Cramer Again Prioritizes Defense of the President Ahead of National Security

(BISMARCK, ND) – Highlighting Congressman Cramer’s inability to prioritize  leadership above bizarre partisan defenses of the president, Scott McNeil, Executive Director of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL reacted to Congressman Cramer’s mealy-mouthed statement on yesterday’s Helsinki Summit: 

“Whether it’s quibbling over the semantics of cages instead of offering stronger border security solutions, defending insensitive Nazi comparisons instead of holding Syria accountable, or rushing to absolve President Trump instead of offering tough, smart national security strategies, time and again Congressman Cramer runs from any opportunity to lead in favor of petty partisan politics. North Dakotans deserve serious leadership that puts the safety and security of our communities first, not playing second fiddle to his own political agenda.”

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Fears of Trade War “Animating” Senate Race

From Courtney Rice, Press Secretary for the North Dakota Democratic-NPL: “Despite hearing concerns across North Dakota about the detrimental effects this trade war is having, Cramer has turned a blind eye – choosing to recklessly side with the president and endorse this trade war rather than working across the aisle to come up with solutions.”

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT 

Grand Forks Herald: Some farmers fret amid trade war, animating ND’s Senate race
By John Hageman
July 13, 2018

Key Points:

  • A flurry of trade news in recent months has Richards [a farmer near Hope, ND] worried. It reached a crescendo last week, when China imposed retaliatory tariffs on a range of U.S. products, including 25 percent on soybeans, one of the crops Richards grows.
  • The cost of equipment is going up because of previous tariffs President Donald Trump’s administration imposed on steel and aluminum imports, he said. And amid those fights, the Trump administration is renegotiating the 24-year-old trade agreement linking the U.S. with Canada and Mexico.
  • “I’ve been doing this for 46 years,” said Richards, the Steele County president for the North Dakota Farmers Union. “Right now, I am the most scared I’ve ever been as to where the future of farming is going.”
  • Heitkamp this week described the trade war as “misguided” and called for rallying U.S. partners to confront China rather than using a “blunt instrument” like tariffs. Cramer, a Trump ally who previously denounced Democratic “hysteria” over Chinese tariffs, said he’s “on board with what (Trump) is trying to do” but expressed distaste for tariffs.
  • “Cramer boasts about (how) he votes with the president all the time. I don’t think that’s good for North Dakota,” said Richards.
  • Robert Kudrle, a professor in the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs, said “…the ag sector is really paying for this big time.”
  • Soybeans have become the poster child for the trade war with China, given that the Asian nation is the biggest market for the U.S. North Dakota Trade Office Executive Director Simon Wilson estimated the state exports $1.4 billion to $1.8 billion worth of soybeans to China annually.
  • But a U.S. Department of Agriculture report released this week lowered soybean export projections for 2018-19. Monte Peterson, a Valley City area farmer who’s a leader in state and national soybean groups, pointed to soybean futures that have dropped steadily in recent weeks. “This price that we’re at today … we’re below any potential for profit,” he said. “We’re looking at losses.”
  • Heitkamp has signed on to legislation to nullify the steel and aluminum tariffs and to require congressional approval for tariffs imposed in the name of national security. She hoped a non-binding Senate vote this week would send a message to Trump’s administration that “patience is running thin.”

Read the full article here.

And see how the Cramer-endorsed trade war is playing in local media:

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ICYMI: Cramer Reportedly Declined to Participate in at Least Four Debates Against Heitkamp [NDxPlains]

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT 

NDxPlains: Cramer Reportedly Declined to Participate in at Least Four Debates Against Heitkamp
By Tyler Axness
July 13, 2018

Key Points:

