Noem fires back at Family Heritage Alliance, scorns organization's director

Group wields influence on social conservative issues, including transgender controversies

Gov. Kristi Noem is at odds with the head of an influential social conservative special interest group.

South Dakota’s second-term Republican governor Wednesday characterized a call for action she received from Family Heritage Alliance Executive Director Norman Woods as a personal attack. She vowed in the three-page letter sent to all seven of the organization’s board members not to work with them on policy initiatives unless changes are made in their operational leadership.

“As a result, my office will no longer work with the Alliance until and unless its executive director chooses to act professionally,” Noem said, criticizing Woods for “sending this letter and releasing it to the media at the same time, instead of reaching out to my office to have a productive conversation about how we can work together.”

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