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During the 69th Legislative Assembly, North Dakota Democratic-NPL Insider will provide updates and calls to action each day of the regular session. If you would like to have something added to the newsletter, email us at laura.dronen@demnpl.com. Spread the word of our newsletter by sharing our sign-up link today: https://demnpl.com/join-our-newsletter/.
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Join us for the People's Town Hall event in Fargo ND - let your congressional delegation know what you think of the direction they are taking the country. March 27th at 7 pm
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Real change starts with real conversations. People’s Town Halls are happening in all 50 states and 7 territories! They are your chance to connect with neighbors, community leaders, and organizers to discuss the issues that matter most. These events are open, inclusive, and built to amplify your voice! Check out more here: https://democrats.org/peoples-town-halls/
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RSVP is not necessary, but feel free to sign up to get reminders and find out about other events:
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What happened today (and yesterday)?
There was no newsletter yesterday because the sentencing hearing of Ray Holmberg went most of the day. In the end, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Under the sentencing guidelines, the prosecution was only able to ask for a maximum sentence of 37 months. However, Judge Hovland, had the ability to give Holmberg a longer sentence, and he did.
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We will never know the full extent of the lives that were ruined by Ray Holmberg, but we hope that the survivors he’s left in his wake of depravity find some sense of healing in yesterday’s just sentencing.
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Holmberg showed no real remorse for his heinous crimes. He claimed his despicable text messages about assaulting minors were effectively just locker room talk. He said he was ‘bragging’ about raping children to a child rapist. Holmberg even tried to crack jokes. It’s that same man who for decades was one of the most powerful politicians in North Dakota. The current Grand Forks legislative districts were drawn up by that man. Committee heads were chosen by that man. That man held the purse strings for our state. This has to be the most egregious abuse of power and biggest political scandal our state has ever seen.
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Approval Voting
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Ben Koppelman (R-16) seems to have made it his mission to stop Fargo from using approval voting for its city elections. His bill barring approval and ranked-choice voting had a hearing today. When Fargo voted to adopt approval voting, it received 64% of the vote. Koppelman doesn't even live in Fargo; he should get his nose out of Fargo's elections.
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Democratic-NPL Bills
Sen. Ryan Braunberger's (D-10) bill (SB 2262) which would give the Kindergarten through Grade Twelve Coordination Council the authority to enter contracts passed the House.
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Senator Tim Mathern's (D-11) bill (SB 2171) regarding emergency mental health petitions passed the House.
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The Senate voted to concur with the amendments to Sen. Josh Boschee’s (D-44) bill SB 2254 to provide funding for city and paratransit bus services so now it will go to the governor to be signed!
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Rep. Mary Schneider's (D-21) bill (HB 1567) proposing a legislative management study to improve access to dental and oral health care for low-income children, Native American children, and individuals with disabilities and her bill (HB 1530) for study on the circumstances and needs of special education teachers and the related special education teacher shortage both passed the Senate.
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Rep. Jayme Davis’ (D-9) bill (HB 1535) to create an emergency alert system for missing Indigenous people called “a feather alert.” had a hearing today. This bill would be similar to the already existing amber and silver alerts. The urgent need for this bill couldn’t be more clear right now as the search for Renzo Bullhead continues. His mother testified today, "As a family, we are in the midst of a nightmare. Renzo is not just a statistic; he is a son, a brother, a fiance, and a friend. He is a dedicated college student, pursuing a welding degree and contemplating a career in the military, inspired by our family's longstanding tradition of service... we ask you to support HB 1535-not just for Renzo, but for all the families who are waiting for news of their loved ones. Let us work together to create a safer North Dakota for everyone, especially for our Indigenous communities who are disproportionately affected by violence and abduction."
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Rep. Collette Brown’s (D-9) bill (HB 1603) to provide funding to the state historical society for Native American grave protection and repatriation compliance efforts had a hearing today.
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Democratic-NPL Bills
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Rep. LaurieBeth Hager's (D-21) bill (HB 1260) which changes how the number of available mule deer licenses is determined has a hearing in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee at 9:00.
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Follow Along!
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Did you know you can watch along with these hearings or watch them later on your own time?
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Help us spread our message—share these recent posts!
