Sioux Falls attorney Mike Butler to lead AG Jason Ravnsborg's defense at impeachment trial

A leading criminal defense lawyer in South Dakota with experience defending politicians embroiled in scandal will represent Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg at his impeachment trial this summer.

Sioux Falls attorney Mike Butler confirmed Monday he has been hired by the 45-year-old Republican to lead his defense against Articles of Impeachment adopted by the state House earlier this month.

"Up until now, our approach has been to simply advise our client and to have discussions with him about what we should or shouldn't do. Our approach was to be low-keyed to not engage in some sort of public back and forth — I didn't consider that to be particularly helpful one way or the other," Butler told the Argus Leader a day before the South Dakota Senate is scheduled to adopt procedural rules that will govern the trial. "Obviously, if this goes to a hearing, that will be different."

More: South Dakota's historic Jason Ravnsborg impeachment trial gets structure from other states

Ravnsborg was impeached April 12 by a vote of 36-31 for crimes related to the death of 55-year-old Joe Boever on Sept. 12, 2020, and malfeasance in office. The trial in the Senate is scheduled for June 21 and June 22.

The trial prosecutor appointed by Senate leadership is Mark Vargo, the Pennington County State's Attorney who assisted the Hyde County State's Attorney's Office determine criminal charges levied against Ravnsborg in February 2021.

Butler declined to share specifics as to what Ravnsborg's defense will look like, potential witnesses or strategy.

Ravnsborg did not respond to request for comment.

Practicing law since 1985, Butler has a deep portfolio of high profile legal and political cases in South Dakota. He and attorney Patrick Duffy represented former state Sen. Dan Sutton in 2007 during censure hearings after the Moody County lawmaker was accused of sexual molestation of a high school student.

A Senate committee voted to censure Sutton, but a full vote by the Senate on removing him from office failed. He was formally censured on the Senate floor, though he remained in office until the end of his term.

"I'm not going to call this the same type of proceeding," Butler said Monday. "The players are different. ... But I've had a similar experience. I'll put it that way."

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Ravnsborg's impeachment defense to be led by a Sioux Falls attorney