Plain Talk With Rob Port

Gov. Kelly Armstrong, by his own admission, went out on a limb when he backed a slate of traditional Republican candidates this primary season against a populist faction that has captured control of the NDGOP and censured him, twice. The gamble paid off. Armstrong-backed candidates made nearly a clean sweep in the primaries, but if you ask the governor about it, all the credit goes to the candidates. "They knocked doors. They handed out palm cards. They didn't cut Facebook videos. They didn't complain," he said. "They went out there. They did the hard work it takes to win an election and they talked about moving North Dakota forward, not how bad they hated North Dakota. That's not what North Dotans want to hear." Armstrong was also critical of the excuses coming from the populist faction about why they lost the election. "Three things I've learned today. One is it's pretty hard to complain about turnout when you think a group of 30 people should decide who your candidate is," he said. "Two, anybody who disagrees with the opposing side is an uneducated voter. And three, anybody who disagrees with them is a is a special interest." "How about quit making excuses, quit being a victim, go win elections," he added. "Go out there and do the work." Armstrong also addressed populists -- particularly activist Brandon Prichard, whose group Citizens Alliance of North Dakota was very active in the primary -- trying to align with him in the last days of the election. "It's too cute by half by somebody who thinks he's smarter than everybody else," the governor said. Also on this episode, me and co-host Chad Oban analyze the primary results from around the state, as well as the mayoral and city commission races in Fargo. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

Gov. Kelly Armstrong, by his own admission, went out on a limb when he backed a slate of traditional Republican candidates this primary season against a populist faction that has captured control of the NDGOP and censured him, twice. The gamble paid off. Armstrong-backed candidates made nearly a clean sweep in the primaries, but if you ask the governor about it, all the credit goes to the candidates. "They knocked doors. They handed out palm cards. They didn't cut Facebook videos. They didn't complain," he said. "They went out there. They did the hard work it takes to win an election and they talked about moving North Dakota forward, not how bad they hated North Dakota. That's not what North Dotans want to hear." Armstrong was also critical of the excuses coming from the populist faction about why they lost the election. "Three things I've learned today. One is it's pretty hard to complain about turnout when you think a group of 30 people should decide who your candidate is," he said. "Two, anybody who disagrees with the opposing side is an uneducated voter. And three, anybody who disagrees with them is a is a special interest." "How about quit making excuses, quit being a victim, go win elections," he added. "Go out there and do the work." Armstrong also addressed populists -- particularly activist Brandon Prichard, whose group Citizens Alliance of North Dakota was very active in the primary -- trying to align with him in the last days of the election. "It's too cute by half by somebody who thinks he's smarter than everybody else," the governor said. Also on this episode, me and co-host Chad Oban analyze the primary results from around the state, as well as the mayoral and city commission races in Fargo. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

North Dakota is in the midst of a heated, divisive primary between traditional Republicans and populists. Who will win in key legislative races around the state? Who will advance to the general election in some of the competitive statewide races? Who will be the next mayor of Fargo, and will that ballot measure implementing a single-subject rule for proposed constitutional amendments pass? Me and co-host Chad Oban make our predictions. Also on this episode, Sen. Michelle Axtman, who is in the midst of one of those heated primaries in Bismarck-area District 7, talks about a new survey about technology in schools. Lawmakers passed legislation to ban cell phone use in schools by students, but what about technology that's provided by the schools? Are students on Chromebooks and tablets too much? Axtman and a coalition of other state leaders -- including Superintendent Levi Bachmeier, Lt. Gov. Michelle Strinden, and First Lady Kjersti Armstrong -- have commissioned a study asking for input from educators, administrators, parents, and the public. "I'm a STEM person as a pilot. Technology is a big part of learning that industry as well," she said. "None of us want to get rid of technology, wipe it out of the classrooms." But they are trying to find out what the right balance is. As for her primary race, Axtman admitted to being "nervous" about it, but added that nobody running for elected office should take it for granted. She says she's happy with the race she's running. "I'm really proud of the fact that we've focused on what things we are going to do if elected rather than slamming our opponents or doing anything like that," she said. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

North Dakota is in the midst of a heated, divisive primary between traditional Republicans and populists. Who will win in key legislative races around the state? Who will advance to the general election in some of the competitive statewide races? Who will be the next mayor of Fargo, and will that ballot measure implementing a single-subject rule for proposed constitutional amendments pass? Me and co-host Chad Oban make our predictions. Also on this episode, Sen. Michelle Axtman, who is in the midst of one of those heated primaries in Bismarck-area District 7, talks about a new survey about technology in schools. Lawmakers passed legislation to ban cell phone use in schools by students, but what about technology that's provided by the schools? Are students on Chromebooks and tablets too much? Axtman and a coalition of other state leaders -- including Superintendent Levi Bachmeier, Lt. Gov. Michelle Strinden, and First Lady Kjersti Armstrong -- have commissioned a study asking for input from educators, administrators, parents, and the public. "I'm a STEM person as a pilot. Technology is a big part of learning that industry as well," she said. "None of us want to get rid of technology, wipe it out of the classrooms." But they are trying to find out what the right balance is. As for her primary race, Axtman admitted to being "nervous" about it, but added that nobody running for elected office should take it for granted. She says she's happy with the race she's running. "I'm really proud of the fact that we've focused on what things we are going to do if elected rather than slamming our opponents or doing anything like that," she said. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

