South Dakota Appointees' Conflict Disclosures Missing from State Website

Offices trade blame as some financial interest statements meant to reveal potential conflicts are unavailable online.

Published on Feb. 28, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A review by South Dakota Searchlight found that nearly half of the financial disclosure documents for gubernatorial appointees in 2025 were not available on the Secretary of State's website, despite state law requiring such filings. The Governor's Office and Secretary of State's Office have provided contradictory explanations for the missing documents, raising concerns about transparency and accountability.

Why it matters

These financial interest statements are meant to help identify potential conflicts of interest for state board and commission members, but the lack of available disclosures makes it difficult for the public to scrutinize appointees' backgrounds and holdings. The situation highlights ongoing tensions between the executive and legislative branches over access to information about state government operations.

The details

Searchlight's review found that 14 out of 29 gubernatorial appointees confirmed by the state Senate in 2025 did not have their 2025 financial disclosure statements published online. For six of those appointees, there were no disclosures at all published, while eight had older statements but nothing new for their latest appointments or reappointments. Additionally, 10 of the published statements could not be viewed properly due to technical issues with the website. The Governor's Office and Secretary of State's Office have provided conflicting explanations, with the Governor's Office saying it submitted all the documents and the Secretary of State's Office claiming it never received some of them.

  • In 2025, 29 gubernatorial appointees were confirmed by the state Senate.
  • On December 31, 2025, the Secretary of State's Office received the missing financial disclosure statements for 6 appointees after being contacted by Searchlight.

The players

South Dakota Searchlight

A nonprofit news organization that conducted the review of missing financial disclosure statements.

Ian Fury

Spokesperson for the Governor's Office.

Christine Lehrkamp

Employee at the Secretary of State's Office.

Thomas Deadrick

Deputy Secretary of State.

Jeff Erickson

Longtime chairman of the state's Board of Economic Development who has business ties to a company that has received state funding.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Without those disclosures, it creates significant uncertainty and mistrust among South Dakotans.”

— Eric Muckey, State Representative, Sioux Falls (South Dakota Searchlight)

“When we receive documents to file, we file them.”

— Christine Lehrkamp, Employee, Secretary of State's Office (South Dakota Searchlight)

“We do not enforce, we only file. What we have provided is what has been filed with us.”

— Thomas Deadrick, Deputy Secretary of State (South Dakota Searchlight)

What’s next

The Secretary of State's Office has said it will work to improve the functionality of the website hosting the financial disclosure statements. Lawmakers may also consider legislative changes to strengthen oversight and enforcement around the filing of these documents.

The takeaway

This situation highlights the importance of transparency and accountability in state government, as the lack of available conflict of interest disclosures undermines public trust. It also raises questions about the roles and responsibilities of different state offices in ensuring these legally required documents are properly filed and accessible.