  • Earlier this week, we learned that Heidi Heitkamp and Kevin Cramer have agreed to three debates in October. What has been left out of those reports is that Kevin Cramer has rejected participation in at least four other debates. For an individual who prides himself on accessibility and willingness to take on tough topics, this is a little surprising. We should ask why he declined.
  • A spokesperson for the Heitkamp campaign indicated Heitkamp had agreed to five more debates, but Cramer had rejected four of those… To my knowledge, Heitkamp has not turned down a debate to date.
  • The debates Cramer has turned down are a bit interesting. A Prairie Public & AARP debate. Cramer agreed to one of the two offered. Perhaps limiting the debate to one hour instead of two also limits the amount of time Social Security and Medicare would be discussed.
  • He also rejected a debate hosted by the Chamber of Commerce focused on agriculture. Defending tariffs might not have been ideal for his candidacy.
  • So what gives? Why avoid these debates with your opponent? It certainly wouldn’t be the same as going on friendly talk shows every week.
  • Another negative ad [launched on Friday] lacking accomplishments of Cramer’s tenure in Washington. Perhaps it is proving difficult to discover those accomplishments which leads him to shy away from true debates. Quite simply, it makes a person wonder if he is afraid of debating Heitkamp and speaking about his record?

Read the full article here.

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CROOKED CRAMER’S CHRONICLES – TRADE WAR IS “ECONOMIC SELF-MUTILATION” – A RUBBER STAMP FOR TRUMP’S POLICIES – CRAMER IN DAMAGE CONTROL

Welcome to Crooked Cramer’s Chronicles where, every Friday, we’ll break down the latest and greatest weekly hits about Cramer’s crooked, self-serving, extreme, and gaffe-prone behavior that puts himself and his partisan politics ahead of North Dakotans. Onto the inaugural edition…

TRADE WAR IS “ECONOMIC SELF-MUTILATION.” That’s what a fourth generation North Dakota farmer had to say about the president’s trade war and its escalating disastrous consequences for North Dakota’s farmers, ranchers, and businesses. With 111,100 jobs and over $60 million in exports threatened by the Cramer-endorsed trade war, North Dakotans have reason to worry – particularly when they hear Cramer call their concerns “hysteria” and urge them to have a higher “pain threshold.” North Dakotans won’t be quick to forget that Cramer left them high and dry, putting party loyalty over their best interests. That’s why the Washington Post observed that the trade war “threaten[s] to emerge as a critical issue” in this Senate race.

Some of the coverage the trade war has received in North Dakota:

A RUBBER STAMP FOR TRUMP’S POLICIES. It’s tough to pin down Cramer’s rationale for endorsing the president’s trade war and other policies that go against the best interests of North Dakotans, but Cramer has consistently been a puppet for party politics over North Dakotans, voting with the president 100 percent of the time even when it’s not in their best interest. Recently he’s been trying to have it both ways, attempting to convince North Dakotans otherwise, but his record tells a different story.

Follow the link for a not-so-comprehensive list of the times Cramer was a rubber stamp for Trump and national Republicans’ policies.

WASHINGTON GOP HEALTH CARE SABOTAGE CONTINUES. This week saw two new examples of Cramer’s allies attempting to sabotage affordable and accessible health care for hardworking North Dakota families.

  1. Halting billions of dollars in payments to the health insurance system’s risk adjustment program – a move that some health experts warn would create “turmoil” and could cause insurers to request double-digit premium hikes.
  2. Using taxpayer money to push shoddy, short-term insurance plans that charge more to cover pre-existing conditions, “cover fewer services,” and make it harder to find affordable care.

Similar to the trade war, this issue is sure to be top of mind for voters in November. A recent HuffPost/YouGov poll found “American voters are more likely to say they’re focused about health care than any other issue” and Kaiser Health reported that many Americans are worried “about their out-of-pocket costs increasing so high that” they won’t be able to afford care.

THAT’S NOT ALL: CRAMER CALLS FOR CUTS TO SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICARE. Despite the false claims in a recent ad, Cramer has taken a cue from his Washington party bosses and has repeatedly called for cuts to Social Security and Medicare. Cramer is desperately trying to rewrite history, but we’re here to hold him accountable. This week the North Dakota Democratic-NPL launched a Facebook video highlighting the numerous times Cramer has called for cuts to these vital programs. WATCH here.