How does Sen. John Hoeven defined sucess? Before he recorded this interview with us at the Blue Rider Bar in downtown Minot, he'd been touring projects in the city, including what he described as a nearly culminated, decades-long effort to turn a former landfill and Superfund site into something useful for the community. "We're up here today talking about how we basically, this summer now, are going to get approval after 30 years for that landfill and we're going to turn it into a recreation site and it's going to start this summer,"He said. "But that was 30 years in the making and it didn't just happen on its own." "To me, that's that's what this business is all about," he continued. He sees the "Crack the Code 2.0" effort similarly. The original "crack the code" initiative began back when he was governor, and it was aimed at fostering horizontal drilling and fracking technology to unlock North Dakota's oil reserves. That preciptated the Bakken oil boom. The 2.0 initiative is about enhanced oil recovery, to unlock the 80 to 85% of oil in a typical well in North Dakota that's left behind. This is vital, because currently North Dakota's oil fields are in their decline phase. "We've already declined 400,000 barrels a day," Hoeven said. "And we can't punch enough holes anymore to stay at that level. We're going to continue to decline unless we use enhanced oil recovery techniques." But that's going to require carbon, and carbon pipelines, and right now those things are deeply unpopular with many landowners who need to sign on to make them possible. The opposition been so fierce, that a long-planned carbon pipeline from Summit Carbon Solutions that was to bring carbon to North Dakota is now going to Wyoming. "You got to win the hearts and minds, guys," Hoeven said of the Summit project, "and that's what didn't happen there." Speaking of which, Hoeven, a former governor, also weighed in on the accusations against current Gov. Kelly Armstrong which suggest he's doing something illegal by supporting his preferred legislative candidates. Hoeven says Armstrong is "doing what he's entitled to do." Sen. Hoeven also discussed the ongoing war in Iran, his efforts to stablize the agriculture economy amid trade wars and soaring input costs, and his reaction to President Donald Trump essentially ending Texas Sen. John Cornyn's career in Congress by endorsing his opponent Ken Paxton (Hoeven had been backing Cornyn). Also on this episode, co-host Chad Oban and I talk about next week's June primary. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

How does Sen. John Hoeven defined sucess? Before he recorded this interview with us at the Blue Rider Bar in downtown Minot, he'd been touring projects in the city, including what he described as a nearly culminated, decades-long effort to turn a former landfill and Superfund site into something useful for the community. "We're up here today talking about how we basically, this summer now, are going to get approval after 30 years for that landfill and we're going to turn it into a recreation site and it's going to start this summer,"He said. "But that was 30 years in the making and it didn't just happen on its own." "To me, that's that's what this business is all about," he continued. He sees the "Crack the Code 2.0" effort similarly. The original "crack the code" initiative began back when he was governor, and it was aimed at fostering horizontal drilling and fracking technology to unlock North Dakota's oil reserves. That preciptated the Bakken oil boom. The 2.0 initiative is about enhanced oil recovery, to unlock the 80 to 85% of oil in a typical well in North Dakota that's left behind. This is vital, because currently North Dakota's oil fields are in their decline phase. "We've already declined 400,000 barrels a day," Hoeven said. "And we can't punch enough holes anymore to stay at that level. We're going to continue to decline unless we use enhanced oil recovery techniques." But that's going to require carbon, and carbon pipelines, and right now those things are deeply unpopular with many landowners who need to sign on to make them possible. The opposition been so fierce, that a long-planned carbon pipeline from Summit Carbon Solutions that was to bring carbon to North Dakota is now going to Wyoming. "You got to win the hearts and minds, guys," Hoeven said of the Summit project, "and that's what didn't happen there." Speaking of which, Hoeven, a former governor, also weighed in on the accusations against current Gov. Kelly Armstrong which suggest he's doing something illegal by supporting his preferred legislative candidates. Hoeven says Armstrong is "doing what he's entitled to do." Sen. Hoeven also discussed the ongoing war in Iran, his efforts to stablize the agriculture economy amid trade wars and soaring input costs, and his reaction to President Donald Trump essentially ending Texas Sen. John Cornyn's career in Congress by endorsing his opponent Ken Paxton (Hoeven had been backing Cornyn). Also on this episode, co-host Chad Oban and I talk about next week's June primary. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

Public Service Commissioner Jill Kringstad didn't attend the North Dakota Republican Party's state convention, alongside every other statewide Republican incumbent. Thus, she doesn't have the party's endorsement, but neither does her opponent, Chris Olson. She was appointed to her job by Gov. Kelly Armstrong, and has his backing, and told us, during a live recording of Plain Talk at the Blue Rider bar in Minot, that being on the campaign trail for the first time, she's enjoying talking to the voters. "Just to meet them and hear them and hear them talk about how they're saying, you know, we're telling our friends, we're telling our families." Data centers have been a hot topic this election cycle. Kringstad said the PSC is already involved in ensuring that those power-hungry developments don't drive up rates when they pull electricity from utilities regulated by the PSC, but that ultimately she's a regulator. The state probably needs some new laws for data centers, and the PSC doesn't make laws. "We're not here setting policy. What we're doing is we're operating within the confines of the laws and the rules that are passed by the legislature," she said, noting that there's an ongoing interim study about the issue, and that she expects a lot of debate over data centers during legislative session next year. We live in very polarized time, but Kringstad also acknowledged during the interview that she has some bipartisanship in her family. The candidate said she's been involved in Republican politics since she was nine years old, when her parents were helping out with then-Gov. John Hoeven's campaign, but her sister is a district chair for the North Dakota Democratic-NPL. "We have different views on politics and that's ok," Kringstad said. "We don't discuss everything, but the things that we do discuss, we have very substantive back and forth discussions that are respectful and we always walk away and say, 'Okay, you have your opinion. I have mine. I just see things differently and I love you anyway.'" Also on this episode, Minot Mayor Mark Jantzer talked with me and co-host Chad Oban about how his community is handling a new budgeting reality after the legislature imposed a 3% cap on spending growth as a part of sweeping property tax reform. He explained that to manage the budget under these constraints, the city of Minot has primarily relied on utilizing its reserves to reduce property taxes over the last two budgets, but he warned that this is "not sustainable," and said that by 2027 the city would have to make cuts and find new revenues. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode.

