Ex-GOED director: Officials pressured to give ad firm Freedom Works Here campaign

Lawmakers decide not to extend inquiry into controversial marketing campaign

Former GOED Director Nate Welch testified Monday, Jan. 8, 2023, the firm that won the Freedom Works Here campaign was selected before proposals were received. (Jonathan Ellis/The Dakota Scout)

A former marketing director with the Governor’s Office of Economic Development says the fix was in for the company that eventually won the marketing contract for Gov. Kristi Noem’s ‘Freedom Works Here’ campaign.

Nate Welch, who left GOED in May, testified Monday before the Legislature’s Executive Board Committee that the request-for-proposal process that resulted in Go West Media being selected was “expected and preferred” even before finalists had been determined.

“It was pretty obvious who we would be selecting by the end of the process,” Welch told lawmakers Monday.

The former state employee testified after lawmakers heard from Chris Schilken, the current GOED commissioner, who said that Go West got the contract as a result of the analytical data the company provided decision makers.

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