CRAMER MISUSES CAMPAIGN FUNDS… AGAIN. Attorney General candidate David Thompson filed an FEC complaint against Cramer for using campaign funds for his own personal use. Reminder: This isn’t the first or second time Cramer has been accused of misusing campaign funds for personal gain or raised “legitimate questions as to the appearance of impropriety” with his actions.

HEADLINE: TRUMP LIKES HEIDI MORE THAN KEVIN. Will Kevin Cramer call the White House and complain about this, too? Only time will tell… but we’re betting yes. From the article:

  • [This is a] well-worn Trump strategy: He needs Cramer as a political rubber stamp. Trump was in Fargo to plug for the boot-licker/butt-kisser that Cramer has pledged to be. “With him (Trump) 100 percent of the time,” Cramer said. The prez was not in Fargo because he and Cramer are pals. In fact, there are indications Trump likes Heidi more than Kevin. Kevin has cared about it. A lot.

  • I’m guessing Donald likes Heidi because of her independence and feistiness. Both are big personalities. Both speak passionately about their beliefs. She can look him in the eye and unflinchingly challenge him. If not her politics, he likes her confidence and candor.

  • By his own conceit, Cramer is a malleable sycophant who will do Trump’s bidding without question. (“With him 100 percent of the time.”)

  • Heitkamp is anything but malleable. She’s said repeatedly that she will be with Trump when she agrees with him and against him when she disagrees. That’s classic North Dakota-centric political philosophy. On the other hand, Cramer’s posture is 100 percent Trump-centric. Almost cultish. Therefore, Trump need not respect Cramer. The congressman is in the president’s thrall, apparently no matter what.

CRAMER MUST RETURN CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS FROM ROY MOORE PAC. A PAC that supports accused child molester and former Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore donated to Congressman Cramer’s campaign – but Cramer has yet to return the money, despite another Republican candidate who also received contributions from the PAC doing so. Cramer’s inaction once again puts him standing with the likes of Roy Moore, such as when he defended Moore, saying he should be held to a “different standard” because the allegations against him allegedly occurred “40 years past.”

FLASHBACK: This isn’t the first time Cramer has associated himself with hateful groups. Cramer “sought and received the support of an anti-LGBT group that links homosexuality to pedophilia and defends conversion therapy” and defended Will Gardner, a convicted Peeping Tom, calling him “a very good man” who has a bright political future ahead of him.

CRAMER TELLS TRUMP HIS “ONLY PREFERENCE” IS TO “AVOID ‘AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PICK’” FOR SUPREME COURT. This week, CNN reported that Cramer – when he had the president’s ear to advise him on a Supreme Court Justice pick that would advocate for North Dakota values – instead urged Trump to avoid an “affirmative action pick.” It’s yet another example of Cramer prioritizing ideological politics above what’s best for North Dakotans.

CRAMER IN DAMAGE CONTROL MODE. Less than 24 hours after the Mayor of Grand Forks – a Trump supporter – endorsed Heidi for her ability to work across the aisle and get results for the people of North Dakota and after growing negative press on the trade war, Cramer was forced to call in Washington, D.C. political party bosses to help stop the bleeding from his campaign. TBD on whether Cramer will use his time with Pence to advocate on behalf of North Dakotans… or himself.

TWEET OF THE WEEK.

Until next week!

Democratic-NPL Candidate Brandon Medenwald Endorsed by Run for Something

The District 41 candidate for the North Dakota House of Representatives earns the endorsement of the nationally recognized progressive group

(FARGO, ND) — Democratic-NPL candidate for the North Dakota House of Representatives Brandon Medenwald has earned the endorsement of Run for Something, a national progressive group that encourages the next generation of leaders to enter the political sphere at the state and local level. Medenwald is the first candidate from North Dakota to earn the group’s the nomination.

“I’m proud today to be the first North Dakotan endorsed by Run for Something, a national organization promoting young candidates willing to work hard to run grassroots campaigns,” said Brandon Medenwald. “Run for Something’s endorsement adds to our great momentum heading into the Summer months.”

