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GOP Donor Is Funding South Dakota National Guard Troops In Texas

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

In a dig at the Biden administration, Texas Governor Greg Abbott is asking other states for help in patrolling the southern border. South Dakota's Republican governor, Kristi Noem, says she's sending National Guard troops in response to Abbott's request. Noem says the deployment is being funded with a private donation. It is not clear that's legal. South Dakota Public Broadcasting's Arielle Zionts reports.

ARIELLE ZIONTS, BYLINE: Governor Noem tweeted Monday that she's sending up to 50 South Dakota National Guard troops to Texas because, quote, "the Biden administration has failed to keep America safe." On Tuesday, she added that the deployment will be funded by a donation from the Willis and Reba Johnson Foundation. The Johnsons are billionaires from Tennessee who donate to conservative causes across the country. Ian Fury, a spokesman for the governor, says Willis Johnson reached out to her, offering the donation.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

IAN FURY: Governor Noem welcomes any donations that help alleviate the cost to South Dakota taxpayers.

ZIONTS: Fury later confirmed the donation amount is $1 million. He says two state laws allow private donations that are, quote, "in the best interest of the state" and for, quote, "emergency management." A professor at the South Dakota School of Law says nothing in state law prevents the donation, but it would be illegal if the mission was instigated and directed by the donors. Dwight Stirling, who is a reserve military lawyer in the California National Guard, says the unusual donation goes against state and federal law.

DWIGHT STIRLING: If we allow a private citizen to donate money for a particular operation or mission, then it looks like those soldiers are working for the billionaire or for the donor. And that puts the chain of command in doubt, and that raises a question about the whole legitimacy of that mission.

ZIONTS: The South Dakota Democratic Party called the deployment political and said the private funding is turning the National Guard into, quote, "mercenaries." It has asked Governor Noem to return the money.

For NPR News, I'm Arielle Zionts in Rapid City.

(SOUNDBITE OF PSALM TREES AND MOOSE DAWA'S "NO LIES (FT. ANDRAS SZILAGYI)") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

Arielle Zionts

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.