PIERRE_NP0 ,_PUN S.D._NP0 (_PUL AP_NP0 )_PUR —_PUN Family_NN1 members_NN2 of_PRF South_NP0 Dakota_NP0 Gov._NP0 Kristi_NP0 Noem_NP0 received_VVD more_AV0 than_CJS $_NN0 600_CRD ,_PUN 000_CRD in_PRP funds_NN2 from_PRP a_AT0 state_NN1 grant_NN1 program_NN1 pushed_VVN by_PRP the_AT0 governor_NN1 that_CJT directed_VVD federal_AJ0 coronavirus_NN1 relief_NN1 funds_NN2 to_PRP small_AJ0 businesses_NN2 ._SENT A_AT0 ranch_NN1 belonging_VVG to_PRP Noem_NP0 's_POS family_NN1 ,_PUN Racota_NP0 Valley_NN1 Ranch_NN1 Partnership_NN1 ,_PUN received_VVD one_CRD payment_NN1 of_PRF $_NN0 500_CRD ,_PUN 000_CRD ,_PUN and_CJC a_AT0 business_NN1 operated_VVN by_PRP her_DPS brothers_NN2 ,_PUN Rock_NP0 and_CJC Robb_NP0 Arnold_NP0 ,_PUN received_VVD payments_NN2 of_PRF just_AV0 over_AV0 $_NN0 100_CRD ,_PUN 000_CRD ,_PUN according_VVG to_PRP records_NN2 on_PRP the_AT0 grant_NN1 program_NN1 ._SENT The_AT0 Legislature_NN1 approved_VVD the_AT0 grant_NN1 plan_NN1 in_PRP October_NP0 ,_PUN but_CJC the_AT0 family_NN1 businesses_NN2 benefitted_VVN from_PRP adjustments_NN2 the_AT0 Republican_NN1 governor_NN1 made_VVN ._SENT The_AT0 plan_NN1 initially_AV0 capped_VVN grants_NN2 at_PRP $_NN0 100_CRD ,_PUN 000_CRD ,_PUN but_CJC later_AV0 in_PRP the_AT0 month_NN1 ,_PUN with_PRP plentiful_AJ0 federal_AJ0 funds_NN2 at_PRP their_DPS disposal_NN1 ,_PUN Noem_NP0 's_POS administration_NN1 adjusted_VVD the_AT0 grant_NN1 cap_NN1 to_PRP $_NN0 500_CRD ,_PUN 000._CRD The_AT0 governor_NN1 also_AV0 later_AV0 opened_VVD up_AVP a_AT0 second_ORD round_NN1 of_PRF grant_NN1 applications_NN2 to_PRP businesses_NN2 hurt_VVN by_PRP the_AT0 pandemic_AJ0 from_PRP September_NP0 to_PRP November_NP0 ._SENT A_AT0 total_NN1 of_PRF 126_CRD businesses_NN2 across_PRP the_AT0 state_NN1 —_PUN less_AV0 than_CJS 4_CRD %_NN0 of_PRF grant_NN1 applicants_NN2 —_PUN received_VVD grants_NN2 of_PRF $_NN0 500_CRD ,_PUN 000._CRD Some_DT0 received_VVD even_AV0 more_AV0 because_CJS they_PNP applied_VVD in_PRP both_DT0 rounds_NN2 of_PRF applications_NN2 ._SENT There_EX0 is_VBZ no_AT0 indication_NN1 that_CJT Noem_NP0 played_VVD a_AT0 part_NN1 in_PRP the_AT0 allocation_NN1 of_PRF funds_NN2 ._SENT Noem_NP0 —_PUN who_PNQ is_VBZ becoming_VVG a_AT0 rising_AJ0 force_NN1 in_PRP the_AT0 GOP_NN1 as_PRP the_AT0 party_NN1 tries_VVZ to_TO0 identify_VVI 2024_CRD presidential_AJ0 candidates_NN2 —_PUN once_AV0 maintained_VVN part-ownership_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 ranch_NN1 ,_PUN but_CJC her_DPS office_NN1 said_VVD she_PNP no_AV0 longer_AV0 does_VDZ ._SENT "_PUQ The_AT0 Governor_NN1 has_VHZ no_AT0 financial_AJ0 interest_NN1 in_PRP Racota_NP0 Valley_NN1 and_CJC has_VHZ n't_XX0 for_PRP years_NN2 ,_PUN "_PUQ said_VVD her_DPS spokesman_NN1 Ian_NP0 Fury_NN1 ,_PUN but_CJC he_PNP acknowledged_VVD the_AT0 ranch_NN1 had_VHD paid_VVN rent_NN1 for_PRP 22_CRD acres_NN2 of_PRF farmland_NN1 Noem_NP0 owns_VVZ ._SENT Fury_NN1 said_VVD Noem_NP0 had_VHD rented_VVN out_AVP the_AT0 land_NN1 for_PRP $_NN0 2_CRD ,_PUN 200_CRD annually_AV0 but_CJC ended_VVD the_AT0 lease_NN1 agreement_NN1 on_PRP Jan._NP0 1._CRD Robb_NP0 Arnold_NP0 declined_VVD to_TO0 comment_VVI on_PRP the_AT0 grants_NN2 or_CJC share_VVB the_AT0 financial_AJ0 statements_NN2 cited_VVN on_PRP the_AT0 applications_NN2 ._SENT The_AT0 Bureau_NN1 of_PRF Finance_NN1 and_CJC Management_NN1 did_VDD not_XX0 immediately_AV0 respond_VVI to_PRP a_AT0 request_NN1 for_PRP more_DT0 information_NN1 on_PRP their_DPS applications_NN2 ._SENT Fury_NN1 said_VVD grant_NN1 eligibility_NN1 was_VBD set_VVN by_PRP the_AT0 Legislature_NN1 and_CJC was_VBD administered_VVN by_PRP Guidehouse_NP0 ,_PUN an_AT0 independent_AJ0 consultant_NN1 based_VVN in_PRP Virginia_NP0 ._SENT The_AT0 business_NN1 grant_NN1 program_NN1 was_VBD a_AT0 cornerstone_NN1 of_PRF Noem_NP0 's_POS plan_NN1 to_TO0 spend_VVI $_NN0 1.25_CRD billion_CRD in_PRP federal_AJ0 coronavirus_NN1 money_NN1 ._SENT It_PNP made_VVD grants_NN2 of_PRF up_AVP to_PRP $_NN0 500_CRD ,_PUN 000_CRD available_AJ0 for_PRP businesses_NN2 that_CJT could_VM0 show_VVI a_AT0 15_CRD %_NN0 drop_NN1 in_PRP cash_NN1 flow_NN1 from_PRP the_AT0 previous_AJ0 year_NN1 ._SENT 
