South Dakota House investigation panel says state attorney general should not be impeached

South Dakota’s state House Select Committee on Investigation recommended on Monday that the state’s attorney general not be impeached.

The recommendation followed an investigation after Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg (R) fatally hit a pedestrian with his car almost two years ago. 

“After careful and comprehensive investigation and consideration of the facts and applicable law, a majority of the Select Committee hereby concludes Attorney General Ravnsborg did not commit an impeachable offense in his conduct surrounding the death of Joe Boever,” the report, obtained by local Nexstar affiliate KELO-TV, said.

“The Select Committee recommends that articles of impeachment do not issue,” it added.

The report specifically found that “Ravnsborg did not commit misdemeanor in office, as he committed no crime or other wrongful act involving moral turpitude by virtue or authority of his office.”

Two Democrats on the committee, state Reps. Jamie Smith and Ryan Cwach, did recommend impeachment, the Sioux Falls Argus Leader reported.

The committee began meeting in November, and its 22-page report published Monday found that evidence implicating malicious wrongdoing was lacking in the case against Ravnsborg, according to the newspaper.

On Sept. 12, 2020, Joe Boever was walking along the highway in the evening when he was hit by the state attorney general’s car. Ravnsborg, who was driving back from a political function, called 911 and said he did not know what he hit. The 55-year-old victim’s body was found the following morning, and Hyde County prosecutors later charged Ravnsborg with minor traffic violations, the Argus Leader added.

The Hill has reached out to Ravnsborg’s office for comment.