CULTURE OF CORRUPTION: Cramer Ran Pay for Play-Type Operation as Public Service Commissioner

Cramer has been crooked since he started in politics

(BISMARCK, ND) — Kevin Cramer has come under fire for using his campaign to enrich himself and his family – but Cramer’s corruption started well before he became a Washington, D.C. insider.

As a North Dakota Public Service Commissioner, Cramer essentially ran a crooked pay-to-play operation and undermined the public’s trust – taking tens of thousands in campaign contributions from organizations whose business he was responsible for regulating as Commissioner. In a ruling after Cramer was sued by two organizations, the judge said Cramer’s decision to accept the money was “ill-advised, devoid of common sense, and raises legitimate questions as to the appearance of impropriety.”

But skirting the line of technical legality is nothing new for Cramer – according to a political watchdog group, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, Cramer paying himself and his wife and family more than $350,000 in campaign contributions is also legally above-board – but “morally sticky.”

“As Public Service Commissioner, Crooked Kevin Cramer ran a pay-to-play operation and showed us his true, corrupt colors,” said Scott McNeil, Executive Director of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL. “As the judge noted in Cramer’s legally murky and morally sticky case, Cramer’s campaign contributions raised ‘legitimate questions’ as to whether he was bought and paid for by corporations while he was supposed to be watching out for North Dakotans. Now, as a Washington Congressman, Cramer will only roll up his sleeves to climb the political ladder and curry favor with special interests – not to actually get results for North Dakota.”