Noem promotes South Dakota business amid criticism of previous video
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) on Thursday posted a video promoting a South Dakota business, even as she faces criticism and a lawsuit for a previous video.
Noem posted a video on X, formerly Twitter, promoting Fit My Feet, who built her custom insoles for tennis shoes and cowboy boots. She wrote online that they do “amazing work to make custom insoles.”
“They have totally built me inserts for running, separate ones for my cowboy boots. I’m gonna be perfect, I’m gonna be like bionic woman now,” she said in the video Thursday.
The governor asked the employees where they had store locations across South Dakota. After they listed various locations, Noem responded “Sweet. I’m gonna be amazing.”
Noem previously posted a nearly five-minute long video promoting a cosmetic dentistry company in Texas. She is being sued by the consumer advocacy group Travelers United, who accuses Noem of breaking Washington, D.C., consumer protection laws.
Her video was filmed in a commercial-like style that includes close-ups of her teeth, before and after shots of her smile and a dentist working with a patient. The group claims Noem’s video was an undisclosed advertisement for the dentistry firm Smile Texas.
The lawsuit alleges that Noem, a potential running mate for former President Trump, is acting like a social media influencer.
“Unfortunately Noem did not mark this as an “Ad” or “Advertisement” when posting so she is participating in an unfair and deceptive practice,” the lawsuit said.
The lawsuit demands that Noem mark future promoted content with advertising labels and pay undisclosed damages.