“RFS endorses candidates on two major criteria: heart and hustle. That’s what defines viability to us,” said Ross Morales Rocketto, RFS co founder. “These are candidates who are going to work hard to run grassroots, community-led campaigns. We are at a critical time in history and the momentum these candidates generate will have a lasting impact for years to come.”

“Brandon’s small business experience and his background in the tech industry make him an ideal candidate to represent a changing North Dakota,” said Scott McNeil, Executive Director of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL. “The party is pleased to see one of its candidates receive national recognition for the hard work he has already put into the District 41 race, and we are confident in a positive outcome for Brandon in November.”

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FLASHBACK: “For Cramer it is Loyalty to Trump above what is best for North Dakota”

BISMARCK, ND) –In April, NDxPlains’ Tyler Axness observed that, “For Cramer it is loyalty to Trump above what is best for North Dakota.” The article may be a flashback, but the words are truer now than ever. Cramer has consistently shown North Dakotans where his loyalties lie – and it isn’t with them. From the article: 

“[Cramer] believes loyalty to Trump is either above his responsibility to North Dakota or that they are one in the same. Either way, he is utterly wrong.
…
Cramer displays his eagerness to be obedient and subservient to President Donald Trump. It is loyalty to Trump over North Dakota. There has been and will continue to be times where President Trump is wrong about what is best for our state. In those moments, North Dakota deserves an independent thinker.”

Here’s a far from comprehensive list of the times Cramer was a rubber stamp for the president and his party – voting with the president 100 percent of the time – and putting his own political interests above North Dakotans.

  1. Cramer has called North Dakota’s farmers, ranchers, and businesses concerns over the president’s trade war “hysteria” and told them to have a higher “pain threshold” – despite 111,100 North Dakota jobs and over $60 million in exports being threatened by these policies.
  2. Cramer has toed the party line with a recent partisan budget proposal that would make significant cuts to Social Security and Medicare.
  3. Cramer voted for the partisan health care plan that would spike costs, impose an age tax on older Americans, and gut coverage for pre-existing conditions.
  4. Cramer likened voting against Trump’s agenda to cheating on your wife.
  5. “By his own conceit, Cramer is a malleable sycophant who will do Trump’s bidding without question.”
  6. Cramer claimed Trump told him that he loved him.

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Desperate Times: Cramer Calls In National Republicans For Damage Control

VP Pence Called In For “Damage Control Mission” Amid Fears Stoked By Ongoing Trade War
(Bismarck, ND) – Today the Cramer campaign announced that Vice President Pence plans to visit Grand Forks in the coming weeks – a blatant attempt to turn the heavy tide of recent negative press Cramer has faced, including a growing Cramer-endorsed trade war and rising health care costs for North Dakotans. In response, Courtney Rice, Press Secretary for the North Dakota Democratic-NPL released the following statement:

“It’s no coincidence that Cramer had to call in D.C. politicians for help to stop the bleeding from his campaign. On the heels of the ever-growing negative consequences from the administration’s trade war – and less than 24 hours after the Mayor of Grand Forks cited Heidi’s ability to work across the aisle and get results for the people of North Dakota in his endorsement of her – Cramer is attempting serious damage control. Unfortunately for him, a fancy visit from national party bosses won’t fool North Dakotans into thinking he’s on their side.”

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Cramer Hasn’t Returned Campaign Contribution from PAC Created for Roy Moore

PAC is “Facing Scrutiny from Campaign Finance Regulators”; Supported Accused Child Molester Roy Moore
(BISMARCK, ND) – Congressman Kevin Cramer has yet to return campaign contributions from a political action committee (PAC) that is “facing scrutiny from campaign finance regulators.” The group was formed to support accused child molester and former Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore – whom Cramer defended, saying that Moore should be held to a “different standard”because the allegations against him allegedly occurred “40 years past.”

While another Republican candidate who received contributions from this questionable PAC has returned the money, Cramer is holding onto it.

“Crooked Cramer’s refusal to disassociate himself with a shady political organization is emblematic of his overall philosophy: putting himself and his political ambitions before North Dakota values,” said Scott McNeil, Executive Director of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL. “Simply put, Cramer needs to denounce this group and return their donation unless he once again wants to stand with the likes of Roy Moore.”

