Today Governor Doug Burgum announced that he has vetoed SB2055. You can read his veto statement and accompanying letter explaining his decision below. In his letter, Burgum quotes from a state Supreme Court ruling, Legislative Assembly vs. Burgum, settling a dispute between the Legislature and his administration over vetoes (where Burgum mostly lost) and the delegation…
Marsy’s Law May Have Put North Dakota in Violation of the 8th Amendment
Marsy’s Law is yet another of the legal headaches created by North Dakota’s deeply flawed initiated measure process. Approved by voters after a slick marketing campaign bankrolled by a California billionaire (who is currently facing drug trafficking charges), Marsy’s Law created in North Dakota’s constitution what supporters call “victim’s rights” and more honest observers describe…
U.S. Supreme Court Decision Could Mean Big Changes for North Dakota Bar Association
Lawyers in the State of North Dakota pay dues to what’s called an integrated bar. The State Bar Association of North Dakota is both the official regulatory body for the legal industry in our state, administering the licensing and discipline of lawyers who work in our state, and an advocacy group for the legal industry.…
The Problem With Agreeing to an FBI Investigation of Kavanaugh Is Assuming Democrats Are Objecting in Good Faith
Last week when retiring Arizona Senator Jeff Flake dropped a bomb on the confirmation proceedings for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, saying a prerequisite for his yes vote would be a short and focused FBI investigation, I suspect his motivations were pure. I think he truly believed he was doing the right thing, allowing a…
Will Heitkamp Vote for Hate or Kavanaugh?
Yesterday’s testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee was a cathartic moment after weeks of hate and invective aimed at Trump Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. The nominee’s righteous indignation aimed at the committee members was something to behold. He was angry, and I’m not sure how anyone not blinkered by partisanship could conclude that the…
Poll: Majority of North Dakota Voters Want Kavanaugh Confirmed Including Plurality of Females
A survey conducted by North Star Opinion Research (an organization with a B rating from FiveThirtyEight.com), and commissioned by the Judicial Crisis Network, finds that a majority of North Dakota voters, including a plurality of female voters, supports the confirmation of Judge Kavanaugh. The polling memo is below. “North Dakota voters say that Judge Kavanaugh…
Report: Democrats Confident Heitkamp Can Be Persuaded to Vote Against Kavanaugh
Senator Heidi Heitkamp has been running away – literally – from questions about the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, but according to a report in Politico today Democrats feel the incumbent who has been trailing by slim margins in the polls can be persuaded to vote against him: Sens. Jon Tester of Montana, Doug…
Connie Krapp: ‘Guilty Until Proven Innocent’ Threatens the #MeToo Movement
This guest post was submitted by Connie Krapp, a Jamestown resident who worked for a North Dakota electric cooperative for 22 years. For only being a year old, the #MeToo movement has mounted a metamorphic case for women’s rights. We’ve all heard of careers crumbled when women came forward with tales of trauma at the…
Mark Western: Kavanaugh Hearing Makes a Mockery of the Supreme Court
This guest post was submitted by Mark Western, a Fargo lawyer who occasionally writes on the intersection of law and politics in North Dakota. I am already tired of the hype and posturing. Mostly because it’s making a mockery of the job of a Supreme Court Justice. This week is shaping up to be a…
Senator Heitkamp Doesn’t Want to Be Photographed With Trump’s Supreme Court Nominee
UPDATE: Senator Heitkamp’s office has released a photo of the discussion since this post was written. Still, her office didn’t allow independent photo journalists take pictures. The challenge for incumbent Senator Heidi Heitkamp this election cycle is positioning herself far enough to the right where she’ll pick up the Republican and right-of-center votes any candidate…