Governor Kristi Noem has appointed Darin Seeley to run the Bureau of Human Resources. Chester native Seeley comes from directing human resources for Harms Oil Company and CC&F Retail in Brookings; prior to that, he resourced humans for Black Hills Corporation.
According to OpenSecrets.org, Harms Oil gave Kristi Noem $10,000 to help her keep her seat in Congress in 2012, $8,500 in 2014, and $6,500 in 2016.
Seeley’s prior employer’s PAC, Black Hills Corp, faithfully supports incumbents. They gave Stephanie Herseth Sandlin $2,500 to support her unsuccessful resistance to Noem’s Tea Party rise, then gave Noem $5,000 in 2012, $4,500 in 2014, and $4,000 in 2016.
Once again, if you want to rise to the top in South Dakota, you have to come from money that supports the one-party regime.