This isn’t the first time Cramer has defended accused sexual predators or associated himself with hateful groups. Cramer “sought and received the support of an anti-LGBT group that links homosexuality to pedophilia and defends conversion therapy.” And after North Dakota Secretary of State candidate Will Gardner’s criminal history as a Peeping Tom came to light, Cramer rushed to his defense – calling Gardner “a very good man,” and suggesting Gardner had a bright political career ahead of him because “Americans like a redemption story.”

At the time, North Dakota press skewered Cramer for his comments about Gardner, saying they “raised questions about his own political judgment, a quality already in question.” With Cramer’s refusal to return this organization’s contribution, they have more evidence to ponder.

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What They’re Saying: Trade War is “Economic Self-Mutilation”

ND is Ninth Largest Ag Exporting State; Tariffs Threaten Over $60M in Exports

(BISMARCK, ND) – The trade war is posing disastrous consequences for North Dakota’s farmers and businesses – 111,100 jobs and over $60 million exports are threatened by the tariffs – and the issue is more pressing than ever with the Trump administration announcing this week another round of tariffs, this time on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods.

But what has Cramer done? He’s told farmers to have a higher “pain threshold” and called their concerns “hysteria.” While Cramer may be willing to be a rubber stamp for the president and all of his policies, North Dakotans are dealing with the fallout. See what North Dakotans are reading about the damage the trade war is causing:

Fargo Forum: Commentary from 4th generation farmer: Trade wars are economic self-mutilation.
“Agriculture will be the casualty in a trade war. […] The tariffs on steel and aluminum will greatly affect Dakota farmers, especially corn and soybean farmers. […] Trade wars are economic self-mutilation.”

Fargo Forum: Trump tariffs prompt trade worries for N.D. soybean growers.
“Observers like Peterson are concerned that Monday’s new tariffs could be early shots in a growing trade war that could sweep up their commodity, with worrisome results for producers and the local economy. Soybeans are a huge export from North Dakota, Peterson said, and more than two-thirds of the statewide crop is shipped to China.”

Fargo Forum: Talk of tariffs creates unwelcome uncertainty for local ag, steel businesses.
“More than two-thirds of North Dakota’s soybean crop is shipped to China, which imports more U.S. soybeans than all other countries combined.
…
Pete Hanebutt, director of public policy at the North Dakota Farm Bureau, said tariffs and talk of tariffs represent a potential double whammy for farmers. Firstly, he said, they increase the cost of production for things like equipment and vehicles, and secondly, countries where North Dakota now sells agricultural products may switch to growers in other countries. China, in particular, could start buying things like soybeans elsewhere, according to Hanebutt. “That’s a huge impact for us. That’s real, and our farmers and our members are obviously very, very concerned,” he said.”

WHSV: North Dakota farmers looking for answers amid tariff uncertainty.
“North Dakota farmers are scrambling for answers in Washington. As a trade war brews between the U.S. and its partners, an atmosphere of uncertainty looms. North Dakota agriculture leaders say can’t afford to lose these relationships. ‘Worst case scenario, you could see farmers losing their farms,’ said Jeff Mertz, president of the North Dakota Grain Growers Association… He doesn’t like being used as a negotiating tool.”

WDAY: ‘We feel like we’re a bargaining chip’: N.D. soybean farmers fear trade war after Trump announces tariffs.
“‘There is no doubt that it will affect our bottom line,’ if there is a trade war, he said. ‘North Dakota is a producing state, not a consuming state, so we need free trade.’
…
‘As a soy grower, I depend on trade with China,’ said Davie Stephens, vice president of ASA. ‘This is a vital and robust market that soy growers have spent over 40 years building and, frankly, it’s not a market U.S. soybean farmers can afford to lose.’”

Bismarck Tribune: North Dakota to lose a lot in trade war.
“President Donald Trump’s insistence on creating balance with the nation’s trading partners could come back and bite North Dakota hard. North Dakota’s economy relies on the export of its agricultural products and the import of many other items. With other countries slapping retaliatory tariffs on the U.S. it could hurt the state’s rebounding economy.”

