North Dakota

Port: Turns out tough enforcement laws for campaign finance violations are already on North Dakota’s books

Published

1 year ago

August 2, 2023

Port: Turns out tough enforcement laws for campaign finance violations are already on North Dakota’s books

MINOT, N.D. — North Dakota’s campaign finance laws are distressingly lax. They’re routinely violated with near impunity.

My reporting recently uncovered that an independent political action committee called the Dakota Patriot PAC failed to report

more than $80,000 in expenditures in their year-end report.

Last year, my reporting revealed that statewide candidate Melanie Moniz, who sought a seat on the Public Service Commission on the Democratic-NPL’s ticket,

made it all the way to October,

almost to Election Day, without filing a single disclosure report for her campaign.

The campaign for the term limits ballot measure last cycle was forced to file an amended campaign finance disclosure

after I reported a more than $28,000 discrepancy.

That came right after the term limits group dunked on state Rep. Jim Kasper, a Fargo Republican, for

failing to disclose in his campaign filings a $5,000 donation from their founder.

What are the consequences for these violations of campaign finance laws? Nothing, really. Just a few embarrassing headlines.

These are just the problems that got noticed.

A thorough review of the campaign filings made by candidates, political parties, and independent committees would likely find many, many more problems, though perhaps not as egregious as these examples.

I’ve long called for stricter campaign finance laws. We need more frequent reporting deadlines and reports that represent a more thorough accounting of campaign fundraising and spending. And, perhaps most importantly, I’ve repeatedly called for tougher sanctions for those who flout the laws.

Only, it turns out we already have a pretty good law on the books addressing that last point. I wasn’t aware of

Section 16.1-08.1-05

of the North Dakota Century Code until just recently, while I was researching some of these issues, but it gives the secretary of state’s office some broad authority to investigate discrepancies in campaign reports and exact meaningful fines for discrepancies.

Election officials can order an audit of a campaign if “a substantial irregularity is evident or reasonably alleged.” If that audit “reveals a violation,” the candidate, political party, or political action committee can be fined an amount equal to 200% “of the aggregate of contributions and expenditures found to be in violation or an amount sufficient to pay the cost of the audit, whichever is greater.”

Proceeds from the funds would be deposited in the state’s general fund. If the audit finds no issues, then the Secretary of State eats the cost of the audit.

To my knowledge, this law has not been used once during my more than two decades of reporting on state politics.

It’s good law, though it exempts local campaigns — city, county and school district offices — which is problematic. Last year, I reported on a $2,500 donation made by Fargo-based Epic Companies to mayoral candidate Shaun Sipma

in violation of state prohibitions against corporate campaign contributions.

Even with that glaring omission, our current secretary of state, recently elected Republican Michael Howe, ought to start using it to hold the politicians and activists accountable.

Rob Port is a news reporter, columnist, and podcast host for the Forum News Service. He has an extensive background in investigations and public records. He has covered politics and government in North Dakota and the upper Midwest for more than two decades. Reach him at rport@forumcomm.com. Click here to subscribe to his Plain Talk podcast.

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North Dakota

HIGHLIGHTS: North Dakota ends two-game skid for 76-72 victory against Kansas City

Published

4 hours ago

January 19, 2025

Press Room

HIGHLIGHTS: North Dakota ends two-game skid for 76-72 victory against Kansas City

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (Valley News Live) – The North Dakota Men’s Basketball team is back in the win column thanks to a thrilling 76-72 victory Saturday to snap a two-game losing skid.

A back-and-forth contest, the second half scoring proved to be the difference, as UND outscored Kansas City 44-36 in the final 20 minutes.

The team was especially pleased with its defensive effort after a rough two games, allowing the Roos to only shoot only 41.3-percent from the field.

”I don’t know what flipped the switch, but it wasn’t anything different we did as coaches,” Head Coach Paul Sather said. “It’s the players that can make that difference and make that change.

“They’ve also got to take that, believe it, and trust it as a five man group, go out there and execute.”

North Dakota next hits the court Thursday when UND hosts USD at 7:00 p.m.

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North Dakota

Bankruptcies for North Dakota and western Minnesota published Jan. 18, 2025

Published

12 hours ago

January 18, 2025

Press Room

Filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court

North Dakota

Generations on 1st LLC, Fargo, Chapter 11

Parkside Place, Fargo, Chapter 11

The Ruins, Fargo, Chapter 11

Gary Lee Heilman, Minot, Chapter 7

Bryan Lee Ellison, Bismarck, Chapter 7

Christa A. and Christopher S. Benjamin, Newburg, Chapter 7

Robert Craig Ashby, Fargo, Chapter 7

Shirley Lee Hatten, Grenora, Chapter 7

Mitchell Don Frieler, Fargo, Chapter 7

Minnesota

Bankruptcy filings from the following counties: Becker, Clay, Douglas, Grant, Hubbard, Mahnomen, Norman, Otter Tail, Polk, Traverse, Wadena and Wilkin.

Kelly Dean and Jeanne Sheree Fingalson, Detroit Lakes, Chapter 13

Barbara Rae Vaughan, Fergus Falls, Chapter 7

Lynn Rene Schroeder, Dilworth, Chapter 13

Chapter 7 is a petition to liquidate assets and discharge debts.

Chapter 11 is a petition for protection from creditors and to reorganize.

Chapter 12 is a petition for family farmers to reorganize.

Chapter 13 is a petition for wage earners to readjust debts.

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.

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North Dakota

Letter: Legislators are once again putting lipstick on the pig

Published

20 hours ago

January 18, 2025

Press Room

Letter: Legislators are once again putting lipstick on the pig

To the editor,

After watching the smoke and mirrors dog and pony show in Bismarck it is obvious that the Legislature has no intention of reforming the unfair property tax.

No mention was made concerning the unfairness of this tax that severely burdens poor taxpayers, while letting many rich taxpayers off the hook with little to no taxes. Nothing was said about the state totally funding K-12 education, which is mandated by the North Dakota Constitution. If education isn’t funded by the Legislature, all the legislators need to be charged with violating their oath of office and be fined, fired and imprisoned.

Instead, all that is being proposed is to put makeup and lipstick on the pig and tell us they are working on it.

Will they be able to fool the people once again or will the people see that they are once again just putting lipstick on the pig? Time will tell.

Steve Moen
Minot, North Dakota

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