South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem says she’s disappointed that the Oglala Sioux Tribal council voted to tell her she is not welcome to visit their reservation last week.
The governor says she has always been welcomed by tribal members when she has come to the Pine Ridge area in the past:
OC……..and the tribe. ;23
The tribal council voted 17-0 to tell the governor she was no longer welcome saying Noem led efforts to pass a state law targeting demonstrations such as those in neighboring North Dakota that plagued the Dakota Access oil pipeline.
Noem says the pipeline does not run through tribal lands, so they were not consulted:
OC……….through the reservation. :16
Noem says tribal leaders did state their opposition during the legislative session and says every voice was heard.
She says will keep her lines of communication open with the tribe and hopes to meet with tribal members in the future.