Fact Check -- Kristi Noem's 60 Second Negative Attack Ad

 

Candidate Tries to Downplay Warrants, Failures to Appear, Habitual Speeding Problem

 
October 15, 2010 – Last night, Kristi Noem released a 60-second negative attack ad across South Dakota’s television screens.  The ad is the latest in a barrage of baseless negative attack ads by Noem and national special interest groups on Noem’s behalf.

In the ad, Noem attempts to downplay her record of repeatedly breaking laws, skipping court dates and warrants for her arrest, dismissing her record as irrelevant and long in the past. The ad’s narrator falsely claims that Noem’s record in question is only about “speeding tickets, tickets that were all paid, some dating back almost 21 years when Kristi was a teen.”

FACT CHECK:  Kristi Noem’s record is much more serious and more recent than that.  Noem has received two warrants for her arrest, most recently in 2006, the year she was first elected to the state legislature.  She’s failed to appear in court six times - contributing to backlogs in the judicial system and wasting taxpayers’ money.  And she’s received 20 speeding tickets over the years.  Most recently, last February, the 37-year-old Noem was pulled over for driving 94 miles per hour in the days after she announced her candidacy for the U.S. House.  She’s also run three stop signs, among her 28 total violations. 

South Dakota media have commented on the seriousness of Noem’s repeated violations:

“The numerous speeding violations, the failing to appear in court, the arrest warrants — well, let’s just say it’s a reflection of Noem’s character that leads voters to question the woman’s judgment — or lack thereof.  Everyone who knows and loves Noem should also feel a sense of gratitude. She is still alive, despite her reckless behavior.  And she hasn’t killed anyone — yet.”  [David Lias, Vermillion Plain Talk Editorial, 9/9/10] 

“What do you do when a lawmaker is a habitual lawbreaker? …If Kristi Noem surrenders her driver license, admits to the extreme errors of her ways, and promises to never drive again so long as she is running for Congress or has been elected to Congress, she might have a chance to survive this."  [Bob Mercer, former press secretary to Bill Janklow, Pure Pierre Politics Blog, 8/27/10]

“But Noem has broken the law dozens of times. According to court papers obtained by KELOLAND News, Noem's most recent speeding ticket was earlier this year when she was pulled over for driving 94 miles per hour on the interstate.”  [KELOLAND News, 8/26/10

“This is an issue of personal accountability and responsibility, just as it is for the rest of us. We should expect as much from our lawmakers and/or our candidates, and not be satisfied with dismissive excuses. Our police officers and judges don’t accept them, so why should we?”  [Yankton Press and Dakotan editorial, 9/8/10]

“So yes, we do consider high numbers of traffic violations — and in some cases, warrants for late payment and other surprising violations — to be a problem.”  [Mitchell Daily Republic Editorial, 8/31/10]

“The troubling thing about it was there were warrants and nonappearance coupled with multiple offenses [Dr. Robert Burns, South Dakota political scientist, quoted in Mitchell Daily Republic, 8/31/10 “Noem’s Driving Record Takes Wheel of Campaign”]

Contrary to the claim in her ad, Noem’s entire record includes:

•      Two warrants for her arrest
•      Six court notices for “failure to appear”
•      28 total violations, including 20 speeding tickets often at very high rates of speed
•      Most recent:  94mph in February 2010
•      More than $2100 in court costs and fines over the years

Date: 2/19/10
County:  Moody
Violation:  Speeding – 94 in a 75 mph zone
Fine:  $130

Date: 7/8/09
County:  Hughes
Violation:  Speeding – 79 in a 65 mph zone
Fine:  $110

Date: 7/12/07
County:  Hughes
Violation:  Speeding – 80 in a 65 mph zone
Fine:  $109

Date: 6/14/07
County:  Hamlin
Violation:  Speeding – 75 in a 65 mph zone
Fine:  $79

Date: 8/27/06
County:  Hughes
Violation:  Renewal Registration violation
Fine:  $94

Date: 8/14/06
County:  Hamlin
Violation:  Speeding – 75 in a 65 mph zone
Fine:  $79

Date: 2/13/06
County:  Moody
Violation:  Seat belt violation
Warrant issued:  after ignoring a reminder notice, a warrant was issued for Noem’s arrest

Date: 9/6/05
County:  Beadle
Violation:  One count of Speeding – 75 in a 65 mph zone; one count for a seat belt violation
Fine:  $79 for speeding, $20 for seat belt violation

Date: 1/3/05
County:  Codington
Violation:  No Drivers License
Reminder Notice was issued to Noem for failure to appear
Fine:  $63

Date: 6/18/04
County:  Codington
Violation:  Speeding – 75 in a 65 mph zone
Fine:  $73

Date: 3/21/03
County:  Codington
Violation:  Speeding – 60 in a 50 mph zone
Fine:  $71

Date: 1/27/03
County:  Codington
Violation:  Speeding – 65 in a 50 mph zone
Fine:  $91

Date: 6/19/01
County:  Hamlin
Violation:  Speeding – 74 in a 65 mph zone
Fine:  $71

Date: 10/9/00
County:  Codington
Violation:  Speeding – 45 in a 30 mph zone
Reminder Notice was issued to Noem for failure to appear
Fine:  $88

Date: 7/9/00
County:  Codington
Violation:  Speeding – 45 in a 35 mph zone
Reminder Notice was issued to Noem for failure to appear
Fine:  $65

Date: 7/4/00
County:  Hughes
Violation:  Speeding – 78 in a 65 mph zone
Fine:  $91

Date: 1/12/00
County:  Beadle
Violation:  Speeding – 74 in a 65 mph zone
Warrant issued:  after ignoring a reminder notice, a warrant was issued for Noem’s arrest
Fine:  $68

Date: 4/23/99
County:  Hamlin
Violation:  Failure to make proper stop at stop intersection
Fine:  $78

Date: 12/7/97
County:  Codington
Violation:  Speeding – 46 in a 35 mph zone
Reminder Notice was issued to Noem for failure to appear
Fine:  $80

Date: 11/15/95
County:  Codington
Violation:  Speeding – 79 in a 55 mph zone (24 mph over the limit)
Fine:  $90

Date: 9/16/94
County:  Hamlin
Violation:  No proper license plates on vehicle
Fine:  $75

Date: 4/29/93
County:  Hamlin
Violation:  Speeding – 70 in a 55 mph zone
Fine:  $70

Date: 3/18/93
County:  Codington
Violation:  Speeding – 70 in a 55 mph zone
Fine:  $70

Date: 2/9/92
County:  Walworth
Violation:  No proper license plates on vehicle
Fine:  $55

Date: 6/13/90
County:  Hamlin
Violation:  Speeding – 89 in a 55 mph zone (34 mph over the limit)
Fine:  $100

Date: 2/7/90
County:  Codington
Violation:  Failure to make proper stop at stop intersection
Fine:  $50

Date: 10/30/89
County:  Hamlin
Violation:  Speeding – 72 in a 55 mph zone
Fine:  $85

###