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Welcome to the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Insider, a newsletter that features regular updates about upcoming Dem-NPL events, legislative happenings, and news that affects North Dakotans! If you would like to have something added to the newsletter, email us at [email protected]. Spread the word of our newsletter by sharing our sign-up link today: https://demnpl.com/join-our-newsletter/.
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Charity and giving is top of mind this season. Today is the shortest day of the year. It’s a day that nationally is recognized Homeless Persons Memorial Day. In Fargo, an annual vigil is held to honor and remember those who died or whose lives were shortened due to homelessness. So many nonprofits in our state do work that is crucial to our communities.
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We also have to look beyond charity and think about what policy and system changes we need to see to have a society that helps uplift us all. As Democrats, we care about people. We want new parents to be able to afford quality child care, we want cancer patients to be able to get the life-saving care they need, and we want an economy that works for all of us, not just the ultra-rich.
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Now is a good time to think about what policy changes you want to see in your community, your state, and your country. How can we make those changes?
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- Laura Dronen, Communications and Digital Director
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Communications Committee
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Wednesday, January 3, 2024
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Communications Committee Monthly Meeting. Contact Lana Rakow for login credentials at [email protected].
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Democratic-NPL Executive Committee
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Wednesday, January 10, 2024
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The Executive Committee Meeting for the State Democratic-NPL Party. Each Second Wednesday of the Month For more information contact Adam Goldwyn at [email protected]
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Democratic-NPL Policy Committee
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Wednesday, January 17, 2024
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The Policy Committee will be having a virtual meeting in January. The Policy Committee consists of the Executive Committee and two representatives from each legislative district. For the login credentials please contact Adam Goldwyn at [email protected]
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District 12 Winter Blue Dinner
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Friday, January 26, 2024 – 6:00 PM
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The Bunker
1520 3rd St SE Jamestown
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Celebrate 2024 and Dem-NPL community! Dinner and drinks will be served, and we’ll hear from guest speakers and enjoy a live auction of locally famous homemade pies.
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Whether it’s an evening gown or crewneck sweatshirt, wear your favorite blue for this fun, family-friendly event to support local Dem-NPL organizing.
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District Conventions
February 6, 2024 – March 16, 2024
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Legislative Districts will have District Conventions between Feb 6 and March 16. Contact your District Chair for information about your district’s convention.
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All districts will elect delegates to the North Dakota Democratic-NPL State Convention.
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Even-numbered districts will nominate candidates for the North Dakota State House and Senate
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North Dakota Democratic-NPL State Convention
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Thursday, April 4 – Sunday, April 7, 2024
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Join us in Fargo for the Official ND Democratic-NPL State Convention!
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Become a delegate and participate in active democracy! We will officially nominate candidates for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, Governor & Lt. Governor, State Auditor, State Treasurer, Insurance Commissioner, and Public Service Commissioner. Most activities will happen on Friday and Saturday.
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Read what North Dakotans are talking about and learn how news right here in the Peace Garden State is impacting you.
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Press Releases from the Dem-NPL
Help us amplify our message and important issues for North Dakotans today!
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2 tribal redistricting maps introduced; judge’s maps criticized
Turtle Mountain Chairman Jamie Azure and Spirit Lake Chairwoman Lonna Street said Native American voters in northeastern North Dakota should have the fair opportunity to elect two representatives and a senator. “A unified district that combines Rolette and Benson Counties — and thus the Turtle Mountain and Spirit Lake reservations — achieves that legal requirement.”
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Legislators review AG office building overrun investigation; no prosecutor currently assigned to case
The investigator from Montana, Dan Guiberson, told the committee he was surprised that his report was released to the public due to there being an active criminal investigation underway into the building overrun and email deletion matters. Guiberson called his investigation “frustrating” as it related to trying to get assistance from the Burleigh County States Attorney’s office and Brocker, and not being able to subpoena certain witnesses in the case.
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Lawmaker used 'homophobic, racially abusive and discriminatory' language during DUI arrest
"Your country is being taken over by f***** migrants and refugees," Rios told him from the back seat.
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"You're arresting me for driving home, and people are coming to your country and raping your women," he continued.
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During the drive, Rios called Welch "pathetic and weak." He told him he's a "f***** coward" and a "motherf*****" and a "c********r traitor."
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Voter outreach aims to ease election access for new US citizens
Carol Sawicki, treasurer of the North Dakota League of Women Voters, commended staff in the secretary of state’s office for reaching out to people whose identification cards reflect permanent or temporary status.
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“It’s an important outreach,” she said. “But I worry it won’t continue beyond this year.”
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She also expressed concerns about the law. The league testified against the bill when it was debated by lawmakers earlier this year.
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“We believe everyone who is legally able to vote should not have extra hoops to jump through,” Sawicki said. “Proving citizenship is an extra burden.”
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David French, NYT Columnist, talks about the Insurrection Act
Joel Heitkamp is joined on "News and Views" by David French, an Opinion Columnist for the News York Times. David writes about law, culture, religion, and armed conflict for the New York Times. In 2019, he started The Dispatch, a conservative media company and also became a contributing writer for The Atlantic. He and Joel have a conversation about antisemitism in the United States, as well as his take on the Insurrection Act and why it's so dangerous.
