South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem accused a top Republican state lawmaker of “covering” for state Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg after a committee recommended against impeaching him for his involvement in a fatal car crash.
Ravnsborg, a Republican, struck and killed Joseph Boever, 55, on Sept. 12, 2020, during his drive home from an event at a bar. He said he notified police that evening that he had hit a large animal, but upon his return to the scene the following day, he discovered Boever’s body. Ravsnborg insists he didn’t know he struck another person the evening of the accident, but investigators later discovered the victim’s glasses inside his car and the victim’s DNA on his windshield.
The South Dakota House Select Committee on Investigation voted 6-2 Monday against recommending Ravnsborg’s impeachment over the matter, saying in a 16-page report that the misdemeanor lane violation he was found guilty of in connection to the fatal crash was “a commonplace occurrence and is not an impeachable offense.” The report also condemned Noem for her “attempts to influence the committee.”
SOUTH DAKOTA ATTORNEY GENERAL NOW SAYS HE ‘DISCOVERED’ BODY AFTER FATALLY STRIKING MAN WITH VEHICLE
Noem accused South Dakota House Speaker Spencer Gosch of “covering” for Ravnsborg Monday evening after the vote. She urged the full House of Representatives to disregard the committee’s recommendation and vote to impeach the attorney general when they return on April 12.
“Jason Ravnsborg killed a man, lied to investigators about the events of that night, and attempted to cover it up. Joseph Boever’s family deserves justice,” Noem tweeted. “The question before this committee was, should the Attorney General should continue to be the top law enforcement officer in the state of South Dakota. It is clear that he should not be. My hope is that the House of Representatives as a whole will do the right thing.”
Jason Ravnsborg killed a man, lied to investigators about the events of that night, and attempted to cover it up. Joseph Boever’s family deserves justice. (1)
— Governor Kristi Noem (@govkristinoem) March 29, 2022
“Now, Speaker [Spencer] Gosch and his committee are covering for Ravnsborg and attempting to distract from their decision by blaming me for their inaction. That is unacceptable. They should do the right thing,” she added.
Boever’s widow, Jennifer Boever, said Monday that Ravnsborg has never communicated with her about the fatal crash.
The South Dakota House of Representatives can impeach Ravnsborg with a simple majority vote of at least 36 lawmakers. In the unlikely event he is impeached, he would be prevented from carrying out his duties as he awaits a trial in the state Senate, which could vote to remove him from office with a two-thirds majority vote of at least 24.
Ravnsborg plead no contest in August to driving outside his lane and driving while using an electronic device, both misdemeanor traffic violations, in connection to the fatal crash. He wasn’t sentenced to any jail time but was fined $500 for the two violations and was ordered to repay court costs of $3,742. He was also ordered to “do a significant public service event” for the next five years near the anniversary of Boever’s death.
Ravnsborg, who is running for reelection this year, never appeared in court at any time during the case, the Daily Beast reported.
County prosecutors told lawmakers in February that they couldn’t prove that Ravnsborg knew that he struck another person the night of the crash.
Jane Boever, the sister of the victim, called the attorney general a “killer” after his sentencing in August.
“You are a killer. This, Mr. Ravnsborg, is the result of your reckless actions,” she said.
Ravnsborg said in a statement after he was sentenced that Boever’s death “weighs heavily on me and always will.”
“I’ve often wondered why the accident occurred and all the things that had to have happened to make our lives intersect,” he said. “I’ve wished thousands of times our paths would have crossed under different circumstances.”
“The media has reported many untrue and misleading things they want you to believe are facts,” Ravnsborg added. “Partisan opportunists from both sides of the aisle have manufactured rumors, conspiracy theories, and made statements in direct contradiction to the evidence all sides agreed upon. These are the same people who try to take others down at any cost.”
