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South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem stands by decision to kill dog, share it in new book
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem – who has been considered to be a potential running mate for presumptive Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump – addressed on Sunday the recent attention on her new book where she writes about killing an unruly dog and a goat.
The Guardian obtained a copy of Noem’s soon-to-be-released book, “No Going Back: The Truth on What’s Wrong with Politics and How We Move American Forward.” Noem is scheduled to be interviewed on “Face the Nation” next week about her upcoming book, set to be released on May 7.
In it, she tells the story of the ill-fated Cricket, a 14-month-old wirehaired pointer she was training for pheasant hunting.
Jack Dura / AP
She writes, according to the Guardian, that the tale was included to show her willingness to do anything “difficult, messing and ugly” if it has to be done. The backlash was swift against the Republican governor and on Sunday, she addressed the issue on social media.
“I can understand why some people are upset about a 20 year old story of Cricket, one of the working dogs at our ranch, in my upcoming book — No Going Back,” she wrote in a post on X, the platform formally known as Twitter. “The book is filled with many honest stories of my life, good and bad days, challenges, painful decisions, and lessons learned.”
In her book, Noem writes that she took Cricket on a hunting trip with older dogs in hopes of calming down the wild puppy. Instead, Cricket chased the pheasants while “having the time of her life.”
On the way home from the hunting trip, Noem writes that she stopped to talk to a family. Cricket got out of Noem’s truck and attacked and killed some of the family’s chickens, then bit the governor.
On Sunday, she defended her decision to kill the dog, saying that “South Dakota law states that dogs who attack and kill livestock can be put down.”
“Given that Cricket had shown aggressive behavior toward people by biting them, I decided what I did,” Noem wrote. “Whether running the ranch or in politics, I have never passed on my responsibilities to anyone else to handle. Even if it’s hard and painful. I followed the law and was being a responsible parent, dog owner, and neighbor.”
In the book, Noem also writes that her family also owned a “nasty and mean” male goat that smelled bad and liked to chase her kids. She decided to go ahead and kill the goat, too. She writes that the goat survived the first shot, so she went back to the truck, got another shell, then shot him again, killing him.
The excerpts drew immediate criticism on social media platforms, where many posted photos of their own pets. President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign surfaced the story on social media alongside a photo of Noem with Trump.
It’s not the first time Noem has grabbed national attention.
A month ago when she posted an infomercial-like video about cosmetic dental surgery she received out-of-state.
In a nearly five-minute video on X, she praised a team of cosmetic dentists in Texas for giving her a smile she said she can be proud of. “I love my new family at Smile Texas!” she wrote.
In 2019, she stood behind the state’s anti-meth campaign even as it became the subject of some mockery for the tagline “Meth. We’re on it.” Noem said the campaign got people talking about the methamphetamine epidemic and helped lead some to treatment.
Washington — The House Ethics Committee has quietly voted to release its report on the investigation into former Rep. Matt Gaetz regarding allegations of sexual misconduct and obstruction, two sources familiar with the matter said, reversing course after Republicans originally blocked its release.
The report will likely be unveiled in the coming days, after the final votes of the 118th Congress, the sources said. Lawmakers face a Friday deadline to approve new government funding and avoid a shutdown before heading home for the holidays. CNN first reported on Thursday that the committee voted behind closed doors to release the report earlier this month.
House Republicans recently blocked two Democratic resolutions that would have compelled the Ethics Committee to release the potentially damaging report on its investigation into Gaetz, voting to refer the matter back to the committee.
Gaetz resigned from Congress shortly after President-elect Donald Trump said he planned to nominate Gaetz to be attorney general in November. But Gaetz soon withdrew from consideration, facing a likely contentious confirmation process. Gaetz has said he does not intend to take the oath of office for the same seat in the 119th Congress, and is launching a new show on the pro-Trump One America News Network in January.
It’s highly unusual, but not unprecedented, for the House Ethics Committee to release a report on a member who is no longer in office. Congressional leaders, including some Democrats, have expressed concerns about the precedent set by unveiling the Gaetz report.
In June, the committee released a statement saying it was investigating allegations against Gaetz that included sexual misconduct, illicit drug use, and bribery.
Multiple sources at the time told CBS News that four women had informed the Ethics Committee that they had been paid to go to parties that included sex and drugs, and that Gaetz had also attended. The committee has Gaetz’s Venmo transactions that allegedly show payments for the women.
Gaetz has repeatedly denied wrongdoing and has called the committee’s investigation a “frivolous” smear campaign.
Some of the sexual misconduct allegations under review by the committee were the subject of a previous Department of Justice probe into Gaetz. Federal investigators sought to determine if Gaetz violated sex trafficking and obstruction of justice laws, but no charges were filed.
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Monkeys have been spotting roaming in unusual places in central Florida recently — and the police are warning residents to stay away.
The Orange City Police Department said on social media that it had received “multiple reports of monkey sightings” in the town, which is in Volusia County. People who see monkeys should not feed or approach them, the department said, but should contact the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
A viral video from a river near Orange City, taken by a river tour operator, shows a monkey hanging out on a wooded bank.
“I looked up into a tree and kind of went, ‘What’s that!?'” Colin Innes of St. John’s River Eco Tours, told CBS affiliate WKMG. “I got a little bit closer and realized that I had a monkey probably about 30 feet from me. And trust me, that’s not something you see out here on a regular basis whatsoever, so I was shocked.”
Meanwhile, a Volusia County elementary school principal had to warn parents about a monkey after seeing one run through the school’s drop-off area on Wednesday, according to WKMG.
An area woman told WKMG that she saw a monkey climbing on her fence. First, she thought the animal was a cat, but then she realized how large it was.
“I have three cats and so I looked at his body and was like, ‘Wow that’s really big,'” said Evelyn Coira Arquette. “I mean, we’re talking about four feet probably long.”
Officials have not commented on what species of monkey is being spotted. WKMG said officials have not confirmed if residents are spotting multiple monkeys or if they’re seeing the same primate in multiple locations.
Police have told residents not to feed the monkeys, which is prohibited by a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission rule passed in 2017. Monkeys are more likely to return to an area and may become aggressive if they are fed by people, WKMG reported.
Residents should also take care to dispose of uneaten food and garbage in closed trash containers, so monkeys can’t access them. Any sightings should be reported, and if a monkey is seen in the area, children should be kept close and pets should be leashed. If bitten or scratched by a wild monkey, seek medical attention immediately.
Last month, 43 monkeys escaped from a research facility in South Carolina, prompting warnings for nearby residents to secure their doors and windows. Four of the monkeys are reportedly still on the loose.