Roughrider Roundup – July 24, 2023

Happy Monday!

Dear Fellow Republicans, 

We wanted to provide you with a roundup of everything you might have missed from North Dakota’s great Republican leaders this past week. Please share with family and friends!

Sandra Sanford, NDGOP Chairwoman

Photo of the Week

NDGOP reacts to Gov. Burgum’s run for president
KX News
“Do we support the governor jumping out and representing North Dakota and running for president? Absolutely! Everything he does right now highlights the state of North Dakota. In regard to him running and him bringing North Dakota and sharing North Dakota with the country, it’s really a win-win for everybody,” said Sandra Sanford.


North Dakota

Burgum directs ND flags be flown at half-staff to honor Fargo officer Jake Wallin
KFYR-TV
“Officer Jake Wallin dedicated his life to serving his country and protecting his community and fellow citizens from danger,” Burgum said. “We owe him a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid, and we lower the flags as a mark of our deepest respect for his courageous service and ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.”

Fargo officer killed in ambush remembered as ‘brave young man’
AP
On Friday, North Dakota Attorney General Drew Wrigley provided more details about the attack, which also wounded Officers Andrew Dotas and Tyler Hawes and bystander Karlee Koswick, who had been involved in the crash…Over the past five years, he had searched the internet for terms including “kill fast,” “explosive ammo,” “incendiary rounds,” and “mass shooting events,” Wrigley said.

Department of Public Instruction introduces principal apprenticeships initiative
KFYR-TV
“So, the number one factor on predicting student outcomes and impact on student outcomes, student academic outcomes, as we all know is the teacher — the quality of the teacher and the effectiveness of the teacher. But just behind that is the effectiveness of the building principle,” said Kirsten Baesler, state school superintendent and administrator of the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction. With better leadership, she believes other school employees will be easier to retain as well.

Burgum appoints new judgeships in East Central District
Williston Herald
Gov. Doug Burgum has appointed Southeast Judicial District Judge Cherie Clark and East Central Judicial District Judicial Referee Stephanie Hayden to two newly created judgeships in the East Central Judicial District, which is comprised of Cass, Steele and Traill counties.

North Dakota officials say proposed oil leasing rules would hurt U.S.
The Center Square
“By raising costs for oil and gas producers who want to develop minerals on federal lands, BLM will drive away producers and drive up energy costs for consumers, who will be forced to pay higher prices for fuels imported from countries that don’t produce energy as cleanly as the United States,” Burgum said in a statement. “We should be selling energy to our friends and allies instead of buying it from our adversaries and putting our country’s economy, energy security and national security at risk.”

ND Teacher of The Year finalists announced
AM 1100 The Flag
Kirsten Baesler announced the four finalists who include Andee Mattson from Ely Elementary School in Rugby, Shelia Peterson who teaches physical education at Wachter Middle School in Bismarck, Megan Wasness who teaches English at Devils Lake Central Middle School and Trisha Schaefer who teaches math at Ramstad Middle School in Minot.  

Biden’s energy policy ‘100% backwards’: 2024 GOP candidate Doug Burgum
Fox News
Burgum noted that Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Secretary of State Antony Blinken both made recent trips to China, but he said he has seen no reports of any energy discussions during the talks with Chinese officials. He then pointed out that China, which is completely dependent on other countries for energy, is the largest importer of gas and oil in the world. The United States “could be a huge energy powerhouse if the Biden administration wasn’t trying to shut down the U.S. industry,” Burgum said.

Petition audit of Williston Basin School District to continue later this summer
KFYR-TV
The dive into the Williston school finances continues as State Auditor Josh Gallion said he will be investigating the 2021-2022 school year, which was the first year of the Williston Basin School District 7. The belief from both the district and the auditor’s office is that they expect this one to be similar to the year prior.

Petition audit of Bismarck Public Schools scheduled to start in October
KFYR-TV
State Auditor Josh Gallion said they are scheduled to begin a petition audit of the Bismarck Public School District in October. The Auditor’s Office will be looking at the district’s finances from the 2022 to 2023 school year, which ended on June 30. Petitioners said they want to make sure the finances are well managed.

North Dakota royalty oversight program helps owners with payment issues
Grand Forks Herald
“Up to this point, there has been no designated agency or entity to work with royalty owners who need technical assistance and support relating to royalty payment issues,” North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring said. “Our intent is to work with companies to offer assistance and bring clarity to statements for royalty owners.”

Mandan begins process to allow cigar lounges, following request and change in state law
The Bismarck Tribune
Rep. Dan Ruby, R-Minot, brought forth House Bill 1229, which amends the state’s smoking restrictions to allow for cigar lounges. Gov. Doug Burgum signed the bill, and it takes effect Aug. 1.

North Dakota producers reminded to consider anthrax vaccination
The Jamestown Sun
“Producers should consult with their veterinarians to make sure their animals are current on their anthrax vaccination schedule,” said Doug Goehring, agriculture commissioner.

Highway fatalities up in North Dakota; new seat belt law kicks in Aug. 1
The Bismarck Tribune
North Dakota on Aug. 1 moves from a secondary seat belt law to a primary law, due to Senate Bill 2362 passed by state lawmakers earlier this year and signed by Gov. Doug Burgum. Officers right now can cite someone for not wearing a seat belt only after another traffic infraction. Under the new law officers will be able to issue seat belt citations as a primary offense. The new law also will require all occupants of a vehicle to wear a seat belt, not just those in front seats. 

Washington, D.C.

Senators request DOJ, FBI refrain from exposing whistleblowers
Williston Herald
U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) joined his Senate colleagues in sending a letter to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)…[“]Without whistleblowers, Congress would have never known the existence of the unclassified FD-1023 form involving an alleged multi-million-dollar bribery scheme between then-Vice President Joe Biden, Hunter Biden and a foreign national,” wrote the senators.

‘Our farmers and ranchers know their land and water best.’
Wahpeton Daily News
U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., who has attended events at local sites like the Bagg Bonanza Farm, teamed with U.S. Rep. Kelly Armstrong, R-N.D., to request the withdrawal or significant revision of the EPA’s proposed Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) regulation rule.

Sen. Cramer to Newsmax: Assume Worst About Lab Leak
Newsmax
When asked…if we should just forget and come to the conclusion that China will never divulge what occurred at that lab in Wuhan, Cramer responded, “perhaps we can. I think then we have to assume the worst, which I think is probably a fairly good assumption.”

North Dakota officials say proposed oil leasing rules would hurt U.S.
The Center Square
“They say this will ‘increase taxpayer returns,’ when in reality, it robs taxpayers from an important revenue stream and jobs,” Cramer said. “This policy is good for Russia, Venezuela, and Saudi Arabia, but bad for the United States and the global environment.”

Hoeven calls attention to border crisis
Williston Herald
To stop this crisis, and combat cartels from trafficking people and drugs into the U.S, Hoeven is pressing the Biden administration to: Reinstate the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) or Remain in Mexico Policy, which required people seeking asylum at the southern border to wait in Mexico while their case was adjudicated.

Armstrong leads 21 Republicans in urging FTC to approve Microsoft’s Activision purchase
The Ripon Advance
“The FTC should pursue antitrust policy that is pro-consumer and promotes innovation, not weaponize ideological pursuits,” Rep. Armstrong said on July 18. “The FTC’s recent turn away from longstanding practices risks stifling growth and hurting consumer welfare.”


Put North Dakota First

JOIN OUR LIST