Now that a special committee of South Dakota House members has completed its investigation into the conduct of state Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg in connection with a fatal car-pedestrian crash in 2020, the full chamber will determine what happens next.
The Committee on Special Investigations voted 6-2 yesterday (March 28, 2022) against Impeachment. Ravnsborg was driving on US Highway 14 near Highmore in September 2020 when he struck and killed Joe Boever.
Committee chair Representative Spencer Gosch of Glenham says House members will be reviewing the committee’s report ahead of their April 12, 2022, special session.
In February of 2021, Representative Will Mortenson of Pierre filed a resolution proposing two Articles of Impeachment to remove Ravnsborg from office. The House decided to wait until criminal proceedings were complete, before taking any action on the Articles. Now that the criminal case and the Investigation Committee’s work are complete, Mortenson, who is an attorney, has been reading the committee report.
Mortenson hasn’t yet decided whether or not he will file Articles of Impeachment against Ravnsborg again.
In August of last year (Aug. 26, 2021), Ravnsborg pled no contest to two misdemeanors in relation to the accident. The judge ordered no jail time, instead fining him $500 on each of two misdemeanor counts and requiring him to pay assorted court costs.
A majority of the county State’s Attorneys and Sheriffs endorsed former Attorney General Marty Jackley, who is hoping to win that position again this year. The republican candidate for Attorney General will be chosen by delegates at the party’s state convention this summer.
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