For those of you just reading the story in the last hours, at the Governor’s prompting, the Attorney General has demanded repayment of over $603k in funds from State Senator Jessica Castleberry, noting her ineligibility to receive those funds which were disbursed to her business as part of COVID relief.
The letter from Governor Kristi Noem to Attorney General Marty Jackley in the matter notes that the whole matter came to the State’s attention after a recent grant application requested $4000 in funds, and was signed off by Senator Castleberry on the application:
“Payments were found by Department fiscal staff who recognized the Senator’s name on a recent grant application for Little Nest Preschool to receive another $4,000. At that point, further review into Little Nest Preschool turned up over a dozen payments since 2020.”
2023 7 25 Ltr to AGO Re Castleberry Art 3 S 12 by Pat Powers on Scribd
I feel terrible for the Senator, as she’s always been a nice person. She came into the Senate as an appointee of the Governor, and has been a political ally of the administration. So, this is a tough one. And let’s face it – who has $600k laying around?
According to the attorney general, the Senator has 10 days (Aug 7, I believe) to come up with the funds. We’ll see how this plays out.
I feel terrible too, although legislators were very clearly told that they were not eligible for these funds. It was widely reported in the news at the time: https://www.argusleader.com/story/news/2020/10/22/court-lawmakers-cant-use-federal-covid-19-relief-support-their-business/3729648001/
It is most unfortunate. But the constitution does not provide any defenses for such a violation. Knowledge, intent, willfulness, ignorance of the law, or being a nice person are not defenses.
You are a legislator, and you got state money? badda boom, you owe it back.
Been that was since the drafting of the constitution. Its the most focused and precise anti-corruption provision in the constitution….and why not? It dealt with money. Bright line! Otherwise they could all hand out taxpayer money to each other. That wont work.
Its quite a lesson for others. If you wanna run the budget, you cant drink from it.
she is sadder but wiser.