Schoenbeck schedules impeachment trial for Ravnsborg in South Dakota Senate

April 14, 2022

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — The leader of the South Dakota Senate has named a lead prosecutor for the impeachment trial of state Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg and scheduled it for late June.

Wednesday’s announcement from Republican Sen. Lee Schoenbeck of Watertown (pictured) comes one day after House lawmakers voted to impeach Ravnsborg for a car crash that killed a pedestrian.

Ravnsborg is the first official to be impeached in South Dakota history.

He must take a leave until the Senate decides whether to remove him from office.

Schoenbeck set the trial for June 21-22. He said Pennington County prosecutor Mark Vargo will argue in favor of the two articles of impeachment. One is for crimes that led to the death of Joe Boever and the other is for malfeasance in office.