Grand Forks Herald: North Dakota manufacturers left to weather uncertainty of trade war.
“Steel and aluminum prices are rising in the region, and that means higher prices for farming equipment, recreational vehicles, motorhomes and more. With tariffs in place on steel and aluminum from U.S. allies since early June and threats of retaliatory tariffs from Canada in July, the North Dakota Trade Office said it already has noticed a 15 to 20 percent increase on base prices for steel and aluminum. North Dakota manufacturers who rely on these metals know they’re already paying more, but they’re less certain what price hikes will eventually mean for business and consumers.”

Fargo Forum: ‘Don’t forget about us’: Farmers rally for better prices, steps to buffer trade war impact on agriculture.
“Farmers, confronting slumping crop prices that don’t cover the cost of production and finding themselves pawns in an escalating trade war, rallied hours ahead of an appearance by President Donald Trump to deliver a message. ‘We need to tell them we need a price that will let us make a living on the farm,’ Mark Watne, president of the North Dakota Farmers Union, said at a rally of farmers at the Red River Valley Fairgrounds on Wednesday, June 27.”

West Fargo Pioneer: ‘We are in a trade war,” ND trade leader says as US, China swap tariffs.
“[North Dakota Trade Office Executive Director Simon] Wilson estimated that $1.4 billion to $1.8 billion in North Dakota soybeans are exported to China annually.”

Politico: Trump country hit hard by Chinese tariffs.
“[The trade moves are] likely to cut deep into the incomes of farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses… The brunt of the penalties are likely to affect U.S. soybean growers. Nearly one-third of U.S. soybeans, or about $14 billion, is sent to China each year.
…
U.S. farm groups, including the American Farm Bureau Federation, American Soybean Association, National Corn Growers Association and National Pork Producers Council, have been pleading with the Trump administration to adopt a different strategy of holding trading partners accountable. They argue farmers and ranchers are already dealing with a four-year slump in commodity prices, and U.S. officials should instead be focusing on opening new markets to help boost their bottom lines.”

Grand Forks Herald: Our view: Risky times for region’s ag producers.
“It’s a risky game of poker and, unfortunately, the stakes are high in the Dakotas and Minnesota […] Producers will be adversely affected.”

Politico Morning Agriculture: Long game vs. endgame.
“Now that a U.S.-China trade war is a reality, there appears to be no clear end in sight or exit strategy for the U.S.”

Williston Herald: Tariff talk already hurting farmers.
“Tariffs and talk of tariffs have already snipped 20 percent off of soybean farmer’s bottom lines, North Dakota Farmers Union President Mark Watne says.”

CNBC: North Dakota soybean processors hit hard by tariffs as China cancels orders.
“The head of the North Dakota Trade Office says Chinese buyers have killed all of their firm orders for food-grade soybeans, valued at $1.2 to $1.5 million. The cancellations happened just prior to and immediately after tariffs went into effect in July.”