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Ray Holmberg sentenced to 10 years in federal prison - Joel Heitkamp, Tyler Axness, Dane DeKrey, and Ryan Janke go over the details
Joel Heitkamp is joined in the studio by Tyler Axness, host of Afternoons Live, Ryan Janke from the KFGO Newsroom, and Dane DeKrey, a criminal defense lawyer and partner at Ringstrom DeKrey, who has spent a decade in both private and public law.
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Former North Dakota Sen. Ray Holmberg gets 10 years in prison for traveling to sexually abuse children
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Those who helped or knew about Holmberg's actions should face consequences, House Minority Leader Zac Ista, D-Grand Forks, said in a statement. He called for an investigation and solutions to address potential corruption.
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"While Holmberg is responsible for that lifetime of deceit, we — as individuals and the legislative institution — must reflect on how we can make sure this never, ever happens again in North Dakota," Ista said.
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McFeely: Once a giant of North Dakota politics, Ray Holmberg cut to size with 10-year sentence
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Under questioning from Hovland about his 14 trips to Prague in which his intent was to find young boys with whom to have sex, Holmberg didn't admit to being successful — saying that he might've had sex with an underage boy but didn't know for sure — and said tales about his conquests shared with friends were "bragging" and that he didn't really do the things he said.
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He took no real responsibility.
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Multiple times when pressed by Hovland, Holmberg said he was simply "bragging" to impress his friends and that the stories never happened.
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The judge wasn't buying it.
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"Why would you brag about having sex with a 12-year-old?" Hovland asked.
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"Because I'm trying to impress people," Holmberg said. "The bottom line is I talk too much. Way too much."
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Letter: These are much more than 'little disruptions,' Rep. Fedorchak
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With all due respect, Rep. Fedorchak, the following are not little disruptions:
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Mass firings - they’re devastating to families, communities and slowing economies.
Deporting non-criminal legal residents to Salvadoran prisons without due process - it’s illegal, deadly and catastrophic for loved ones.
Gutting Medicaid - it’s stripping healthcare from the most vulnerable.
Ending income-driven student loan repayment plans - it’s reneging an agreement and financially destructive to payers.
Gutting the DOE- it’s a threat to the hard won educational rights and services for students with disabilities
Tariffs on our trading partners – they’re slowing economic growth and raising consumer prices.
Gutting Social Security – it’s putting 73 million Americans at risk of losing their income
Abandoning allies and siding with Russia - it’s relinquishing our commitment to democracy and weakening our own national security.
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Holmberg sexually exploited others, including people in North Dakota, witnesses say in court
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One person said that he met Holmberg while he was in high school in the 1990s, and Holmberg became a trusted adviser. Holmberg eventually paid him to make sexual videos of himself.
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“The impact of Mr. Holmberg’s actions has been life-long,” he said.
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Investigators found three of the videos on tapes belonging to Holmberg. The former student said he needed money to support a drug habit.
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“Unless one has personally experienced drug addiction, it is difficult to convey the depth of despair” that would lead to such “extreme acts,” he said.
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Rep. Julie Fedorchak says Trump is doing what North Dakota elected him to do in virtual town hall
In a release, North Dakota Democratic National Committeeman Jamie Selzler credited Fedorchak for taking his call during the town hall that she was "willing to take tough questions and didn’t handpick callers." However, the party's release went on to say Fedorchak "fawned" over Trump and lied about Social Security being cut.
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Rep. Julie Fedorchak hosts telephone town hall
North Dakota Democratic-NPL Communications Director Laura Dronen stated “Fedorchak said that ‘Social Security is not being cut.” That’s just a lie. DOGE is planning to cut phone support for Social Security. We are already seeing longer wait times. The Minot Social Security Office is on a list of offices that are set to close. Trump’s Commerce Secretary said no one would ‘call and complain’ if they miss a Social Security check—they won’t even be able to call after Elon guts the phone support.”
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Brandon Delvo and Joel Heitkamp talk about the leaked Signal group chat regarding war plans
Joel Heitkamp is joined on "News and Views" by Brandon Delvo for a conversation on sharing top-secret military information. Joel then shares his own thoughts and takes calls regarding the leaked Signal group chat from the Trump administration.