Public Service Commissioner Jill Kringstad didn't attend the North Dakota Republican Party's state convention, alongside every other statewide Republican incumbent. Thus, she doesn't have the party's endorsement, but neither does her opponent, Chris Olson. She was appointed to her job by Gov. Kelly Armstrong, and has his backing, and told us, during a live recording of Plain Talk at the Blue Rider bar in Minot, that beingon the campaign trail for the first time, she's enjoying talking to the voters. "Just to meet them and hear them and hear them talk about how they're saying, you know, we're telling our friends, we're telling our families." Data centers have been a hot topic this election cycle. Kringstad said the PSC is already involved in ensuring that those power-hungry developments don't drive up rates when they pull electricity from utilities regulated by the PSC, but that ultimately she's a regulator. The state probably needs some new laws for data centers, and the PSC doesn't make laws. "We're not here setting policy. What we're doing is we're operating within the confines of the laws and the rules that are passed by the legislature," she said, noting that there's an ongoing interim study about the issue, and that she expects a lot of debate over data centers during legislative session next year. We live in very polarized time, but Kringstad also acknowledged during the interview that she has some bipartisanship in her family. The candidate said she's been involved in Republican politics since she was nine years old, when her parents were helping out with then-Gov. John Hoeven's campaign, but her sister is a district chair for the North Dakota Democratic-NPL. "We have different views on politics and that's ok," Kringstad said. "We don't discuss everything, but the things that we do discuss, we have very substantive back and forth discussions that are respectful and we always walk away and say, 'Okay, you have your opinion. I have mine. I just see things differently and I love you anyway.'" Also on this episode, Minot Mayor Mark Jantzer talked with me and co-host Chad Oban about how his community is handling a new budgeting reality after the legislature imposed a 3% cap on spending growth as a part of sweeping property tax reform. He explained that to manage the budget under these constraints, the city of Minot has primarily relied on utilizing its reserves to reduce property taxes over the last two budgets, but he warned that this is "not sustainable," and said that by 2027 the city would have to make cuts and find new revenues. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

Rep. Dawson Holle, a Republican from District 31, is involved in a four-way race for two House seats. He, along with fellow House incumbent Rep. Karen Rohr, didn't receive the NDGOP's convention endorsement. Many of the NDGOP's incumbents haven't been endorsed amid a rift in the party between traditionally conservative Republicans and a populist faction that wants to take Nort Dakota in a different direction. Holle says his losing the endorsement had as much to do with gamesmanship and geography as the intent of voters. "I think that there's a lot of things that go on behind the scene that often time people don't see see when it comes to a district as big as mine," Holle told us on this episode of Plain Talk (District 31 encompasses all or parts of four counties). "Our district meeting was on a Wednesday at 7:00 at night," he continued. "The weather was okay, but it was an hour and a half drive from my house, and trying to get supporters there is a hard time." Still Holle, who was, at 18 years old, the youngest person elected to the Legislature in state history, says he's not changing how he approaches the race amid intra party turbulence. "Affordability is hurting everyone," he said. "No matter what aspect or what industry you're in -- from farming where we've seen a lot of the costs have risen astronomically across the board, to it's just a single mom with three kids that just is trying to pay your bills -- affordability is really the breadandbut issue." Also on this episode, Josh Askvig, state director for the AARP, talked with me and guest co-host Megan Indvik about the prevelance of older voters in North Dakota's primary elections, as well as some of the generational friction between so-called "boomers" and younger generations, and the common ground these voters can find with one another. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

Rep. Dawson Holle, a Republican from District 31, is involved in a four-way race for two House seats. He, along with fellow House incumbent Rep. Karen Rohr, didn't receive the NDGOP's convention endorsement. Many of the NDGOP's incumbents haven't been endorsed amid a rift in the party between traditionally conservative Republicans and a populist faction that wants to take Nort Dakota in a different direction. Holle says his losing the endorsement had as much to do with gamesmanship and geography as the intent of voters. "I think that there's a lot of things that go on behind the scene that often time people don't see see when it comes to a district as big as mine," Holle told us on this episode of Plain Talk (District 31 encompasses all or parts of four counties). "Our district meeting was on a Wednesday at 7:00 at night," he continued. "The weather was okay, but it was an hour and a half drive from my house, and trying to get supporters there is a hard time." Still Holle, who was, at 18 years old, the youngest person elected to the Legislature in state history, says he's not changing how he approaches the race amid intra party turbulence. "Affordability is hurting everyone," he said. "No matter what aspect or what industry you're in -- from farming where we've seen a lot of the costs have risen astronomically across the board, to it's just a single mom with three kids that just is trying to pay your bills -- affordability is really the breadandbut issue." Also on this episode, Josh Askvig, state director for the AARP, talked with me and guest co-host Megan Indvik about the prevelance of older voters in North Dakota's primary elections, as well as some of the generational friction between so-called "boomers" and younger generations, and the common ground these voters can find with one another. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

