House lawmakers continue to call on Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg to step down from his position.
Ravnsborg took a plea deal following his involvement in an accident that took the life of Hyde County resident Joe Boever last year.
Attorney General Ravnsborg pleaded no-contest last week to a pair of driving-related misdemeanors after he fatally hit Boever.
Republican Representative Will Mortenson, of Pierre, brought articles of impeachment against Ravnsborg during the last legislative session. House Republicans held off on the articles until Ravnsborg’s trial could take place.
Now, Mortenson says the best outcome would be for Ravnsborg to step down from his position.
“And you’ve heard from about every law enforcement group that he should leave office and you’ve heard from the executive branch a couple of times on that same note,” Mortenson says. “Those are the two entities that the Attorney General’s office is supposed to serve and interface with the most. I continue to believe that would be the best outcome for our state.”
Mortenson says legislative leadership will decide whether to bring articles of impeachment against Ravnsborg.
Governor Kristi Noem says Ravnsborg has not accepted responsibility for killing Boever. She’s handing over investigative materials to Republican House Speaker Spencer Gosch.
Democratic Representative Jamie Smith is the leader of House Democrats. He says the event was a tragedy where a man lost his life.
“The charges that were filed—misdemeanors, a plea deal—doesn’t seem to us like there was accountability taken there,” Smith says. “Some of his comments and what his attorney said just didn’t show a real remorse, perhaps.”
In a written statement, Ravnsborg says he does not plan to resign. He says he’s “very sorry Joe Boever lost his life in this accident.”
Ravnsborg's first term ends next year. If he runs for re-election, he’ll have at least one opponent for the Republican nomination. Former attorney general Marty Jackley says he’s running for the job.