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Check out these posts from the national Democratic Party
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Here Are the Attack Plans That Trump’s Advisers Shared on Signal
Let us pause here for a moment to underscore a point. This Signal message shows that the U.S. secretary of defense texted a group that included a phone number unknown to him—Goldberg’s cellphone—at 11:44 a.m. This was 31 minutes before the first U.S. warplanes launched, and two hours and one minute before the beginning of a period in which a primary target, the Houthi “Target Terrorist,” was expected to be killed by these American aircraft. If this text had been received by someone hostile to American interests—or someone merely indiscreet, and with access to social media—the Houthis would have had time to prepare for what was meant to be a surprise attack on their strongholds. The consequences for American pilots could have been catastrophic.
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The Leaked Signal Chat, Annotated
Hegseth has twice said in response to questions about the chat that “nobody was texting war plans.” But the disclosure of the precise timing and sequencing of the strikes is something that the Pentagon would only put in secure government channels.
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Anger at Pentagon over Hegseth's texts in Singal group chat with Trump team
Employees at the Defense Department are expressing frustration over the information revealed by The Atlantic that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly included in a Signal group text among Trump administration officials. CBS News' Charlie D'Agata reports.
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ACLU of Minnesota, Education Minnesota file suits against St. Francis schools book policy
“Banning books like ‘The Kite Runner’ doesn’t protect students at all. I think it betrays them,” Hosseini said. “It robs our children of something vital that we owe them, which is the chance to broaden their human community, to foster empathy.”
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Trump team revokes $11 billion in funding for addiction, mental health care
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Addiction experts told NPR they are now bracing for what many believe will be deep cuts to Medicaid funding, which provides the largest single source of insurance coverage for drug and alcohol treatment nationwide.
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"It's very hard to look at the budget framework created by Republicans and imagine a scenario other than Medicaid being cut severely," Stanford University's Keith Humphreys said. "It's a frightening prospect. That will be extremely painful for families facing addiction."
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Kennedy slashing 10,000 jobs in health department overhaul
Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, said the layoffs and office closure will hurt families who depend on public health services.
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“These offices work closely with communities to make sure child care, hospitals, and nursing homes are safe, strengthen rural health care, and much more," Wyden said in a statement. "The chaos that is coming will guarantee that kids and seniors fall through the cracks with deadly consequences.”
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Committees
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Every bill is voted on in the North Dakota legislature, but first, it must go through a committee hearing. The committee will vote to give the bill a "Do Pass" or a "Do Not Pass" recommendation. Below is a list of Standing Committees this legislative session.
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Senate Standing Committee Members
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Meets Thursday and Friday
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Meets Monday through Friday
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Meets Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
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Meets Thursday and Friday
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Desiree Van Oosting (R-36)
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Meets Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
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Meets Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
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Desiree Van Oosting (R-36)
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Meets Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
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Meets Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
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Meets Thursday and Friday
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Meets Thursday and Friday
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Meets Thursday and Friday
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House Standing Committee Members
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Meets Thursday and Friday
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Gretchen Dobervich (D-11)
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Cynthia Schreiber-Beck (R-25)
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Meets Monday through Friday
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Meets Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
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Cynthia Schreiber-Beck (R-25)
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Patrick R. Hatlestad (R-1)
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Meets Thursday and Friday
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Meets Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
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Mike Motschenbacher (R-47)
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Meets Thursday and Friday
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Gretchen Dobervich (D-11)
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Meets Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
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Lisa Finley-DeVille (D-4A)
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Meets Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
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Lawrence R. Klemin (R-47)
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Meets Thursday and Friday
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Patrick R. Hatlestad (R-1)
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Lawrence R. Klemin (R-47)
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Mike Motschenbacher (R-47)
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Meets Thursday and Friday
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Lisa Finley-DeVille (D-4A)
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The Century Club supports our year-round work to build party infrastructure supporting candidate recruitment, local district and regional leadership, issue-based education, and tools for Dem-NPL success.
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Help us elect great Democrats up and down the ballot!
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The North Dakota Democratic-NPL is launching a new grassroots program called “Neighbor to Neighbor” where volunteers will connect with voters in your community to elect Democrats up and down the ballot. As a volunteer, you will be responsible for connecting with voters in 25 homes in your neighborhood or friends and family to help elect Democrats up and down the ballot about 3-4 times this year.
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Grassroots organizers are the lifeblood of the Dem-NPL! Sign up to volunteer with the Dem-NPL!
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