While we were watching Minnesota House committees, the pendulum swung against South Dakota Jason Ravnsborg, who was charged last last week with 3 misdemeanors in crash that killed Joe Boever.
This tweet by Forum News Services South Dakota bureau chief Jeremy Fugelburg popped up in our feed:
INBOX: SD Gov. Kristi Noem calls on AG Jason Ravnsborg to resign, after he was charged in deadly crash. pic.twitter.com/64oEnrXOvU
— Jeremy Fugleberg (@jayfug) February 23, 2021
Not long after that, South Dakota AP reporter Steve Groves tweeted:
The scene in the South Dakota House as we await word whether AG Jason Ravnsborg will face impeachment. Session was scheduled to start at 1, but Republican caucus is still meeting. pic.twitter.com/hfweTzaKU1
— Stephen Groves (@stephengroves) February 23, 2021
Here are author Will Mortenson's statements on the articles of impeachment:
BREAKING: Impeachment articles have been filed. Remarks to follow session in the rotunda. pic.twitter.com/MutcSFsvIc
— Austin Goss (@AustinGossSD) February 23, 2021
Read House Resolution 7001 here. Here are the articles of impeachment:
Impeaching Jason Ravnsborg, Attorney General of the State of South Dakota uploaded by Sally Jo Sorensen on Scribd
News digest about the developing story
At the Rapid City Journal, Arielle Zionts reports in Noem calls on AG to resign after fatal crash, release of documents:
Gov. Noem called on Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg to resign Tuesday and announced that more investigative materials into his fatal crash will be released today.
“Now that the investigation has closed and charges have been filed, I believe the Attorney General should resign. I have reviewed the material we are releasing, starting today, and I encourage others to review it as well," Noem said in a statement.
Noem's comments come more than five months after Ravnsborg hit and killed pedestrian Joe Boever, and five days after prosecutors announced he would be charged with three misdemeanors but no felonies.
The Journal wanted to ask what made Noem to now decide to call for Ravnsborg’s resignation, but her spokesman Ian Fury said she’s not making any more statements today.
Ravnsborg is “not planning to resign at this time,” said his personal spokesman Mike Deaver. . . .
Later this afteroon Abby Wargo report in Impeachment articles filed against Attorney General Ravnsborg:
Rep. Will Mortenson, R-Pierre, introduced articles of impeachment Tuesday against Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg after he declined to resign after hitting and killing Joseph Boever with his car outside of Highmore in September.
Ravnsborg was charged with three misdemeanors last week, causing political leaders from the South Dakota Democratic Party to Gov. Kristi Noem calling on him to resign his position.
Mortenson is the resolution’s prime sponsor, but it is supported by House Majority Leader Kent Peterson, R-Salem, and House Minority Leader Jamie Smith, D-Sioux Falls. The resolution was not discussed on the House floor Tuesday.
House Resolution 7001 gives two reasons for the impeachment proceedings: causing the death of Boever and for statements and actions following Boever’s death that fail to meet the standard of the Office of Attorney General.
“Following the collision, including during his reporting of the collision and the resulting investigation, Jason Ravnsborg undertook actions unbecoming the Attorney General. Jason Ravnsborg’s statements and actions failed to meet the standard of the Office of the Attorney General,” the resolution states.
Mortenson said his decision to file the resolution was the result of months of consideration and advice. He said in a statement that while the charging decision may have been correct, the Attorney General “owes a higher duty” to both the state and its citizens.
South Dakota House lawmakers on Tuesday began impeachment proceedings against the state’s attorney general, who is facing misdemeanor charges for striking and killing a man with his car and is already under pressure to resign.
Republican lawmakers introduced a resolution in the House to impeach the state’s top law enforcement officer, Jason Ravnsborg, after he indicated Monday he would not heed calls for his resignation.
The Republican attorney general faces three misdemeanor charges but no felonies in the September death of 55-year-old Joseph Boever.
Lawmakers argued in the impeachment resolution that Ravnsborg should be removed from office for “his crimes or misdemeanors in office causing the death” of Boever.
The resolution also stated that Ravnsborg’s conduct following the crash was “unbecoming” and his “statements and actions failed to meet the standard” of his office.
