissa Slotkin (Mich.)

[NoMoreRepugs]

1. Spines are apparently no longer a requirement for being a federal legislator.

[Ocelot II]

3. But conflicts of interest and corruptibility apparently are, at least in the GOP.

[vapor2]

2. Every nominee has conflicts of interest

Dr Oz has stocks in Medicare Advantage plans, and RFK has his own conflicts etc

[dalton99a]

4. Kick

[BoRaGard]

5. Typical greedhead G.O.P. grifter

with a mean streak

[Wounded Bear]

6. The whole administration is a walking, talking, oozing conflict of interest...

Welcome back to the Robber Baron Era. We need some more Roosevelts in our future.

[niyad]

7. Thank you so much for bringing this sadly unsurprising, appalling information here.

I want to shove it down the throat of every gutless coward who voted to confirm her, and every person excusing those votes.