In a stunning turn of events, South Dakota Republican Governor Kristi Noem finds herself in the midst of a political freefall as shocking revelations continue to unfold from advanced copies of her upcoming memoir. The book, titled "No Going Back," has already attracted intense scrutiny and backlash, even before its official release on Tuesday.

The initial controversy erupted over Noem's admission in the memoir that she had shot and killed a dog named Cricket and a billy goat in the past. She justified these actions by citing the dog's hunting failures and attacks on a neighbor's chickens, and the goat's aggression towards her children and unpleasant odor. This revelation drew widespread condemnation and outrage from the public.

However, the situation took a more serious turn when news outlets including Politico and The Dakota Scout started uncovering inaccuracies in Noem's memoir. The most glaring falsehood was Noem's account of a meeting with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un during her time in Congress — a meeting that never actually occurred.

In her book, Noem boasted of meeting Kim Jong Un and how she skillfully handled the encounter, claiming her experience as a children's pastor gave her an edge in dealing with dictators. The Dakota Scout's investigation raised doubts about the meeting, prompting Noem's spokesperson, Ian Fury, to admit that it was one of "two small errors" in the book, blaming others involved in the writing and editing process.

Question marks also arose around Noem's anecdote in the memoir about canceling a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron due to her disapproval of his comments on the Israeli-Hamas conflict. The French president's office refuted Noem's claim, stating that Macron had never directly extended an invitation to her for such a meeting, although the possibility of a coincidental attendance at the same event remained open.

Additionally, Politico reported on a story in the memoir about a supposed threatening political encounter between Noem and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley. Haley's spokesperson vehemently denied any threats being made and clarified that the conversation was meant to be encouraging, not menacing.

As the controversies escalated, a Colorado county Republican group canceled a fundraising event where Noem was scheduled to be the keynote speaker. The cancellation came after the group received death threats and details of a planned protest related to Noem's treatment of animals.

Political science professor Jon Schaff of Northern State University weighed in on the impact of these revelations, stating that Noem's immediate national ambitions have been significantly weakened. Despite this setback, Schaff suggested that it might be premature to discount Noem's future prospects, pointing out her popularity in South Dakota and the potential for her to enter a U.S. Senate race in the event of retirement by either Senator John Thune or Senator Mike Rounds.

On the other hand, Dan Ahlers, executive director of the South Dakota Democratic Party, argued that these controversies are unlikely to derail Noem's career, citing previous scandals that did not seem to have a lasting negative impact. Ahlers stated that Republican politicians often come out stronger after such incidents, raising more funds and gaining a resilient reputation.

Noem, who appeared on Fox News' "Hannity" to dismiss the fallout from the animal killings as "fake news," is scheduled to make an appearance on CBS' "Face the Nation" this Sunday, where the controversies surrounding her memoir are expected to be addressed.

While the long-term implications of these controversies remain uncertain, the emergence of book inaccuracies following the backlash against Noem's treatment of animals has undoubtedly shaken the South Dakota governor's political standing and raised questions about her credibility.

This article was initially published on the South Dakota Searchlight, a sister site of the Nebraska Examiner in the States Newsroom network.