North Dakota lawmakers have voted to commence the early work of suing Governor Doug Burgum over some of his vetoes issued earlier this year, but when I used the word “suing” to Senate Majority Leader Rich Wardner (R-Dickinson) yesterday downplayed it. “We have a difference of opinion,” he said. “We need a third party to…
The NRA Needs to Speak Out on Philando Castille
On Friday a jury acquitted law enforcement officer Jeronimo Yanez of manslaughter charges after he shot Philando Castile to death in Minnesota. After the verdict was made public so too was dashcam video of the shooting, which you can watch below. I’ll warn you that it’s quite graphic and harrowing to watch. It’s deeply troubling…
Heidi Heitkamp Is the Most Disingenuous Politician in North Dakota
I had to laugh when I read this Politico piece this morning headlined, “North Dakota’s last Democrat?” It’s a profile of U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp – the only Democrat to win an election on North Dakota’s statewide since 2008, thus the headline – and it focuses on whether she wants to run for re-election in 2018.…
John Andrist: Free Speech for Me but Not for Thee
“It’s a free country; I can say what I want!” Indeed, almost all of us would say we strongly believe in the concept of free speech. Even as kids we learned to use that free country, free speech argument. Of course, in our generation it was pretty well bred into us that there would be…
Legislature Opts to Sue Governor Doug Burgum Over Vetoes
A meeting of the Legislative Management Committee today voted to proceed with litigation against Governor Doug Burgum over vetoes issued earlier this year, though there will be more meetings and votes before anything gets filed. “We need to make a statement that the governor was out of bounds on this,” Senate Majority Leader Rich Wardner…
Audio: Kevin Cramer Says Democrats Caught in “Academic Bubble” Where “Socialism Makes Sense”
Democrats lost their fourth straight special election last night since Donald Trump was elected President. Since 2010 they’ve been losing ground in both state and federal government. Why can’t they win elections? Congressman Kevin Cramer, speaking to me during our regular weekly segment, has some ideas. “They have to get better candidates I think,” he…
Stenehjem Joins North Dakota to Group of 13 States Threatening to Sue California Over Coal Divestment Initiative
UPDATE: ND Insurance Commissioner Jon Godfread has signed on to a similar effort opposing California’s push. You can read his press release here, and the letter here. In California, Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones has begun what he’s calling the Climate Risk Carbon Initiative. Arguing that because of climate change investments in fossil fuel energy production are…
Where Is This Wave of Anti-Trump Backlash We Were Promised?
As I’m sure you know by now, Republican Karen Handel beat Democrat Jon Ossoff in a special election in Georgia’s 6th Congressional District last night. She will be the first Republican woman sent to the U.S. House from Georgia. Not that you’ll hear much hype about that since Republican women breaking glass ceilings is different.…
Stenehjem Protects the Separation of Powers
“All sides are gonna be pissed at Wayne,” a political friend texted me yesterday upon news of Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem’s opinion (see below) on the legality of some of Governor Doug Burgum’s vetoes issued earlier this year. “Nobody got everything they wanted.” That’s true. As you can see from this key excerpt, Stenehjem upheld…
That Supreme Court Ruling Won’t Change a Thing With the Fighting Sioux Nickname Controversy
The U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling today regarding offensive trademarks, and now some supporters of the University of North Dakota’s retired Fighting Sioux nickname are saying it gives them new hope that their beloved logo/nickname might be restored. They’re wrong. The Supreme Court case really isn’t related at all. The SCOTUS opinion in question…
