Sioux Falls, SD — Kristi Noem and her spokesman Ian Fury continue to bully and intimidate Sherry Bren for her courageous testimony yesterday. State Representative Steve Haugaard called yesterday for Noem and her daughter Kassidy Peters to testify under oath as to the series of events that led to Peters’ receiving her state appraiser certification.

“It is clear that nothing like the treatment given to Kassidy Peters has been given to another applicant for the state appraiser certification in three decades, and perhaps ever,” Haugaard said. “It appears that Governor Noem forced her subordinates to go outside the realm of standard procedure to give her daughter a third chance—one that no one else gets. To attack the credibility of Sherry Bren—a woman already intimidated and treated poorly by her superiors—is, frankly, disgusting, and a new low for this administration.”

“The “statement” put out by Noem’s spin doctor Ian Fury yesterday was nothing more than a baseless attack on the credibility of a woman who did a fine job with no stains upon her record for 30 years. The supposed smoking gun they came up with is a document that is used for entirely different reasons in normal procedure of the appraiser certification process. Sherry Bren has been and continues to be the victim of the Noem Administration’s bullying and intimidation.”

Haugaard continued: “Governor Noem is claiming that the purpose of the meeting at her residence with Peters and Bren was about how to correct problems with the appraiser certification program. This explanation doesn’t pass muster. The quality of the state’s program wasn’t an issue for Noem until her daughter failed to pass the certification process in the normal number of tries, which is two.”

“There are two victims in this ordeal: Sherry Bren, and Kassidy Peters, who is the victim of her mother’s own misuse and abuse of executive power.”

Steve Haugaard is the state representative for House District 10 and former Speaker of the House. He is running to replace Kristi Noem as governor of the great state of South Dakota. More about Steve can be found at his website, www.stevehaugaard.com.