Governor Noem Condemns Rep. Haugaard’s Anti-Women Comments, Calls On Speaker Gosch To Reprimand And Censure

Pat Powers


Governor Noem Condemns Rep. Haugaard’s Anti-Women Comments, Calls On Speaker Gosch To Reprimand And Censure

Pierre, SD – Today, Governor Kristi Noem released the following statement condemning Representative Steve Haugaard for his inappropriate comments on the South Dakota House floor. Haugaard’s comments today were just the latest in a long pattern of demanding comments and behavior towards women.

Statement from Governor Noem:

“I am disappointed and appalled by the inappropriate and offensive language used today on the house floor by Representative Haugaard.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time he has used his position of power to demean others, especially women.

I am calling on the Speaker and the House to take a stand against this irresponsible and abusive behavior by formally reprimanding and censuring Mr. Haugaard.

I am hopeful the Speaker will set aside his personal friendship with Mr. Haugaard and use his office to send a clear signal to Mr. Haugaard and others that this type of behavior will not be tolerated.”

BACKGROUND

Today’s comments from Rep. Haugaard are just the latest in a long pattern of demeaning and inappropriate comments and actions towards women:

During his brief and tumultuous tenure as Speaker, Haugaard enacted an anti-women dress code that may have been deemed outdated in 1889 when South Dakota first became a state, that mandated women in the state house to wear “hose,” skirts “below the knees,” and that no portion of their legs or their collarbones could show.

He was widely rebuked and then sued for singling out and banning a female lobbyist from the House floor, decided to settle, then asked Governor Noem to foot the bill and when she declined to have the taxpayers of South Dakota foot the bill for his mistakes, he ran to anyone else he could find to cover the legal fees that he would have been personally liable to pay.

19 thoughts on “Governor Noem Condemns Rep. Haugaard’s Anti-Women Comments, Calls On Speaker Gosch To Reprimand And Censure”

  1. Speaking as a Senator and woman, this behavior is not ok. He absolutely should be reprimanded. Men and woman need to stand against bad/sexist behavior or else it becomes the norm. Thank you Governor Noem for standing strong for the proper treatment of women.

    1. The word “whore” appears dozens of times in the Bible translation used by America’s Founding Fathers. The Bible also instructs women to dress modestly.

      I don’t know everything in Representative Haugaard’s heart, but Governor Noem doesn’t either. Smearing him as a “misogynist” on evidence this flimsy is a disgusting cheap shot, and I seriously wonder whether someone is trying to weaken Noem’s reelection campaign from the inside.

      1. The Bible also mentions lusting after dudes who are hung like horses but that doesn’t mean it’s appropriate to talk about on the house floor.

        Ezekiel 23:20

        1. So if the house debates censuring Representative Haugaard, no one is allowed to make the argument you just made?

          Is it really inappropriate for legislators to talk about prostitution? Who says? And why?

          Should we allow bikinis on the house floor? What about thongs and pasties? Nudity? Will the speech police even let us talk about it?

          1. I’d simply suggest we can do better than basing our behavior on a book written by humans thousands of years ago, no matter how much wisdom that book contains.

              1. Very well. So the book was written by humans over 1000 years ago, but less than 2000 years ago. I maintain my point. I look forward to your next argument.

      2. And Jesus washed Mary Magdalene’s feet. Trying to find biblical justification for his words is a stretch.

          1. There’s no reliable historical record of Mary Magdalene being a prostitute, or of Jesus washing her feet, or of her washing His.

            The doctrine that she was a prostitute originated more than 500 years later with Pope Gregory I.

    2. Those who live in glass houses should not those stones. Know your worth. Run for state district 21 senate. Pass marijuana bills and live in your parent’s basement but be happy. Judge other people based on misinformation. Do not be a role model and a parent it’s to hard, be happy. Do not be the norm be the exception. Thanks Senator Tobin for your expertise.

  2. Noem commits multiple impeachable offenses but Haugaard should be censured….ridiculous

  3. The SD House is spiraling out of control. Haugaard’s comments are indicative of the larger problem in the House, that of ill-willed, ill-informed and self-centered, egotistical individuals. How these people got elected is beyond anyone’s guess. This group of 10+ “legislators” do not have the best interests of South Dakota’s citizens at heart. Instead, they are more concerned with social and moral engineering. This is all very frustrating and a huge disappointment and black eye for our state.

      1. Although my post was a bit of a knee-jerk reaction, if you look at the bills brought forth over the past few years you’ll see a pattern. This includes many subject matter bills that go way beyond what I call meat and potatoes bills on health, welfare and safety of citizens. Most of this has come from west river legislators along with a few of their partners from the east. Add in the lack of respect and congeniality among many members plus warped egos and you have a pretty nasty working environment. A prime example is the Joint Appropriations Cmte. I’m not sure when the last time they met.

    2. “that of ill-willed, ill-informed and self-centered, egotistical individuals.”

      You ever heard of this dude named Trump? He basically gave all of these clowns the green light to expose themselves. I thought it would be a good thing until they kept getting elected. At least Trump is gone and we can find someone worthy of office and put the Republican Party back on track.

      1. Obama made the “lipstick on a pig” comment right after Palin’s joke about hockey moms and he got elected.

  4. Speaking as a woman and mother, I’m not afraid to hear the truth and do not internalize Rep Haugaard’s as misogynistic. Didn’t Rep. Haugaard use the woman’s own words?

    “standing strong for the proper treatment of women”…. Senator Erin Tobin voted NO on HB1208 – prohibit chemical abortion drugs and to provide a penalty therefor. Men and women must stand together to stop abortion or it becomes the norm. Plank in the eye?

    1. Maybe a more appropriate question would be, Is Senator Tobin “anti-woman” as well?

      Did she stand for unborn baby girls who will now never get a chance to grow into womanhood because of her no vote?

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