Over the years of writing this blog I developed something of a reputation as a strong supporter of open records and open meetings. So when the North Dakota University System – an organization with an unfortunate history of violating our state’s transparency laws – began making noises about getting an exemption from the state’s open…
North Dakota Needs Better Campaign Disclosure Laws
Over the weekend reporter Tu-Uyen Tran published a really, really good look at North Dakota’s far-too-lax campaign disclosure laws in the context of the very heated, and very expensive gubernatorial primary fight between Republicans Wayne Stenehjem and Doug Burgum. The impression Tran’s report should leave is that North Dakota’s campaign disclosure laws simply aren’t good…
Doug Burgum Won’t Disclose Personal Spending On His Gubernatorial Campaign
Last week Fargo businessman Doug Burgum filed a report with the secretary of state showing over $930,000 in reportable contributions to his gubernatorial campaign (donations of $200 and less do not have to be reported). The thing is, according to political advertising disclosures required of licensed broadcasters by the FCC, Burgum has spent at least $1.4…
Some Advice For Ed Schafer On Open Records Reform
If there’s something former Governor and current University of North Dakota President Ed Schafer knows a thing or two about it’s pushing policy changes through the legislative process. So when he says he’s going to back legislation to change North Dakota open records laws to exempt information about the first round of applicants for university…
University System Attempt To Keep Withdrawn UND President Applicants A Secret Backfires
Last week we learned that the North Dakota University System had received 40 applications for the position as the next president of the University of North Dakota, but noted somewhat forcefully by the NDUS was three of the applicants had withdrawn due to the state’s open records laws. The NDUS didn’t identify who these people…
Three Withdraw From UND Presidential Search Because Of Open Records Laws
North Dakota university system officials – who, in news I posted earlier today, have proven once again that they cannot be trusted – hate transparency and open records. They propose exemptions to the law all the time so that they can do more business outside of the light of public scrutiny. One of their most…
North Dakota’s Center For Public Integrity Ranking Isn’t Worth Much
Yesterday I was quoted in Tu-Uyen Tran’s article about a report from the Center for Public Integrity – a left-wing group with ties, in the past at least, to the Soros network of funding – giving North Dakota a D- for integrity. I did two lengthy interviews with Tran, who worked as a freelancer on…
Corporate Farming Referendum Proves We Need More Transparency For Petition Committees
The North Dakota Farmer’s Union appears to have successfully referred reforms to the state’s ban on corporate farming to the ballot (SB2151 passed earlier this year). The North Dakota Secretary of State’s office, which is currently reviewing petitions submitted by the NDFU, is saying that it seems likely that the group got the requisite number of…
Why Not Require Full Campaign Disclosure From North Dakota Politicians?
“A new North Dakota State University study argues North Dakota’s campaign finance laws have a ‘blind spot’ that could be hindering the transparency of its elections,” reports John Hageman for the Fargo Forum today. “North Dakota law only requires campaign committees to report the names and organizations that have contributed more than $200, and not for those…
Attorney General: NDSU Development Foundation Hid Negotiations With Former CEO From Public
Yesterday Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem issued an opinion in response to an open meetings complaint filed by myself (and apparently also by Fargo Forum editor Matt Von Pinnon) regarding the resignation of former NDSU Development Foundation CEO Doug Mayo. You can read the complete opinion below, but Stenehjem basically found that the Foundation broke the law…