"It's hard to do enhanced oil recovery," Charles Gorecki said during a Plain Talk podcast interview from the Williston Basin Petroleum Conference. Gorecki is the head of the Energy & Environmental Research Center at the Univeresity of North Dakota. That organization conducts exploratory research explicitly driven by North Dakota's industrial and environmental needs. Stuff like how to reduce flaring, how to build safer pipelines and how to enhance oil recovery. The theme of the conference, which brings together all the major players in North Dakota's oil and gas industry, was "cracking the code," which is a reference to on-going efforts for enhanced oil recovery. Something that could perhaps set off a second oil boom, and prolong the oil and gas industry's prodigious contributions to North Dakota's economic prosperity and tax revenues. Gorecki said there are many promising paths to enhanced oil recovery, but using captured carbon emissions to unlock more oil from wells is one of the most promising. The problem? We don't have enough of it. "I've talked about CO2 being the thing that we need in massive quantities, hundreds of billions of tons to really unlock the Bakken," he told us. "For context, our coal fire power plants in the state of North Dakota produce annually about 30 million tons of CO2," he continued. "So it would take all the coal fire power plant CO2 emissions captured times three or more to really enhance that recovery to have what we would consider basically volumetrically a second boom in the Bakken." But getting that carbon to North Dakota has proven politically fraught. Opposition to a carbon pipeline proposed by Summit Carbon Solutions has caused that project to be rerouted to Wyoming, and while some of that outcome had to do with Summit's aggressive and ham-handed approach to landowners, there's no question that there's a noisy and organized movement against carbon pipelines in general. Gorecki told us "there's a lot of misinformation" about the issue. "We transport things in a number of different ways in this country. We transport them by truck, by train, by pipeline," he said. "And by far the safest way to transport large amounts of of liquids and gases is in pipelines." Also on this episode, me and guest co-host Alison Ritter talked about the controversies around data centers, and carbon pipelines, and whether too many in the public are taking North Dakota's economic prosperity for granted. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

"It's hard to do enhanced oil recovery," Charles Gorecki said during a Plain Talk podcast interview from the Williston Basin Petroleum Conference. Gorecki is the head of the Energy & Environmental Research Center at the Univeresity of North Dakota. That organization conducts exploratory research explicitly driven by North Dakota's industrial and environmental needs. Stuff like how to reduce flaring, how to build safer pipelines and how to enhance oil recovery. The theme of the conference, which brings together all the major players in North Dakota's oil and gas industry, was "cracking the code," which is a reference to on-going efforts for enhanced oil recovery. Something that could perhaps set off a second oil boom, and prolong the oil and gas industry's prodigious contributions to North Dakota's economic prosperity and tax revenues. Gorecki said there are many promising paths to enhanced oil recovery, but using captured carbon emissions to unlock more oil from wells is one of the most promising. The problem? We don't have enough of it. "I've talked about CO2 being the thing that we need in massive quantities, hundreds of billions of tons to really unlock the Bakken," he told us. "For context, our coal fire power plants in the state of North Dakota produce annually about 30 million tons of CO2," he continued. "So it would take all the coal fire power plant CO2 emissions captured times three or more to really enhance that recovery to have what we would consider basically volumetrically a second boom in the Bakken." But getting that carbon to North Dakota has proven politically fraught. Opposition to a carbon pipeline proposed by Summit Carbon Solutions has caused that project to be rerouted to Wyoming, and while some of that outcome had to do with Summit's aggressive and ham-handed approach to landowners, there's no question that there's a noisy and organized movement against carbon pipelines in general. Gorecki told us "there's a lot of misinformation" about the issue. "We transport things in a number of different ways in this country. We transport them by truck, by train, by pipeline," he said. "And by far the safest way to transport large amounts of of liquids and gases is in pipelines." Also on this episode, me and guest co-host Alison Ritter talked about the controversies around data centers, and carbon pipelines, and whether too many in the public are taking North Dakota's economic prosperity for granted. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

Recently-appointed Department of Energy Undersecretary Kyle Haustveit says that when people talk about transitioning on energy sources, they aren't talking about reality. "We've never transitioned from any fuel source in the world in the history of mankind," he said on this episode of Plain Talk, recording with us from the Williston Basin Petroleum Conference in Bismarck. "We consume more wood and dung or biomass today than we ever have before. Same with coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear, wind, solar, geothermal." "The charts are all up and to the right," he added. Going forward, we need to start by asking what we need from our energy? Is it low prices? Low carbon intensity? "What do you have available in your region? How do we prioritize responsible development to maintain affordable, reliable, secure energy for the people that need it most?" he said we should be asking. Also, he says we need to grow to meet new demands for power. "For years, it's been far too easy to stop things and far too hard to start building things," he said, crediting President Donald Trump's administration with changing some of that. Also on this episode, Supreme Court Justice Jerod Tufte and Cass County State's Attorney Kim Hegvik join to celebrate North Dakota's drug courts or, to use the new terminology, treatment courts. These are specialized proceedings in the criminal justice system that still prioritize accountability for crimes, but also focus on helping people solve problems. They were called drug courts because they started out focusing on addiction, though these days there are lots of different types, including some specializing in the specific issues veterans might face. "Right now we run most of these at close to capacity, and so we have a pretty good population of people that have shown that they are high-risk, high need," Justice Tufte said. "So these aren't the lowest level, first-time offenders. These are people that by and large would be incarcerated if they weren't in a drug drug court or a treatment court program." Hegvik and Tufte said the treatment courts save the state money by keeping offenders out of jail, and they also reduce recidivism. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

