Travelers United, a group that looks out for consumers, filed a lawsuit against Governor Kristi Noem of South Dakota as she shared a nearly five-minute video endorsing a cosmetic dentistry business, accusing her of violating consumer protection laws in Washington, D.C.
The group alleges that Noem’s video was an undisclosed ad for Smile Texas, a dentistry company.
The lawsuit claims that as a public figure and politician, Kristi Noem is essentially a brand herself, and by promoting this service, she benefited both physically (with a new smile) and financially (either through payment or receiving free or discounted medical services for the ad).
The video reportedly shows before and after photos of the governor's recent dental work and a testimonial filmed inside the company’s Houston office.
“As the governor of South Dakota, I had the chance to visit Smile Texas to fix my teeth, and it has been absolutely amazing,” Noem, who has been considered as a possible running mate for former President Trump, says at the start of the video.
She mentioned that her teeth needed an “adjustment” due to a biking accident from years ago.
“But the team here was outstanding and finally gave me a smile that I can be proud of and confident in, which I think is going to be incredibly special to have. I chose the team here at Smile Texas because they’re the best,” she said.
The video was shared on all of the governor’s social media pages and ends with the company’s logo.
The lawsuit claims that Kristi Noem acted as an influencer and likely received free dental care in exchange for the ad, got discounted dental care, or received payment and free dental care for the advertisement.
“Unfortunately, Noem did not mark this as an “Ad” or “Advertisement” when posting, so she engaged in an unfair and deceptive practice,” the lawsuit continues.
The lawsuit demands that Noem label future promoted content with advertising labels and pay unspecified compensation.
The Hill has contacted Travelers United and Noem’s office for a statement.
