BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – An investigation by the Burleigh County State’s Attorney’s office into Burleigh County Auditor and Treasurer Mark Splonskowski has identified a possible violation of the Hatch Act.

The investigation is centered around a group text message acquired by Burleigh County State’s Attorney Julie Lawyer from Splonskowski’s personal phone during work hours advising 66 other people to not vote for Burleigh County Commissioner Brian Bitner.

“The body of the text read, ‘I’m just letting you know from the perspective of being the county auditor for a year and a half, please do not vote for Brian Bitner for County Commissioner. If you want more details as to why, let me know. Also, let your friends know too. Thanks,‘” said Burleigh County State’s Attorney Julie Lawyer.

Lawyer said if Splonskowski is found guilty of a Hatch Act violation by the Federal Office of Special Council, the county commission would lose twice that employee’s annual salary in federal grant funds. She also said that as an elected employee, Splonskowski cannot be fired for a Hatch Act violation.

We reached out to Splonskowski for comment and have not heard back yet.

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BISMARCK — A total 26,040 gallons of crude oil was lost in North Dakota after an explosion in Williams County on Friday, Nov. 29, and a leak in Bottineau County on Saturday, Nov. 30.

According to a Monday release from the North Dakota Oil and Gas Division, approximately 17,640 gallons of oil was spilled after a tank operated by Hess Corp. exploded about 6.8 miles south of Ray in Williams County.

A total of 126 gallons have since been recovered. The site also lost 2,520 gallons of produced water and recovered 126 gallons.

The next day, a tank overflow about 6.6 miles northwest of Maxbass in Bottineau County led to a 8,400-gallon oil spill, half of which have since been recovered.

The site, operated by Scout Energy Corp., also lost 3,360 gallons of produced water and recovered three-quarters, according to the release.

A total 5,880 gallons of produced water were spilled between the two incidents and 2,646 gallons have been recovered. Around 4,326 gallons of oil have been recovered in total.

Clean up efforts are underway, according to the release.

Our newsroom occasionally reports stories under a byline of “staff.” Often, the “staff” byline is used when rewriting basic news briefs that originate from official sources, such as a city press release about a road closure, and which require little or no reporting. At times, this byline is used when a news story includes numerous authors or when the story is formed by aggregating previously reported news from various sources. If outside sources are used, it is noted within the story.

Rob Port’s column, ”

The Maah Daah Hey monument sounds interesting, but the proponents should be ready to compromise

,” returns to Rob Port’s knee-jerk “left-wing” baiting of very moderate conservation groups, and bellyaching over the hurt feelings of Big Carbon. He should really look again at a map of the Maah Daah Hey area and see that it is already “comprised,” a non-contiguous patchwork. 

Instead of demeaning Indigenous Nations and their interests in the area, Port should also dig deeper. A little investigative research would also tell him that this area includes the northeastern limit in the range of the Ponderosa Pine. It is North Dakota’s most unique woodland. At one time it was designated a national forest, North Dakota’s only one, until the USDA renamed it a national grassland for some reason. It is also the trailhead for North Dakota’s longest off-road bicycle trail. Hunting and camping would still be allowed as a national monument.

The U.S. is already the world’s No. 1 oil producer, and North Dakota is in the top 3 states in that regard. The oil companies will live. Their funding of science-denialism is a big piece of their opposition to protecting our public lands. We need to fight back against MAGA anti-conservationism and Mccarthyism. A Maah Daah Hey National Monument would not just be a feather in North Dakota’s hat, but also for the U.S.

Ron Gaul lives in Fargo.