PIERRE, S.D.(KCCR)- After nearly four and a half hours in executive session the House Committee on Investigation has issued a recommendation as to the possible impeachment of South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg.

Committee Chair, Speaker of the House Spencer Gosch then called for the vote to approve the report.

That vote was a party-line vote with Democrats Representatives Jamie Smith and Ryan Cwach voting against the motion.  Gosch also permitted the submission of a minority report and recommendations of the Committee which received no objection.  Legislative Research Council Director Reed Holwegner says L-R-C staff will now work to post the redacted reports on-line.

Governor Kristi Noem released the following statement after the committee recommended no impeachment:

“Jason Ravnsborg killed a man, lied to investigators about the events of that night, and attempted to cover it up. Joseph Boever’s family deserves justice.

The question before this committee was, should the Attorney General should continue to be the top law enforcement officer in the state of South Dakota. It is clear that he should not be. My hope is that the House of Representatives as a whole will do the right thing.

Now, Speaker Gosch and his committee are covering for Ravnsborg and attempting to distract from their decision by blaming me for their inaction. That is unacceptable. They should do the right thing.”

The entire 70-member House of Representatives will meet again in two weeks on April 12th to consider the reports and make a final decision on impeachment.