Recently-appointed Department of Energy Undersecretary Kyle Haustveit says that when people talk about transitioning on energy sources, they aren't talking about reality. "We've never transitioned from any fuel source in the world in the history of mankind," he said on this episode of Plain Talk, recording with us from the Williston Basin Petroleum Conference in Bismarck. "We consume more wood and dung or biomass today than we ever have before. Same with coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear, wind, solar, geothermal." "The charts are all up and to the right," he added. Going forward, we need to start by asking what we need from our energy? Is it low prices? Low carbon intensity? "What do you have available in your region? How do we prioritize responsible development to maintain affordable, reliable, secure energy for the people that need it most?" he said we should be asking. Also, he says we need to grow to meet new demands for power. "For years, it's been far too easy to stop things and far too hard to start building things," he said, crediting President Donald Trump's administration with changing some of that. Also on this episode, Supreme Court Justice Jerod Tufte and Cass County State's Attorney Kim Hegvik join to celebrate North Dakota's drug courts or, to use the new terminology, treatment courts. These are specialized proceedings in the criminal justice system that still prioritize accountability for crimes, but also focus on helping people solve problems. They were called drug courts because they started out focusing on addiction, though these days there are lots of different types, including some specializing in the specific issues veterans might face. "Right now we run most of these at close to capacity, and so we have a pretty good population of people that have shown that they are high-risk, high need," Justice Tufte said. "So these aren't the lowest level, first-time offenders. These are people that by and large would be incarcerated if they weren't in a drug drug court or a treatment court program." Hegvik and Tufte said the treatment courts save the state money by keeping offenders out of jail, and they also reduce recidivism. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

In this replay episode of Plain Talk, Rob and Chad speak with former North Dakota lawmaker Hamida Dakane about comments from President Donald Trump targeting the Somali community and the impact those remarks had across North Dakota and Minnesota. Dakane shares why the comments felt deeply personal, how children in immigrant families responded, and why she believes her community will continue moving forward despite the rhetoric surrounding immigration and identity. A former Fargo-area legislator and the first Black woman and first Muslim elected to the North Dakota Legislature, Dakane also reflects on her journey to North Dakota, the support she's found here, and why she still believes strongly in the region and its people. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, call or text 701-587-3141. Leave your name, where you're from, and your message — we may feature it on an upcoming episode.

In this replay episode of Plain Talk, Rob and Chad speak with former North Dakota lawmaker Hamida Dakane about comments from President Donald Trump targeting the Somali community and the impact those remarks had across North Dakota and Minnesota. Dakane shares why the comments felt deeply personal, how children in immigrant families responded, and why she believes her community will continue moving forward despite the rhetoric surrounding immigration and identity. A former Fargo-area legislator and the first Black woman and first Muslim elected to the North Dakota Legislature, Dakane also reflects on her journey to North Dakota, the support she's found here, and why she still believes strongly in the region and its people. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, call or text 701-587-3141. Leave your name, where you're from, and your message — we may feature it on an upcoming episode.

While Rob and Chad are out this week, we're revisiting one of the most talked-about interviews from the show — Fargo attorney Jay Greenwood's deep dive into the shocking wrongful arrest of Tennessee grandmother Angela Lipps. Lipps was arrested at gunpoint and jailed for months after Fargo Police used AI facial recognition technology to identify her as a suspect in a North Dakota bank fraud case. The problem? Evidence later showed she was in Tennessee at the time the crimes were committed. In this replay, Greenwood walks through how the case unfolded, why he believes law enforcement failed at multiple stages of the investigation, and what this incident says about the growing use of artificial intelligence in policing and criminal investigations. "It's just the best-case scenario for the Fargo PD is a nightmare," Greenwood says, describing the fallout from the case and the legal questions that remain unanswered. The episode also includes discussion on North Dakota's ongoing debate over data centers in coal country, plus listener feedback and commentary from guest co-host Jessica Bell.

While Rob and Chad are out this week, we're revisiting one of the most talked-about interviews from the show — Fargo attorney Jay Greenwood's deep dive into the shocking wrongful arrest of Tennessee grandmother Angela Lipps. Lipps was arrested at gunpoint and jailed for months after Fargo Police used AI facial recognition technology to identify her as a suspect in a North Dakota bank fraud case. The problem? Evidence later showed she was in Tennessee at the time the crimes were committed. In this replay, Greenwood walks through how the case unfolded, why he believes law enforcement failed at multiple stages of the investigation, and what this incident says about the growing use of artificial intelligence in policing and criminal investigations. "It's just the best-case scenario for the Fargo PD is a nightmare," Greenwood says, describing the fallout from the case and the legal questions that remain unanswered. The episode also includes discussion on North Dakota's ongoing debate over data centers in coal country, plus listener feedback and commentary from guest co-host Jessica Bell.

State Sen. Ryan Braunberger joined this episode of Plain Talk to discuss his run for North Dakota Secretary of State, election integrity, campaign finance transparency, redistricting, and the growing distrust many Americans have in public institutions. "I think we do a good job of running our elections," Braunberger said. "What I think the Secretary of State office could do better at is showing the receipts that we do good." Braunberger said North Dakota's elections are secure, but argued the state needs to do a better job educating the public on how elections actually work, including canvassing, vote counting, and voter ID verification. "Many politicians say elections are fine," he said, "but we don't tell them why they're secure and how they're secure." The conversation also covered campaign finance reporting, voter ID laws, redistricting fights, ballot measure transparency, and the challenge of maintaining trust in elections during a time of intense political division. Braunberger said he supports stronger enforcement of campaign finance laws and even suggested candidates who refuse to pay fines could potentially be barred from future ballots. Also on this episode, Rob Port and guest co-host Erin Oban discuss Measure 1 on the June ballot, voter ID access in rural communities, the lawsuit over North Dakota's political "false statements" law, and the growing challenge of balancing free speech with misinformation online. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode.

