ICYMI: Kevin Cramer (R-Harold Hamm) Doubles Down on Loyalty to Out-of-State Billionaire

Crooked Kevin Cramer Said No to President Trump and North Dakotans, Yes to Out-of-State Billionaire Harold Hamm

(BISMARCK, ND) — Once again, Congressman Kevin Cramer (R-Harold Hamm) is showing where his loyalties lie – and it’s not with North Dakotans. Cramer once again doubled down on his loyalties to an out-of-state billionaire, with E&E reporting that he didn’t get into the Senate campaign after urging from North Dakotans or President Trump – it was because of out-of-state billionaire Harold Hamm who pledged to be his national finance chair and rake in the big bucks.

We’ve got to wonder – is Cramer going to use Hamm’s cash for his campaign, or to line his own pockets? After all, he does have a history of using his campaigns as a get-rich-quick scheme and has an open FEC complaint against him.

Highlights from E&E below:

E&E: The energy executive behind Kevin Cramer’s run

• Billionaire energy executive Harold Hamm’s fingerprints — and money — are all over North Dakota Republican Rep. Kevin Cramer’s quest for the Senate.

• Influential and willing to leverage his $18 billion wealth, Hamm has backed Cramer’s political career for years. To hear the congressman tell it, it was Hamm, founder and CEO of Continental Resources Inc. and a fracking industry pioneer, who drove him into the Senate race.

• For months, the congressman said no. He initially rejected pressure from national Republicans, including President Trump, who were desperate for a solid candidate to take on Heitkamp. It took Hamm’s nudging and pledge of support.

• “When Harold talked to my wife, Kris, and he said, ‘Kris, if Kevin does this, if you guys get into this, I will be his national finance chairman.’ That was pretty compelling,” Cramer said.

• Campaign finance documents show Hamm dollars flowing to a number of groups backing Cramer, including $50,000 to the Cramer Victory Fund, a joint fundraising committee. These outfits share fundraising costs and divide contributions, allowing donors to write one large check.