Kristi Noem Hits Biden Admin for Denying Mount Rushmore Fireworks Permit

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a Republican, on Thursday hit out at the Biden administration for not providing a reason for refusing to allow Mount Rushmore to set off fireworks for its Independence Day celebration.

"There was no reason to deny us this permit unless it was for political reasons," Noem told "Fox & Friends" during an interview.

The governor noted that she has filed a lawsuit against the administration, saying that they did not follow proper procedure as laid out in the Administrative Procedure Act that she claims requires that the federal government provide an explanation when not issuing permits like these.

She said that the state met all of the safety standards set out by the federal, state, and local governments, including concerns over fire danger, the environment, and has consulted with local indigenous tribes, among other procedures in preparation for the 4th of July. The governor noted that the Obama administration previously halted the tradition out of "environmental concerns."

Noem previously told Fox News earlier this week that "We're disappointed there won't be fireworks here this year. At the last minute, when President [Joe] Biden came into office, the National Park Service pulled our permit to host the fireworks."

She went on to say that "Our belief is truly that it was political. I believe that Biden administration pulled the fireworks from us to be punitive. They did not like us hosting it last year in the middle of COVID. They did not like the fact that President Trump was here celebrating with us, and that they had the ability to stop us from doing it this year. And they're doing it for arbitrary reasons."

Noem said that the move is being driven by "cancel culture" and is an attempt to erase part of American history.

"They don't want to celebrate America by honoring these founders on our mountain that led our country through challenging times," she said. "They have been taking down monuments across this country, and South Dakota has stood here and proudly held up our former leaders, recognizing that we can learn everything from everybody in the past that has led us. We never once said they were perfect, but we did say they were important to the foundation of this country, our freedoms and the constitution that still keeps America special."

The governor added, "I truly believe under the Administrative Procedures Act that this Biden administration violated it and that we have standing. You know, my, my federal judges are all Democrat-appointed. So, I know that my first challenge is always going to be difficult to win. But we have a path to victory and I won't give up."

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