State Sen. Ryan Braunberger joined this episode of Plain Talk to discuss his run for North Dakota Secretary of State, election integrity, campaign finance transparency, redistricting, and the growing distrust many Americans have in public institutions. "I think we do a good job of running our elections," Braunberger said. "What I think the Secretary of State office could do better at is showing the receipts that we do good." Braunberger said North Dakota's elections are secure, but argued the state needs to do a better job educating the public on how elections actually work, including canvassing, vote counting, and voter ID verification. "Many politicians say elections are fine," he said, "but we don't tell them why they're secure and how they're secure." The conversation also covered campaign finance reporting, voter ID laws, redistricting fights, ballot measure transparency, and the challenge of maintaining trust in elections during a time of intense political division. Braunberger said he supports stronger enforcement of campaign finance laws and even suggested candidates who refuse to pay fines could potentially be barred from future ballots. Also on this episode, Rob Port and guest co-host Erin Oban discuss Measure 1 on the June ballot, voter ID access in rural communities, the lawsuit over North Dakota's political "false statements" law, and the growing challenge of balancing free speech with misinformation online. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode.

Our education is in decline. Lawmakers and other education leaders are lying about the use of Common Core curriculae. In fact, some of them intentionally want our schools and students to fail. That's what Charles Tuttle, a candidate for Superintendent of Public Schools, had to say on this episode of Plain Talk. "We've got a a major decline in our educational system. The direction hasn't changed," he claimed. "I think it's intentional," he continued, going on to say that he thinks "we've got a some that said when common core came in that they were going to dumb our kids down." Somewhat paradoxically, Tuttle said that school districts are spending too much money, but also that the state isn't investing enough. "We have the money. The state is not poor when it comes to money," he said. "So there should be no reason why we cannot fund every school in North Dakota. It says right in the constitution, the legislative assembly shall provide for a uniform system of free public schools throughout the state." He pointed to the school lunch debt that some schools carry as an example of something that should be the state's responsibility. So does that mean he supports a ballot measure that will likely appear on the November ballot to have the state cover the costs of school meals? Not necessarily. "The problem I have with that...is it goes in the constitution," he said, noting that the measure would be an amendment to the state constituiton and not statute. Also on this episode, me and guest co-host Erin Oban talk about Measure 1 on the June ballot, which would implement a single-subject requirement for constituitonal amendments proposed by ballot measure or the Legislature, and the controversy around the arrest of polarizing political organizer Jerol Gohrick, who is facing two felony counts of terrorizing after an altercation with a work crew operating on his land.

Our education is in decline. Lawmakers and other education leaders are lying about the use of Common Core curriculae. In fact, some of them intentionally want our schools and students to fail. That's what Charles Tuttle, a candidate for Superintendent of Public Schools, had to say on this episode of Plain Talk. "We've got a a major decline in our educational system. The direction hasn't changed," he claimed. "I think it's intentional," he continued, going on to say that he thinks "we've got a some that said when common core came in that they were going to dumb our kids down." Somewhat paradoxically, Tuttle said that school districts are spending too much money, but also that the state isn't investing enough. "We have the money. The state is not poor when it comes to money," he said. "So there should be no reason why we cannot fund every school in North Dakota. It says right in the constitution, the legislative assembly shall provide for a uniform system of free public schools throughout the state." He pointed to the school lunch debt that some schools carry as an example of something that should be the state's responsibility. So does that mean he supports a ballot measure that will likely appear on the November ballot to have the state cover the costs of school meals? Not necessarily. "The problem I have with that...is it goes in the constitution," he said, noting that the measure would be an amendment to the state constituiton and not statute. Also on this episode, me and guest co-host Erin Oban talk about Measure 1 on the June ballot, which would implement a single-subject requirement for constituitonal amendments proposed by ballot measure or the Legislature, and the controversy around the arrest of polarizing political organizer Jerol Gohrick, who is facing two felony counts of terrorizing after an altercation with a work crew operating on his land. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

Ariston Johnson is Watford City-based attorney who is challenging incumbent Supreme Court Justice Jerod Tufte, who is in the process of wrapping up his first 10-year term on the court. There are actually two Supreme Court races on the ballot this cycle. Justice Douglas Bahr is running to have his appointment by Gov. Doug Burgum to finish former Justice Gerald VandeWalle's term confirmed by voters. Why is Johnson challenging Tufte and not Bahr? He said it's because defeating Tufte would mean a full term on the court. Also, Bahr, a former government attorney, has more of the experience Johnson believes the state's top court needs. "Frankly, if the election ballot offered Ari Johnson or Douglas Bar, I would vote for Douglas Bar because the court needs that. perspective," Johnson said on this episode of Plain Talk. He also addressed the increased politicization of the judiciary. At the national level, U.S. Supreme Court justices are now routinely referred to by their ideologies. In other states, like Wisconsin, judicial elections have become hyper-partisan affairs. So far, that hasn't happened in North Dakota, and Johnson says he doesn't want it to. "I am myself generally apolitical. I don't bring my politics to work and I would not bring them to the Supreme Court," he said. "It is a nonpartisan race and it should be a nonpartisan job." "If the law compels a decision, then the Supreme Court should make that decision. If the law is wrong, the legislature should write a better law," he continued. "Judges shouldn't decide policy and they shouldn't decide law. They should apply the law under our constitutional system with the checks and balances." Also on this episode, me and former Gov. Ed Schafer, who served as a guest co-host, discussed the tragic passing of state Rep. Liz Conmy, the complications existing term limits laws impose on the process of appointing her replacement, and whether Measure 1, which would reform those current term limits laws, is something voters should support. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

