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October 20, 2010 – Mike Moore, State’s Attorney for Beadle County, released the following statement in response to Kristi Noem’s recent television ad, which seeks to dismiss the controversy surrounding Noem’s driving record, failures to appear in court and arrest warrants. Noem’s ad describes her record as simply “speeding tickets” “that were all paid” and “dating back almost 21 years when Kristi was a teen.”
Statement from State’s Attorney Moore:
As a South Dakota prosecutor, it is both disappointing and troubling to see someone, especially an elected official and candidate for federal office, seek to dismiss such a serious record. Kristi Noem’s record of numerous speeding violations, six failures to appear in court and two bench warrants issued for her arrest is not easily dismissible.
Noem has received 20 speeding tickets, often for traveling at very high rates of speed. Her most recent ticket was not far in the past, as her ad suggests. It was last February – shortly after Noem announced her candidacy, and was for driving 94 miles per hour.
But to me, even more troubling than the speeding are the failures to appear in court and the arrest warrants. A failure to appear in court reflects disregard for law enforcement and the judicial system, one of our three branches of government.
Warrants for failure to appear cost taxpayers money: the prosecutor, court reporter, clerk, judge and the deputy who goes to serve the warrant are paid salaries by taxpayers. A failure to appear increases the workload in the judicial system and wastes already scarce court docket time and resources.
Noem’s effort to dismiss the seriousness of her record is disappointing and irresponsible. Noem is not above the law. There is not one prosecutor in the state who would dismiss Noem’s record as easily and carelessly as she is. That’s because all citizens have a responsibility to follow the law, and to hold themselves accountable when they don’t. Noem when asked about the speeding tickets smiled and said it’s in her nature to “be in a hurry.” That sends the wrong message to all law-abiding citizens and to those citizens that make mistakes but own up to them by paying their tickets on time.
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I'm glad to read these comments by a State's Attorney. Thanks for the information.
ReplyDeleteI have never heard Kristi say anything other than owning the tickets. She regrets end of story
ReplyDeleteVery interesting...I am a Republician but because of this and her negative TV ads I will not be voting for her. Which is disappointing.
ReplyDeleteAs she attempts to blow this off, we must remember what happened to another politician who disregarded traffic laws. It caught up to him with the death of Randy Scott.
ReplyDeleteIn her latest commercial, she dismisses the tickets... "some of them 21 years old, when she was a teenager" tells me that she has had disdain for the law of the land for too long.
ReplyDeleteHaven't we already had a congress person with a poor driving record? Look were that got us.
Where is the courts fault? common citizens have to face the legal system yet she flies around s.d, In all fairness the courts failed and no is accepting responsiblity. People face the courts and know the special treatment afforded the special people here in s.d its silly to expect fair treatment when Kristi Noem by rights shouldnt even be possessing a drivers license
ReplyDeleteI too am a conservative Republican, but voted (early) for Herseth Sandlin yesterday. I surprised myself, but no doubt it's the correct vote. Quite frankly, I am offended by Noem’s disingenuous campaign. At a minimum, Stephanie has been an honorable and authentic representative for our state.
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