The Bastiat Caucus is floating a bogus legal argument against Burgum’s political spending
MINOT, N.D. — The Bastiat Caucus side of the split in the North Dakota Republican Party is not going to have a good day on June 14.
That’s the day of the primary election when an unusually high number of disputed Republican legislative nominations will be settled.
The Bastiats have had a rough time of it this year.
Their founder, outgoing state Rep. Rick Becker, saw his U.S. Senate campaign belly flop after garnering lackluster support .
Their efforts to install their people as leaders in legislative districts across the state was a wash .
Their candidate for state party chair was not only defeated in a landslide but has more recently pleaded guilty to felony DUI charges .
A term limits ballot measure they backed — the committee is charged by Bastiat organizer Jared Hendrix and sponsored by Bastiat lawmakers such as Becker — was kept off the ballot because of alleged fraud that is still under investigation by the Attorney General’s Office.
Meanwhile, their legislative candidates are far behind the traditional Republicans they’re challenging in terms of fundraising, and that’s before we consider the money Gov. Doug Burgum is spending independently to defeat the Bastiats.
So, it’s desperation time for the Bastiats, and their “Hail Mary” is a bogus claim that somehow North Dakota’s state constitution makes it illegal for Burgum to spend money promoting his political message.