Ariston Johnson is Watford City-based attorney who is challenging incumbent Supreme Court Justice Jerod Tufte, who is in the process of wrapping up his first 10-year term on the court. There are actually two Supreme Court races on the ballot this cycle. Justice Douglas Bahr is running to have his appointment by Gov. Doug Burgum to finish former Justice Gerald VandeWalle's term confirmed by voters. Why is Johnson challenging Tufte and not Bahr? He said it's because defeating Tufte would mean a full term on the court. Also, Bahr, a former government attorney, has more of the experience Johnson believes the state's top court needs. "Frankly, if the election ballot offered Ari Johnson or Douglas Bar, I would vote for Douglas Bar because the court needs that. perspective," Johnson said on this episode of Plain Talk. He also addressed the increased politicization of the judiciary. At the national level, U.S. Supreme Court justices are now routinely referred to by their ideologies. In other states, like Wisconsin, judicial elections have become hyper-partisan affairs. So far, that hasn't happened in North Dakota, and Johnson says he doesn't want it to. "I am myself generally apolitical. I don't bring my politics to work and I would not bring them to the Supreme Court," he said. "It is a nonpartisan race and it should be a nonpartisan job." "If the law compels a decision, then the Supreme Court should make that decision. If the law is wrong, the legislature should write a better law," he continued. "Judges shouldn't decide policy and they shouldn't decide law. They should apply the law under our constitutional system with the checks and balances." Also on this episode, me and former Gov. Ed Schafer, who served as a guest co-host, discussed the tragic passing of state Rep. Liz Conmy, the complications existing term limits laws impose on the process of appointing her replacement, and whether Measure 1, which would reform those current term limits laws, is something voters should support. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

North Dakota doesn't typically see competitive judicial races, particularly for the state Supreme Court. But even when voters do have a choice, the candidates themselves are prohibited by ethical considerations from campaigning the way other candidates do. They can't tell voters how they'd rule on a particular case, or, for incumbents, why they ruled the way they did on previous cases. But judicial candidates can be "reassuring people that that you understand the proper role of the court and that that you will apply the law as it's written and not become somebody that people worry will stray outside into policy aspects," Supreme Court Justice Jerod Tufte said on this episode of Plain Talk, featuring former Gov. Ed Schafer as a guest co-host. Tufte is concluding a 10-year term he was elected to in 2016, and campaigning for a new one. Tufte is facing a challenge from Watford City attorney Ari Johnson, who will be on a future episode of Plain Talk. Tufte says that a big part of the job is ruling on the law, and not public opinion. "We have to have a thick skin. We have to expect people will criticize our written opinions and find flaws, gaps or areas of disagreement ,and how we express our legal reasoning and how we apply to the the law to a particular case," he said. "But you have to just apply the law in every case regardless of what kind of person is before you, rich or poor or on one political team or the other, or part of one industry or another." "A lot of people focus on results rather than methods," Tufte added, noting that when the courts aren't producing the results the people want, they should ask legislators and executive branch officials for change. Also on this episode, Mark Watne, formerly the president of North Dakota Farmers Union, gives an agrarian perspective on North Dakota's ongoing efforts to celebrate America's 250th birthday. Go to ND250.com to learn more. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

North Dakota doesn't typically see competitive judicial races, particularly for the state Supreme Court. But even when voters do have a choice, the candidates themselves are prohibited by ethical considerations from campaigning the way other candidates do. They can't tell voters how they'd rule on a particular case, or, for incumbents, why they ruled the way they did on previous cases. But judicial candidates can be "reassuring people that that you understand the proper role of the court and that that you will apply the law as it's written and not become somebody that people worry will stray outside into policy aspects," Supreme Court Justice Jerod Tufte said on this episode of Plain Talk. Tufte is concluding a 10-year term he was elected to in 2016, and campaigning for a new one. Tufte is facing a challenge from Watford City attorney Ari Johnson, who will be on a future episode of Plain Talk. Tufte says that a big part of the job is ruling on the law, and not public opinion. "We have to have a thick skin. We have to expect people will criticize our written opinions and find flaws, gaps or areas of disagreement ,and how we express our legal reasoning and how we apply to the the law to a particular case," he said. "But you have to just apply the law in every case regardless of what kind of person is before you, rich or poor or on one political team or the other, or part of one industry or another." "A lot of people focus on results rather than methods," Tufte added, noting that when the courts aren't producing the results the people want, they should ask legislators and executive branch officials for change. Also on this episode, Mark Watne, formerly the president of North Dakota Farmers Union, gives an agrarian perspective on North Dakota's ongoing efforts to celebrate America's 250th birthday. Go to ND250.com to learn more. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

