Women Say Heitkamp Campaign Identified Them As Sexual Assault Survivors Without Permission
Heidi Heitkamp paid for an ad labeling women as sexual assault survivors without their consent, according to at least four women publicly posting about it.
So far, the Heitkamp campaign has not responded publicly, though they’ve admitted to messing up in a Facebook message. And while a Heitkamp surrogate called them “idiots;” these women, and everyone who saw the ad, deserve an explanation for Heitkamp’s actions.
In Case You Missed It…
Women Say Heitkamp Campaign Identified Them as Sexual Assault Survivors Without Their Permission
10.16.18
Recently Senator Heidi Heitkamp’s campaign ran an ad (see below) formulated as an open letter sent to Congressman Kevin Cramer by survivors of sexual assault.
The letter purports that some of Cramer’s recent comments about the controversy surrounding the appointment of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh were insensitive, but at least four of the women named in the ad feel like they got the raw end of the deal.
Kady Miller of Bismarck is one of the women named in the ad, but says in a Facebook post that “A lot of these people listed, including me, did not give anyone permission for our names to be posted.”
“I don’t even support Heidi Heitkamp and I am not a domestic abuse survivor,” she continues.
Miller didn’t name any of the other women allegedly included in the ad without permission, but in the comments to her post Keeley Beck of Mandan says her name was included without her permission as well:
Another commenter on Miller’s post, Lexi Zhorela of Bismarck, also says she was used for the ad without her permission:
In a separate Facebook post, Eve Lancaster of Bismarck also indicates that her name was included in the letter without her permission. She describes herself as “disgusted” and “furious.”
I’ve communicated directly with two of the women who say they were misidentified and I’m working on getting more information from them.
I’ve reached out to the Heitkamp campaign for comment about this ad, asking how it came to be and how the names were chosen for the ad, but the Senator and her Senate/campaign staff don’t typically respond to me.
I’ll update this post with any response I receive.
UPDATE: In a comment to Miller’s post Mary Rennich of Bismarck, who has appeared in multiple ads supporting Heitkamp’s candidacy, and who described this humble observer as a “thug” earlier this year, suggests that the women upset about the use of their names are idiots:
UPDATE: A source provides this exchange, via Facebook, with the Heitkamp campaign which resulted in a campaign staffer named Isaac apologizing:
The Bismarck Tribune was also contacted about the ad, confirming that it was paid for by the Heitkamp campaign:
Below is the full ad. Note the Heitkamp for Senate campaign disclaimer at the bottom, which is also visible in this version published by the Wahpeton Daily News.
https://www.scribd.com/document/390950588/Heitkamp-Open-Letter-Ad#fullscreen&from_embed
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NO DEBATING IT: Hiding Heidi Loses on Accessibility
In a desperate move to distract from her anti-life, anti-gun, anti-North Dakota vote against Justice Kavanaugh, Heidi Heitkamp is now trying to make debate schedules and accessibility an issue in this campaign, but that won’t work.
Throughout her career, Hiding Heidi has ignored tough questions facing her constituents, declined interview opportunities with local media, and even “run scared” from reporters asking tough questions. In clear contrast, Kevin Cramer is known for his accessibility, and it’s one of many reasons North Dakotans support him.
This striking diffence will be on full display tonight, as Kevin Cramer hosts a televised town hall, where he will hear directly from his constituents and tackle the tough issues facing North Dakota.
Senator Heitkamp was offered the same opportunity, but she declined.
“Hiding Heidi Heitkamp has spent the last six years avoiding tough questions from her constituents,” said North Dakota Republican Party Communications Director Jake Wilkins. “Instead of baselessly attacking her opponent, Heitkamp should focus on answering for opposing North Dakotans on important issues like tax cuts, illegal immigration, and the Supreme Court.”
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she’s baaaaack!
After Heidi Heitkamp blew off votes on President Trump’s judicial nominees to come save her failing campaign, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced the Senate will adjourn through the November elections.
- Did Heitkamp choose to oppose him following the FBI report or from watching him on TV with no sound?
- Why did Heitkamp likely make a campaign ad before she viewed the FBI report?
- Does Heitkamp agree with her colleagues that Brett Kavanaugh should be impeached?
- Does Heitkamp condone the obstructionist tactics her colleagues used to derail this nomination?
#TBT— Heidi’s Last Consequential Vote
- Did Heitkamp choose to oppose him following the FBI report or from watching him on TV with no sound?
- Why did Heitkamp likely make a campaign ad before she viewed the FBI report?
- Does Heitkamp agree with her colleagues that Brett Kavanaugh should be impeached?
- Does Heitkamp condone the obstructionist tactics her colleagues used to derail this nomination?
too little too late
In another desperate attempt to remake her image, liberal Democrat Heidi Heitkamp is trying to call out Hillary Clinton last night for saying Democrats “cannot be civil” with Republicans.
Heidi, where have you been?
After she endorsed Hillary in 2016, Heitkamp remained one of Hillary’s biggest backers as Clinton called half the country deplorable, said President Trump would cause a recession, denounced his plan to combat illegal immigration, and claimed states like North Dakota were only “looking backwards.”
With her campaign on the brink of defeat, cheap political stunts like this are too little, too late for the Heitkamp campaign. If she really thought Clinton’s comments were “disgraceful,” Heitkamp would call on Hillary Clinton’s Super PAC to pull out of North Dakota.
