Bipartisan meeting with Gov. Kristi Noem results in renewed commitment to tribes

Noem, Native lawmakers meet day after speech that zeroed in on reservations

Rep. Peri Pourier (R-Rapid City). (Austin Goss/The Dakota Scout)

PIERRE — Democratic Representative Peri Pourier was visibly upset Wednesday afternoon, just moments after Gov. Kristi Noem finished her joint address to the Legislature on the US-Mexico border debacle.

While being hounded at her desk by reporters and colleagues for reaction, the lawmaker hovered over her iPad, attempting to “fact check” what she had just heard.

“It was obvious I had issues with some parts of the speech,” Pourier told The Dakota Scout Thursday morning. “On every side of this, we all see the problem.”

The Democratic lawmaker, who has represented the Pine Ridge Indian reservation and District 27 in Pierre since 2019, watched in real-time as Noem brought her national spotlight to the crime problem on the reservation — highlighting incidences of cartel activity on the reservation.

But less than 24-hours later, Pourier and Noem were face-to-face attempting to bridge misunderstandings and extend olive branches.

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