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South Dakota Lawmakers Call Special Session to Debate Impeaching Attorney General

Dozens of lawmakers signed a petition paving the way for a special session to consider booting Jason Ravnsborg from office.

South Dakota lawmakers are moving ahead with impeachment efforts against Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg after he avoided jail time in a high-profile fatal crash. Spencer Gosch, the speaker of the state House of Representatives, confirmed to local media outlets late Saturday that a petition calling for a special session on the matter had gotten more than the required 47 signatures. “We will try to keep the public informed as we move through this process,” Gosch was quoted telling KEVN Black Hills FOX. “(But) we intend to gavel into a special session on this matter November 9th,” he said. Gosch said that if the special session ends with lawmakers voting to move forward with impeachment, he will choose nine members of the House to form a select committee that will review evidence against the attorney general. Ravnsborg has faced calls to step down from lawmakers and Gov. Kristi Noem after he fatally struck a man with his vehicle in September 2020. After striking a plea deal last month, he faced no jail time and wound up merely being fined $500 for each of two misdemeanor charges.