See more:
Politico: The trade war comes to the prairie
Williston Herald: Steel tariffs will cost North Dakota’s oil and gas industry
Fargo Forum: Possible China trade repercussions feared in Upper Midwest
Bloomberg: Blindsided by China Tariffs, American Farmers Suddenly Face Huge Decision
Washington Examiner: Trump trade war will test the faithfulness of rural GOP candidates
Bloomberg: American Farm Groups Plead With Trump to Back Off China Trade Conflict
Washington Post: Farmers who propelled Trump to presidency fear becoming pawns in trade war
New York Times: Across Midwest, Farmers Warn of G.O.P. Losses Over Trump’s Trade Policy
NBC News: GOP faces rural rebellion over Trump trade agenda
Fargo Forum: Letter: Trump’s trade war with China is a big flop
CNBC: Canada announces retaliatory tariffs on steel and aluminum
Feedstuffs: Ag will be hit as U.S. moves ahead with steel, aluminum tariffs
CNN: Trump’s trade moves create midterm headache for Republicans
Grand Forks Herald: Trump’s approach to trade with China ‘detrimental to North Dakota,’ Mac Schneider says
CNN Money: Mexico imposes tariffs on $3 billion worth of US exports
CBS: Europe to impose retaliatory tariffs on U.S. imports
Politico: Republicans in turmoil over Trump’s trade moves
Bismarck Tribune: Editorial (St. Louis Post-Dispatch): Trade moves may backfire on president
Bismarck Tribune: North Dakota, Minnesota companies feel effects of tariffs
CNBC: China announces retaliatory tariffs on $34 billion worth of US goods, including agriculture products
Reuters: RPT-U.S. oil pipeline companies, producers seek relief from steel tariffs
CNBC: Soybean prices plunge to nine-year low on US-China trade war fears
City-Journal: The High Cost of Tariffs
AGWeek: Opinion: Trade wars leave farming as a casualty
AGWeek: Opinion: Trade tensions dominate markets
CNN: Trump takes trade policy on the road. It may not be welcome.
Fargo Forum: Commentary: Soy growers need trade, not tariffs
Grand Forks Herald: Our view: Trade worries abound in north country
CBS: Canada tariffs on $12.6B of U.S. goods take effect
MyNDNow: Heitkamp: N.D. can lose $61 million due to tariffs
Bloomberg: China to Cancel More U.S. Soy Shipments as More Tariffs Loom
Washington Post: The Finance 202: Republican candidates in key Senate races struggle with Trump tariffs
Washington Post: China cancels US soybean purchases as trade war takes hold
Associated Press: Trade war with China is on
NPR: Trade War With China Heats Up, But Tariff Effects Are Already Rippling Across U.S.
Bloomberg: Feeling the Trade-War Pain

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Crooked Cramer Enriches Himself at North Dakotans’ Expense

(BISMARCK, ND) – Crooked Kevin Cramer has shown North Dakotans time and again that he’ll always do what’s best for his own interests and pocketbook at their expense.

From using campaign money to pay himself and his family hundreds of thousands of dollars to accepting campaign donations from industry executives that he was in charge of regulating, Cramer’s actions were described as “morally kind of sticky” and raised “legitimate questions as to the appearance of impropriety.”

See for yourself:

KFYR: Rep. Kevin Cramer’s campaign fund use comes into question.

  • Rep. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., is facing reports that he is using campaign funds to pay himself and his family.
  • A report published last week in Politico and Federal Elections Commission Filings shows Cramer paid family members more than $140,000 and reimbursed himself nearly $200,000 since 2013.
  • Money in politics is a hot button issue, now Congressman Kevin Cramer might be feeling the heat… “There are things that are legal for candidates to do but even if they’re legal they may not be super comfortable with them,” said Jordan Libowitz, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.
  • “It’s the type of behavior that people have flagged in the past as just sort of part of the swamp so to speak. It’s a way that members of congress can sort of enrich themselves and their families just by virtue of their position,” said Kevin Robillard, Politico.

See also: Politico: Paying family with campaign funds could dog Cramer in Senate bid: “The practice is ‘legally alright but morally kind of sticky,’ said Jordan Libowitz, the communications director at CREW. ‘It’s important for supporters to know this money is basically going back into [the candidate’s] own pocket.’”

WDAY: ND Attorney general candidate accuses Rep. Cramer of misusing campaign funds.

  • A Grand Forks attorney has filed a complaint against U.S. Rep. Kevin Cramer. David Thompson, who is running for North Dakota Attorney General, said Cramer used his campaign funds for his own personal use.
  • “Congressman Cramer’s behavior demonstrates, in my estimation, the worst of Washington and goes to show why many North Dakotas have lost faith in politics,” Thompson said.
  • Thompson also accused Cramer of missing deadlines for reimbursements, but has “paid himself back anyway.”

Yahoo.
Cramer accused of “taking improper campaign contributions from coal mining officials” as Public Service Commissioner.”

