Cramer (R-Special Interests)

(BISMARCK, ND) – In case you missed it, the High Plains Reader detailed how Harold Hamm, a “verifiable master of puppets” was a key player behind Kevin Cramer’s run for a promotion he hasn’t earned, and funneled buckets of money to Cramer and his campaign. Don’t forget, Cramer himself admitted that he decided to run because Hamm, an out-of-state billionaire, promised to help him fundraise – not out of a desire to serve North Dakotans.

High Plains Reader: Master of Puppets
By C.S. Hagen
August 1, 2018

Key Points:

  • […] Hamm and his net worth of $19.5 billion became the decision maker for Cramer accepting Hamm as his national finance chairman.
  • Hamm, with his billions in North Dakota oil profits, became Cramer’s national finance chairman in February, which was a deciding factor in Cramer’s flip-flopping stance on whether to run against Heitkamp, or not.
  • Hamm’s company, Continental Resources, is based in Oklahoma, and has also contributed $1,204,950 in campaign funds in 2018, according to Open Secrets, Center for Responsive Politics.
  • For years, Hamm’s money trails to Cramer branches like tributaries of the Missouri River. Sometimes donations are direct deposits to Cramer, at other times the funds are processed through PACs and committees. More than 50 percent of Cramer’s funds for his U.S. Senate run have come from large and primarily out-of-state contributors such as Energy Transfer Partners, the parent company of the Dakota Access Pipeline.
  • In 2018, Continental Resources has given $7,400 directly to Cramer, and Hamm has personally signed over $8,100 to Cramer in two different installments.
  • The oil magnate also donated $50,000 to the Cramer Victory Fund, a joint fundraising committee, which then shoveled $155,282 to Cramer this year. Another $5,000 of Hamm’s money went to the Badlands PAC, also a committee for Cramer, which so far has sent $72,440 on to Cramer.
  • Hamm gave $33,900 to the National Republican Senatorial Committee, a Republican campaign group for the Senate, which donated $80,376 directly to the Cramer Victory Fund.
  • The joint fundraising committee supplied a total of $155,000 to Cramer’s campaign, more than $72,000 to the Badlands PAC, and $65,000 to the National Republican Senatorial Committee, according to the Open Secrets, Center for Responsive Politics.
  • Kevin Cramer is tied for the top recipient after receiving $47,000 from the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

Read the full article here.

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