“Heidi Heitkamp has spent the last six years ignoring the will of her constituents and dutifully following her liberal party leaders like Hillary Clinton,” said North Dakota Republican Party Communications Director Jake Wilkins. “One cable news appearance won’t make voters forget her support for higher taxes, dangerous sanctuary cities, and opposition to Justice Kavanaugh.”
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not speaking my language…
Many seem enamored that Heidi Heitkamp admitted her opposition to Justice Kavanaugh had nothing to do with anything he said or did, but rather his “body language” when she watched the hearing with no sound.
- Why did Heitkamp make a campaign ad before she viewed the FBI report?
- Does Heitkamp agree with her colleagues that Brett Kavanaugh should be impeached?
- Does Heitkamp condone the obstructionist tactics her colleagues used to derail this nomination?
- Why does Heitkamp in her ad say she doesn’t believe Kavanaugh, but she told local media “that doesn’t mean I don’t believe him“?
4 weeks, 4 questions
- Why did Heitkamp make a campaign ad before she viewed the FBI report?
- Did Heitkamp film the ad out of state, or did she film it before she told North Dakotans her position?
- Does Heitkamp agree with her colleagues that Brett Kavanaugh should be impeached?
- Why does she say she doesn’t believe Kavanaugh in her ad, but she told local media “that doesn’t mean I don’t believe him“?
Chairman’s Update – 10/8
We are now under 30 days to go! Our entire slate of candidates are continuing to run excellent campaigns based on issues that matter to North Dakotans.
Heidi Heitkamp Votes NO on Kavanaugh
Click here to help fight back.
Gov. Burgum Endorses Kelly Armstrong!
Governor Doug Burgum officially endorsed our next Congressman, Kelly Armstrong. The Governor filmed a new ad for Kelly highlighting his plan to help North Dakota.
Rauschenberg Delivers a Win for Small Businesses
Campaign Signs Available!
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In The News
🚨Heidi, Keep Calling Your Ad Agency🚨
A new campaign ad in the North Dakota Senate race claims Republican contender Kevin Cramer gave himself a five-figure raise as a public official.
“Could you give yourself a $23,000 raise?” the ad voiceover says. “Ask Kevin Cramer. On the Public Service Commission, he raised his pay to over $93,650.”
Cramer did get raises totalling that amount. But the ad completely distorts Cramer’s hand in securing the pay increase.
The Public Service Commission has three commissioners who are elected to six-year terms. They regulate utilities, pipeline safety, telecommunications, railroads and other state services.
Cramer joined the commission in August 2003. He served until the end of 2012, when he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
Commissioners’ salaries usually originate from the governor’s office, which works with the Office of Management and Budget to determine how much money is available for public officials, according to Jeff Larshus, director of state financial services at the OMB.
The governor then submits a budget to the Legislative Assembly, which writes the salaries into statute and votes on their approval.
So saying Cramer raised his own salary ignores the arbiter of that salary.
The OMB proposed and received across the board salary hikes for elected officials every year between 2005 and 2012. These include the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, superintendent for public instruction, state auditor, state treasurer, and the tax, insurance, public service and agriculture commissioners.
In 2005, they all got a 4 percent hike from their last salary number, determined in 2002. They got three more 4 percent hikes in 2006, 2007, and 2008, a 5 percent increase in 2009, another 5 percent increase in 2010, and then 3 percent in 2011 and again in 2012. While their salaries all differ, the percentage increases were equal across the board.
That’s how Cramer’s salary jumped from $69,874 to $95,611 from the time he was elected to the time he left office — a $25,737 increase.
“So did it go up considerably during that time frame?” Larshus said. “Yes. But it wasn’t because the commissioner asked for the salary.”
Commissioners submit a budget to the OMB every two years. There, they can suggest compensation for commissioners. But staff at the Public Service Commission and at the OMB said they could not recall an instance in which they had requested salary bumps for commissioners.
The OMB had three of the four budget requests during which Cramer served and got salary hikes on file. Only one asked for equity funds to raise administrative staff salaries. But that does not include the commissioners, according to Jill Kringstad, Accounting Budget Specialist. She could not recall any instances where commissioners’ salary increases were included in budget requests.
The bottom line is that the legislative assembly needs to approve, write into law and vote on any proposed salaries for elected officials proposed by the OMB. These salary changes were all ultimately set by the legislature.
Heitkamp’s office said Cramer could have refused to accept the raises or requested lower salary numbers to the OMB. The current governor had to change a North Dakota statute in order to fulfill his campaign promise to refuse pay.
Heitkamp said, “Could you give yourself a $23,000 raise? Ask Kevin Cramer. On the public service Commission, he raised his pay to over $93,650.”
Cramer’s salary increased by $25,737 during his tenure on the Public Service Commission. But he didn’t give himself that raise. The governor proposed it, the OMB drafted it, and the legislative assembly voted on its passage. The other 12 elected officials in North Dakota received the same percentage salary bump.
We rate this statement False.
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SUPREME CONUNDRUM: Kavanaugh Questions Heitkamp Hasn’t Answered
- Heitkamp said “we need to take politics out” of this process, so why did she release a political ad touting her position?
- Heitkamp announced her decision last Thursday and released her new ad Saturday, though she had been in Washington DC the entire time. Did she film the ad out of state, or did she film it before she told North Dakotans her position?
- Heitkamp says in this ad she doesn’t think he’s telling the truth, but she told local reporters “that doesn’t mean I don’t believe him.” Why is she telling media one thing, and voters another?
- Heitkamp said in her ad this is about judgment and temperament. If so, does she agree with her colleagues that Brett Kavanaugh should be impeached?