  • The Dickinson-based Dakota Resource Council and the Sierra Club filed a lawsuit last year aiming to stop the PSC from regulating the mining industry. The groups accused… former [Public Service] commissioner Kevin Cramer — now the state’s sole member of the U.S. House of Representatives — of taking improper campaign contributions from coal mining officials.
  • [The judge who ruled on the case] said that while accepting such contributions maybe be legal, the decision to do so is “ill-advised, devoid of common sense, and raises legitimate questions as to the appearance of impropriety.”
  • The environmental groups allege $50,000 had been funneled to the commissioners from coal industry officials since 2006. According to the lawsuit, Cramer received more than $10,000 in donations from Houston businessman Corbin Robertson Jr. and his wife, Barbara, from 2008 through 2011.

Don’t forget: Just a few weeks ago, Cramer skipped several parades in North Dakota to attend a high-dollar RNC fundraiser in Beverly Hills.

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Cramer & Washington Republicans Continue Making Health Care Less Affordable & Accessible

Recent Cuts to Health Programs Make It Harder to Find Affordable Care
Yesterday, the Trump administration announced it was slashing funding to nonprofit groups that provide advice on how to find affordable care, and will push individuals to sign up for health plans that don’t provide basic protections. This action is the latest in partisan efforts to spike health care costs and slash coverage for hardworking Americans. In response, Scott McNeil, Executive Director of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL released the following statement:

“Congressman Cramer and the Washington GOP are trying to score political points, while increasing costs for less care. Whether it’s slashing funding for outreach or reinsurance programs, or backing a lawsuit that seeks to declare coverage for pre-existing conditions unconstitutional, it’s clear that Cramer cares more about appeasing the fringes of his party than working across the aisle to lower health care costs for North Dakotans.”

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT 

Washington Post: Administration slashes grants to help Americans get Affordable Care Act coverage
By Amy Goldstein
July 10, 2018

Key Points:

  • The Trump administration is eliminating most of the funding for grass-roots groups that help Americans get Affordable Care Act insurance and will for the first time urge the groups to promote health plans that bypass the law’s consumer protections and required benefits.
  • The reduction, the second round of cuts that began a summer ago, will shrink the federal money devoted to groups known as navigators from $36.8 million to $10 million for the enrollment period that starts in November.
  • The new reduction of help for navigators, announced late Tuesdayafternoon by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, fits within a pattern of moves by the administration to weaken the sweeping health-care law that President Trump has vowed to demolish.
  • Trump and his aides have been taking a series of steps to weaken the law through administration maneuvers. The cuts to grass-roots groups around the country was announced three days after health officials revealed that, because of a pending lawsuit, they were suspending a program created by the law to even out the burden on health insurers whose customers are especially unhealthy or sick.
  • The president last fall also issued an executive order to try to make it easier for individuals and small businesses to buy health plans that cost less than ACA coverage because they cover fewer medical services and bypass the law’s rules intended to protect people from old insurance practices in which companies had charged higher prices to women, older people, and those with preexisting medical conditions.

Read the full article here.

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Shot/Chaser: Cramer Claims He Isn’t A Rubber Stamp… Then Votes With Trump 100% of the Time

Kevin Cramer has consistently been a puppet for party politics over North Dakotans, voting with the president even when it’s not in their best interest. Now he’s trying to have it both ways, attempting to convince North Dakotans otherwise, but his record tells a different story.

North Dakotans deserve a Senator who won’t be a rubber stamp for the president when he’s pushing a trade war and gutting protections for folks with pre-existing conditions – and it’s clear Kevin Cramer will never stand up to the president or his party.

SHOT: Cramer Claimed He Did Not Have A 100 Percent Voting Record With Trump.

CHASER: Cramer Voted with Trump 100 Percent of the Time.

  • Roll Call: Cramer Was One Of 77 Republican Members Who Voted Trump’s Way On Every Vote During Which Trump Pushed For A Particular Outcome. [Roll Call, 3/5/18]
  • CQ: Cramer Scored 100 Percent In Presidential Support For Voting In Agreement With Trump’s Positions. [Congressional Quarterly – Vote Study Scores – House 2017, Accessed 2/20/18]