Earlier this year, Bluestem had posted about Governor Kristi Noem singling out tribal nations in her address to the South Dakota legislature about the situation on the United States-Mexican border. I noted this in Drug cartels have infiltrated reservations, Noem says, but some tribal voices call speech ‘political’
I live within the historic borders of the Lake Traverse Indian Reservation, home to the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate--which she mentioned by name in the address--and the leaders of Bluestem's neighbors responded quickly, as I noted in SWO Dakota to Governor Noem: don't single out reservations when drugs are a statewide problem.
Individual tribal members I had business with weren't pleased with her remarks either.
The post included a press release about a meeting of the tribal chair and council members with the governor at the state capitol in Pierre.
That came after Noem was banned from Pine Ridge Reservation over remarks in border speech to state legislature and Noem met with two South Dakota House tribal members one of whom is a SWO tribal member who represents a district in Sioux Falls.
But she's back at it again--now citing tribal leadership as being in cahoots with the cartels, blaming the criticism she received after the address on that unholy alliance.
In Noem slings accusations about tribes while signing education bills, Mackenzie Huber reports for the South Dakota Searchlight:
Tribal leaders ‘personally benefitting’ from cartels, Noem alleges
Earlier this year, tribal leaders and tribally enrolled legislators criticized comments Noem made about drugs on South Dakota reservations during a speech to lawmakers about the U.S.-Mexico border. In that speech, Noem made multiple references to the ravages of fentanyl and other drugs on reservation communities, and said the drugs are coming from Mexican cartels.
On Wednesday afternoon, Noem expanded on those comments during her town hall in Winner.
“We’ve got some tribal leaders that I believe are personally benefitting from the cartels being here, and that’s why they attack me every day,” she said.
South Dakota Searchlight reached out to several Native American legislators and a tribal president after Noem’s town hall comments, including some who were critical of her border speech. None responded with comments by the time of this article’s publication. The Oglala Sioux Tribe banned Noem from the Pine Ridge Reservation after her border speech. . . .
Bluestem will keep an eye out for updates on reactions to Noem's most recent attacks. Her statements about tribes and cartels make me wish she'd stick to infomercials for Texas dentists. That has gathered even more headlines of late: South Dakota legislator calls for inquiry into Gov. Noem’s Texas dental trip and promo video (Associated Press) and Kristi Noem faces lawsuit and toothy questions over her viral endorsement of Texas dentists (CNN).
Here's the Facebook video of the Winner Town Hall; Noems begins talking about cartels on the reservation around the 40 minute mark; her comments about tribal leaders are around the 42 minute mark. (I've downloaded the clip and will post a short video of the relevant remarks after I get a chance to edit).
Screenshot: Governor Noem as she talks about tribal leaders "personally benefitting from the cartels being here."
Related posts
- SWO Dakota to Governor Noem: don't single out reservations when drugs are a statewide problem
- Noem banned from Pine Ridge Reservation over remarks in border speech to state legislature
- Explaining and gaining? Noem concedes Texas costs were gift to Lone Star state; meets with two South Dakota House tribal members
- Drug cartels have infiltrated reservations, Noem says, but some tribal voices call speech ‘political’
- Noem to address Legislature on ‘potential South Dakota response’ to Mexico border situation
- No word on who paid or if she packed razor wire: Noem travels again to Texas-Mexico border
- South Dakota Searchlight: Tribal leaders urge legislators to support reestablishment of Lake Traverse Reservation boundaries
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