Shortly before the impeachment resolution was filed, Gov. Kristi Noem joined the chorus of people calling for him to step down.
“Now that the investigation has closed and charges have been filed, I believe the Attorney General should resign,” Noem said in a statement.
A spokesman for Ravnsborg did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
It would take a simple majority in the House to advance the impeachment charges to the Senate. There, it would require two-thirds of senators to convict and remove him from office. State law requires senators to wait 20 days from when the attorney general receives a copy of the impeachment charges before beginning the trial. Noem would get to appoint a replacement if Ravnsborg leaves or is removed from office. . . .
At the Argus Leader, Jonathan Ellis, Joe Sneve, and Danielle Ferguson report in Pressure mounts for Attorney General Ravnsborg to resign as lawmakers file articles of impeachment:
Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg’s future as the state’s top prosecutor took two major blows Tuesday after Gov. Kristi Noem said he should resign and lawmakers in the House of Representatives started impeachment proceedings.
The developments followed last week’s charges against Ravnsborg in the Sept. 12, 2020 death of Joseph Boever, 55, who was struck by Ravnsborg while walking on Highway 14 West of Highmore.
In asking for his resignation, Noem said more materials related to the investigation would be released to the public. Videos of interviews conducted by investigators with Ravnsborg were expected to be released later that day.
“Now that the investigation has closed and charges have been filed, I believe the Attorney General should resign," Noem said. "I have reviewed the material we are releasing, starting today, and I encourage others to review it as well.”
Following Noem’s announcement, House Republicans convened for a closed-door caucus session that went so late, the start of Tuesday’s House floor session was delayed by more than an hour. After they emerged, Rep. Will Mortenson, R-Pierre, announced he had filed two articles of impeachment against Ravnsborg.
“This is not political, and it is not personal,” said Mortenson, who is a lawyer serving in his first term in the Legislature. “Again, I do not believe Attorney General Ravnsborg belongs in prison, but I know he does not belong in the Office of the Attorney General anymore.” . . .
Read the story at the Argus Leader. At South Dakota Public Broadcasting, Lee Strubinger reports Governor Noem Says Attorney General Ravnsborg Should Resign and Impeachment Articles Filed Against AG Ravnsborg.
At Keloland, there's Eric Myers' Gov. Noem calls for Ravnsborg to resignand S.D. Representatives file Articles of Impeachment against Ravnsborg.
Update: Always worth the read at Dakota Free Press, Cory Allen Heidelberger writes in Mortenson, Peterson, Smith File Articles of Impeachment Against Ravnsborg; Noem Ready to Bury Killer Attorney General:
Odds are you did not have as bad a day at work as Jason Ravnsborg did.
But Jason, remember: you’re still having a better day than Joe Boever, the man you killed over five months ago. . . . [end update]
Update #2
Statement from Ravnsborg’s personal spokesman: pic.twitter.com/AOM2q8wLSA
— Arielle Zionts (@Ajzionts) February 24, 2021
We think readers get the picture. We'll post when as news develops.
Related posts:
- SD Attorney General Ravnsborg charged with 3 misdemeanors in crash that killed Joe Boever
- Twitter memorials: 5 months ago, South Dakota Attorney General Ravnsborg killed Joe Boever
- Daily Beast: Ravnsborg killed a man. Family members fear Joe Boever has been forgotten
- Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Noem supports using grand jury to speed up Ravnsborg killing probe
- States attorneys looking into killing of Joseph Boever by AG Ravnsborg not talking to Noem
- Rapid City Journal: After 4 months, still no decision on whether AG Ravnsborg will be charged for killing Joseph Boever
- AP: Prosecutors waiting on debris testing in SD Attorney General killing of Joseph Boever
- Governor Kristi Noem takes off her positive pants, given pace of Ravnsborg investigation
- Well, that's illuminating: South Dakota Highway Patrol’s accident report on Boever killing
- South Dakota News Watch: Crash experts question Ravnsborg’s car-deer explanation
- SD News Watch: State's criminal & civil traffic laws favor drivers over pedestrians in collisions
- UPDATED: Joe Boever's tragic death on Hwy 14: news digest about Ravnsborg's fatal accident
Photo: The victim, Joe Boever, left, and the killer, Jason Ravnsborg, right.
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