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North Dakota abortion ban challenged, with focus on medical exception
The ban effectively requires “some symptom of an illness or some sign that a physician can point to” proving an immediate abortion is necessary, Meetra Mehdizadeh, the lead counsel for the plaintiffs and an attorney for the New York-based Center for Reproductive Rights, said at the hearing.
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But health care isn’t always that black and white, she said. A pregnant patient may have a health condition a doctor expects to eventually pose a “serious health risk,” be symptom-free most of their pregnancy, then suddenly develop complications that threaten the lives of both the mother and the fetus.
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North Dakota law gives us options for ending this 'hot potato' game
To say that Lawyer's office is uninterested in pursuing this is an understatement. Her office now employs Liz Brocker, the assistant who ordered the destruction of public records, and who is a subject of the investigation. Not only does that present a massive conflict of interest for that office, but it's a tacit admission of Lawyer's own biases in the case.
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It's hard to believe she sees this as a serious situation when she hired one of the people at the center of the controversies.
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Letter: A possible America on January 20, 2025
The GOP seeks to dismantle the existing federal government (republic) and to replace it with a version closer to that of Trump’s MAGA party (authoritarian).
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“Established in 2022, the project seeks to recruit tens of thousands of conservatives in Washington. D.C., to replace existing federal civil service workers it characterized as the ‘deep state,’ to further the objectives of the next Republican president. The plan would perform a swift takeover of the entire executive branch under the maximalist version of unitary executive theory - a theory proposing the president of the United States has absolute power of the executive branch - upon inauguration.” (Project 2025)
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Responsibility for any criminal prosecution in building cost overrun investigation still unclear
Wrigley in June 2022 disclosed a $1.7 million building cost overrun incurred under Stenehjem, who died in January 2022 at age 68 due to cardiac arrest. An investigative report prepared for lawmakers by State Auditor Josh Gallion noted Rep. Jason Dockter, R-Bismarck, as a co-owner of the attorney general’s leased building at 1720 Burlington Drive in south Bismarck. Dockter also co-owns the property management company that upgraded the building.
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Don't miss these national stories!
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Consumer confidence pops in the last month of a year that repeatedly dodged recession forecasts
The Conference Board reported Wednesday that its Consumer Confidence Index, a measure of how Americans feel about business conditions and the United States’ job market, rose to 110.7 in December, up from 101.0 in November. A component gauge of consumers’ expectations for the next six months saw the largest one-month jump since July.
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Harris: Trump’s ‘poisoning the blood’ comment ‘rightly’ being compared to Hitler
“I was raised knowing that there will be some people who will use their voice in a way that is meant to dehumanize, meant to suggest that the vast majority of us don’t have anything in common, when, in fact, the vast majority of us have more in common than what separates us,” Harris said.
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“And I would interpret it, I think, then as I do now, which is, it is language that is meant to divide us,” she continued. “It is language that I think people have rightly found similar to the language of Hitler. And I think it’s just critically important that we remind each other, including our children, that the true measure of the strength of a leader is based not on who they beat down, but who they lift up.”
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Colorado Supreme Court declares Donald Trump is ineligible for the White House
“People get their news where they get their news,” he added. “So I think to the extent that there is a sort of negativity bias both in the mainstream media and on social media… that could certainly lead—whether it’s intentional or not—it could lead people to have this feeling that things are going worse than they actually are.”
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Nikki Haley’s history on abortion policy includes backing strict bans in S.C.
In 2010, Haley co-sponsored a bill proposing that life begins at fertilization, with due process and equal protection both applying to embryos, essentially imposing a complete ban on abortion. The bill, which died in committee, did not include any exceptions — not for rape, incest or the life and health of the mother.
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Biden Campaign Tears Into Trump on Abortion Ahead of Iowa Visit: ‘People Want More Freedom, Not Less’ (Exclusive)
"Because of Donald Trump, women in the Midwest and across the country are facing relentless attacks on the fundamental freedom to make their own health care decisions," the statement reads. "Take it from Trump himself: The extreme abortion bans MAGA Republicans have signed into law would not be possible if not for his presidency."
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Judge orders Rudy Giuliani to start paying Georgia election workers $146 million
An eight-person jury in Washington, D.C., awarded Freeman and Moss over $148 million in damages last week after the judge found Giuliani liable for repeatedly defaming them by falsely accusing them of carrying out election fraud in Georgia during the 2020 presidential election. In her order Wednesday, Howell reduced the verdict by roughly $2 million to reflect damages the pair were paid in a settlement last year with the other defendant in the case, the TV network OAN.
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Everyone expected a recession. The Fed and White House found a way out.
Yet the economy is ending the year in a remarkably better position than almost anyone on Wall Street or in mainstream economics had predicted, having bested just about all expectations time and again. Inflation has dropped to 3.1 percent, from a peak of 9.1. The unemployment rate is at a hot 3.7 percent, and the economy grew at a healthy clip in the most recent quarter. The Fed is probably finished hiking interest rates and is eyeing cuts next year. Financial markets are at or near all-time highs, and the S&P 500 could hit a new record this week, too.
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Sen. Tuberville drops remaining holds on senior military promotions
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Tuberville had blocked all military promotions since February in what he said was a protest against a Pentagon policy that pays for service members' travel to seek abortion care.
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Earlier in December, he dropped his holds for everyone nominated for promotions other than to four-star general without securing any policy concessions.
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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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Grassroots organizers are the lifeblood of the Dem-NPL! Sign up to volunteer with the Dem-NPL!
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