North Dakota
Unknown donor among biggest backers of Doug Burgum super PAC
FARGO — An independent group backing North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum’s presidential campaign reported more than $11 million in contributions in its first few weeks of operating.
Supporters of the pro-Burgum super PAC “Best of America” include familiar North Dakota names such as hospitality billionaire Gary Tharaldson and the CEOs of Fargo-based R.D. Offutt and Scheels, as well as major investors and business leaders from across the U.S.
Campaign filings with the Federal Election Commission released this week give a look into the biggest early supporters of Burgum’s long-shot 2024 presidential bid. The report covers activity for the first half of 2023, though Best of America only started to operate on June 7 — the official launch day of the Burgum presidential campaign. It lists more than 20 donors, most of whom contributed in the six-figure range or higher.
The three biggest contributors, who chipped in $2 million each, are Burgum’s relative Frederick Burgum, former Abbott Laboratories CEO Miles White, and a company called Farrington Rocket LLC, a Delaware-registered company with little publicly available information.
Incorporation documents do not offer any information about who owns Farrington Rocket, and its address is a firm that provides incorporation services to many companies — a common practice in Delaware, where many businesses register for privacy and taxation purposes.
Best of America did not immediately respond to requests for more information on Farrington Rocket.
Super political action committees, or super PACs, can receive unlimited contributions to finance activities supporting candidates, but they can’t directly coordinate with campaigns.
Best of America is chaired by Tami Reller, a health care executive and Grand Forks native who once worked for Burgum’s company Great Plains Software. She contributed $250,000 to the super PAC, according to FEC filings.
Burgum’s presidential campaign, which is separate from the super PAC, had about $11.7 million at the end of June, $10.2 million of which came from Burgum himself. Burgum can spend as much as he wants on his campaign, though federal rules cap individual contributions to campaigns at $3,300. But super PACs do not have limits, opening the doors for enormous donations to help pay for advertising and other activities in support of a candidate.
Besides North Dakota names like Tharaldson, who contributed $1 million, Steve Scheel, who contributed $500,000, and R.D. Offutt CEO Keith McGovern, who gave $250,000, Burgum got big support from out-of-state investors.
California venture capitalist Robert Kagle, an early eBay investor, contributed $1 million. Investor Dick Boyce, who earned a Stanford MBA degree in 1980, the same year as Burgum, contributed half a million dollars. David O’Hara, a Microsoft executive, chipped in $250,000.
Burgum’s super PAC raised more money than those supporting Republican presidential candidates with greater name recognition. The group backing former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie raised $5.9 million in the first half of the year, and a super PAC supporting former vice president Mike Pence raised $2.7 million.
Meanwhile, Never Back Down, a group supporting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, raised $130 million in the first half of 2023, leading other candidates’ super PACs by a long shot. In distant second place was a group supporting South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott at $19.3 million. Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley’s group raised $18.7 million, and former president Donald Trump’s group, MAGA Inc., raised $11 million.
Since Best of America’s report to the FEC only covers June 7, the super PAC’s founding date, to June 30, the end of the midyear reporting period, a month of activity is not included in the filings, including big spending on ads.
So far, the group has only reported about $2,900 in spending, but that number is likely much higher now. A few weeks ago, Best of America announced that it would be spending about $1.4 million in ads supporting Burgum ahead of his GOP presidential debate appearance on Aug. 23.
Republican primaries and caucuses for president start in January 2024.
Check out the new national TV ad from Best of America PAC that will begin tomorrow to introduce Americans to Doug Burgum ahead of his debut on the debate stagehttps://t.co/0GfPr3FA2g
— Emily Benavides (@embena) July 25, 2023
The 30-second spot mirrors Burgum’s campaign messaging, selling the governor as a conservative business leader “raised with small-town values.”
Advertising from Best of America will supplement the millions of dollars in ads directly purchased by Burgum’s presidential campaign.
Burgum has qualified for the first GOP presidential debate on Aug. 23 by gaining more than 40,000 donors and reaching 1% in at least three polls. He hit the donor threshold by offering $20 gift cards in exchange for $1 donations — taking a financial hit so he could meet the requirements.
North Dakota
Many Visions promotes art and creativity through kids’ event
BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – Local brand Many Visions focuses on encouraging creativity within the community.
Its event Mini Visions, focused on starting this process at a young age.
At the Capital Ice Complex in Bismarck, Many Visions set up a variety of family-friendly activities, all involving art and ways for kids to express themselves.
Live music echoed through the rink along with the voices of children joining in karaoke.
For event organizer Bobby Cochran, the event was a way to give children in the community an opportunity that was not available to him as a child.
“I was a troubled youth as a kid, so I never had these tools and had these lessons as a kid, so I’m trying to provide these for them and we do it absolutely free,” said Cochran.
Children were free to explore music and art activities, such as coloring and creating via virtual reality programming at different stations.
These exposed them to a variety of different interests and possible coping and therapeutic skills.
“I have two grown boys and just, you know, the more things you can subject them to, the healthier life they’re gonna live, I think,” said Nicole Morrison, an attendant of the event.
Cochran says the goal is to build a future for the youth filled with art and music, a sentiment supported by his slogan.
“Never doubt your visions, which means that you could do anything in your life that you want to do, you just have to believe in yourself and have to know that you can do anything you want, you just have to take those small steps to get those big steps,” said Cochran
Inflatables were also available for the kids to use.
Copyright 2024 KFYR. All rights reserved.
North Dakota
New S'mores Making Record Set at Fort Stevenson State Park, North Dakota – KVRR Local News
GARRISON, N.D. (KVRR) — Fort Stevenson State Park near Garrison, North Dakota is now home to the Guinness World Record title for the most people making s’mores at the same time.
That’s what it looks like when 1,150 people make s’mores at the same time.
The previous record was 891.
The park hosted the event to celebrate its 50th anniversary, with local sponsors providing support.
An official judge from Guinness World Records was on site to verify the record and confirm that 1,150 people simultaneously made s’mores.
Fort Stevenson State Park Manager Chad Trautman said all the volunteers and visitors that came together to make history helped them create an unforgettable event.
North Dakota
Letter: Israel has a right to exist
There was an anniversary on May 14, 1948, but The Forum missed it. It was the day that Jewish Agency chair David Ben-Gurion proclaimed in Tel Aviv the establishment of the state of Israel. It was celebrated then by the Jewish people and within a matter of hours, the United States gave it official recognition as a nation state.
Now how is it that The Forum missed this anniversary?
On the op-ed page was a letter from
Allison Slavik saying that Gaza is not going away
. That might be true, but how about a mention of releasing the hostages held in tunnels by Hamas? Most people could accept a truce if at least a few of the living Jewish people could again see daylight along with the bodies of the dead under Hamas control.
How did the Jewish mothers of those hostages feel on May 12th?
Also,
Trampas Johnson has his viewpoint
expressed about the Palestinian-Israel conflict. How sad that Hamas butchery and savagery has engulfed the innocent lives of the Palestinian families.
Since Secretary of State Blinken and National Security spokesman John Kirby are each on record asking for Hamas to accept a temporary cease-fire and release 30 hostages, I believe that could create more support for Allison’s and Trampas’s debate points. But here we are, no fireworks for a celebration in Israel on its own Independence Day. Instead, there is daily fireworks in Hamas and Israel war.
If Gaza has a right to exist, so does Israel. The entire world knows that Israel is a Jewish nation. Now the readers of The Forum might read the other side of story and pray for the release of the hostages.
Crystal Dueker lives in Fargo.
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