South Dakota Searchlight via Josh Haiar has a story today on Public Utilities Commissioner Kristie Fiegen declining to recuse herself from the matter of the Summit Carbon pipeline on the basis of a conflict of interest that has not changed since she had previously recused herself:
A trust controlled by a South Dakota regulator’s relatives still owns land along a proposed pipeline route, but the regulator has not recused herself from the project’s second permit application after recusing herself from the first one.
Two years ago, Public Utilities Commissioner Kristie Fiegen disqualified herself from Summit Carbon Solutions’ first carbon dioxide pipeline application. She cited state law prohibiting commissioners from participating in hearings or proceedings when they have a conflict of interest.
Fiegen wrote a recusal letter in February 2022 that said the pipeline “would cross land owned by my sister-in-law (my husband’s sister) and her husband.” Gov. Kristi Noem assigned State Treasurer Josh Haeder to fill in for Fiegen.
and..
The new pipeline route would cross the same parcels of land: the Minnehaha County land that Fiegen’s relatives no longer own, and the McCook County land that the Ordal trust still owns.
As referenced in the letter above which I had mentioned before, I’d also point out that the 2022 letter was not Commissioner Fiegen’s first recusal over pipelines. There was another one back in 2015..:
…where Kristie recused herself over the Dakota Access Pipeline crossing both properties, including the McCook County land which remains under her relative’s control.
Kristie has always been a straight shooter, concerned about fairness, so it’s unclear why she’s changed course on her participation not compromising her partiality in this situation.
It’s about $, duh.
These criminals that we call “elected officials” are becoming more and more brazen with their corruption. I wish more people would wake up and ignore the media narrative that is constantly telling you the enemy is the other side. South Dakota, you have almost completely destroyed your enemy (democrats), at what point will you accept those saying that may be the ones lying and be corrupt? Hold them accountable and quit worrying about party affiliation.
I’m sick of the rules for everyone else, but these “inner party” members are exempt from them.
With the current group of nut bags that have taken over the SD Republican Party, Democrats on a great path to win multiple state offices in 2026. It will be a historic comeback all by doing absolutely nothing.
Democrats won’t win, unless they can remind disaffected GOP mainstreamers about the more centrist leadership they got from governors like Mickelson, Rounds, and even Janklow when he was having a good day. Remind them, and emulate it to fill the GOP void.
The problem is that this group that has taken over most county committees and the overall SDGOP will nominate people who are simply unelectable. All democrats have to do is nominate someone who is somewhat moderate and maybe even has a stance right of the line on a few things and they’ll win no problem.
You simpletons think she’s getting a pipeline paycheck or what?? Hahahaha. The fact is that this was a common sense decision the first time and it’s a common sense decision this time, the difference is the grownups have now had enough time to educate the children so she enough and excuse to grow a pair juuuust big enough for her to do her job the way she should have done it the first time, the RIGHT way. Good for her, good for the ignorant “property owners” who stand nothing to lose, bad for the uneducated low-brow hicks like Colin Duprel (who is such a fair-weather no-value NOTHING of a pretend-politician who exists only on Facebook and shouldn’t even be a name in SD politics) and political hucksters like Cory Can’t-handle-a-burger.
What if Mr. Jackley goes after all the payments and fees made payable to Ms. Fiegen’s to see if she’s getting money for this? Could the PUC quash those subpoenas like they quashed the ones the inept Audit Committee put forth on impotent rice paper? The PUC is quasi-judicial and can judge their own members and Mr. Jackley has no powers in this realm.
Well, she was up for reelection when she recused herself the two previous times. Pretty simple to see that. She didn’t want to have to answer for her actions. Now that the election is over she’s going to do whatever she wants. She was a horrible pick originally and still is.
Kristi is an excellent PUC person. She has always been very professional in her job. If you want to point fingers, where were you when certain legislators and their families were signing monetary contracts with Summit and THEN casting votes in favor of SB201?? Conflict of interest at its finest and corrupt.
Thank you, anonymous writing from Iowa.
If you’re going to make those kind of accusations, you better have receipts. Let’s see proof beyond wild conspiracy accusations.
It’s in plain sight.
maybe somebody should ask if the sister-in-law’s husband still owns the land
Or if the sister-in-law is still married to the owner?
It’s possible the conflict of interest no longer exists, and it’s nobody’s business
That was my thought, too, but unfortunately the article makes a point of saying that Kristie’s family does still own the land.
That said, I like Kristie and have always respected Kristie. I’m sure she has a reason for her decision.