Last year, the City of Minot held a special mayoral election that made statewide headlines. In part, because the previous mayor had resigned in disgrace after sending a pornographic text message to the city attorney. In part, also, because of the cast of four candidates running to replace him, two of which had significant criminal records. Josiah Roise was one of those two -- he was charged with resisting arrest in Florida, and at one point was deemed a fugitive -- and he's running again this year against Mayor Mark Jantzer, who won last year's special election. Roise, who brands himself a "constituitonal mayor," got just 324 when he ran last time, though he attributes that at least in part to what he characterizes as vote fraud. "People that voted for me, people that I've never met before, all reported the same thing, which is that they put their ballot into the machine and it basically just eats it like an ATM will do that sometimes," he said on this episode of Plain Talk in an interview requested by his campaign. Roise says he made complaints to local and statewide election officials, though when pressed, he admitted that he hasn't brought the matter to court. He also claims to received input from the participant in a widely debunked film '2000 Mules' by political provacateur Dinesh D'Souza alleging fraud in the naitonal 2020 election, though even D'Souza himself has now backed away from its central claims. Roise, who filed a federal lawsuit against the Minot Police Department and Ward County Sheriff's Department over a search warrant executed on his property for bomb-making materials (an associate of Roise's later pleaded guilty to two felonies related to detonating a pipe bomb), also claims that local law enforcement attempted to plant drugs on his person. "I could smell the marijuana on the officers. And it's like, wow, my instincts were right not to comply, not to let them search my truck. They kept on saying, 'If you just let it s let us search it, we'll be out of here real quick.' They were going to plant it on me. So, it's like, I have zero trust in them," he said. Why does he call himself a constitutional candidate? "The biggest things are spending and government accountability," he said during our interview. "When you try and hold the government accountable,when you, you know, sue them or do whatever it is, it doesn't even really work because the system is kind of bent against the average American," he continued. "And we're just supposed to be a government of the people, by the people, for the people. It's not supposed to be this thing where the government rules over you. We're supposed to be on a level playing field." Roise says he'd like to cut $6 million from the City of Minot's budget, and proposed merging the Minot Police Department with the local sheriff's department under the theory that police department's aren't constitutional. He argued that the modern police department is a "bureaucracy" and a "British thing" that America's founding fathers deliberately chose not to include in the Constitution. "I thought we need to only have sheriffs and deputies because sheriffs are elected. Please chiefs are not," he said. "So, if you got a bad, abusive or corrupt police chief, how do you get rid of him? You have to convince the majority of the city council and the mayor that he's got to go, and that's their guy." Roise's theory about constitutional sheriffs was a key tenet in the Posse Comitatus movement of the 1970s founded by William Potter Gale. Perhaps the most infamous adherent of Gale's movement was Gordon Kahl, the leader of a Posse Comitatus chapter in Medina that got into a deadly standoff with U.S. Marshals in 1983. "In fact, the sheriff is the highest official in his county," Roise told us during the interview. "On his turf, he's about equal to governor. Like, the sheriff is above the mayor. He's above everybody else. The sheriff is the most powerful. And that's how it is in all 50 states." Also on this episode, guest co-host Rep. Zac Ista and I discuss a recent report commissioned by the legislature about term limits. The report found strong support for term limits, but also some confusion about who they apply to among voters. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

Last year, the City of Minot held a special mayoral election that made statewide headlines. In part, because the previous mayor had resigned in disgrace after sending a pornographic text message to the city attorney. In part, also, because of the cast of four candidates running to replace him, two of which had significant criminal records. Josiah Roise was one of those two -- he was charged with resisting arrest in Florida, and at one point was deemed a fugitive -- and he's running again this year against Mayor Mark Jantzer, who won last year's special election. Roise, who brands himself a "constituitonal mayor," got just 324 when he ran last time, though he attributes that at least in part to what he characterizes as vote fraud. "People that voted for me, people that I've never met before, all reported the same thing, which is that they put their ballot into the machine and it basically just eats it like an ATM will do that sometimes," he said on this episode of Plain Talk in an interview requested by his campaign. Roise says he made complaints to local and statewide election officials, though when pressed, he admitted that he hasn't brought the matter to court. He also claims to received input from the participant in a widely debunked film '2000 Mules' by political provacateur Dinesh D'Souza alleging fraud in the naitonal 2020 election, though even D'Souza himself has now backed away from its central claims. Roise, who filed a federal lawsuit against the Minot Police Department and Ward County Sheriff's Department over a search warrant executed on his property for bomb-making materials (an associate of Roise's later pleaded guilty to two felonies related to detonating a pipe bomb), also claims that local law enforcement attempted to plant drugs on his person. "I could smell the marijuana on the officers. And it's like, wow, my instincts were right not to comply, not to let them search my truck. They kept on saying, 'If you just let it s let us search it, we'll be out of here real quick.' They were going to plant it on me. So, it's like, I have zero trust in them," he said. Why does he call himself a constitutional candidate? "The biggest things are spending and government accountability," he said during our interview. "When you try and hold the government accountable,when you, you know, sue them or do whatever it is, it doesn't even really work because the system is kind of bent against the average American," he continued. "And we're just supposed to be a government of the people, by the people, for the people. It's not supposed to be this thing where the government rules over you. We're supposed to be on a level playing field." Roise says he'd like to cut $6 million from the City of Minot's budget, and proposed merging the Minot Police Department with the local sheriff's department under the theory that police department's aren't constitutional. He argued that the modern police department is a "bureaucracy" and a "British thing" that America's founding fathers deliberately chose not to include in the Constitution. "I thought we need to only have sheriffs and deputies because sheriffs are elected. Please chiefs are not," he said. "So, if you got a bad, abusive or corrupt police chief, how do you get rid of him? You have to convince the majority of the city council and the mayor that he's got to go, and that's their guy." Roise's theory about constitutional sheriffs was a key tenet in the Posse Comitatus movement of the 1970s founded by William Potter Gale. Perhaps the most infamous adherent of Gale's movement was Gordon Kahl, the leader of a Posse Comitatus chapter in Medina that got into a deadly standoff with U.S. Marshals in 1983. "In fact, the sheriff is the highest official in his county," Roise told us during the interview. "On his turf, he's about equal to governor. Like, the sheriff is above the mayor. He's above everybody else. The sheriff is the most powerful. And that's how it is in all 50 states." Also on this episode, guest co-host Rep. Zac Ista and I discuss a recent report commissioned by the legislature about term limits. The report found strong support for term limits, but also some confusion about who they apply to among voters. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

When Oliver County Commissioner Dave Berger -- a veteran of more than 50 years of local public service -- stepped down amid what he describes as an abusive and slanderous backlash over a data center proposed by Applied Digital, it illustrated the dark side of two debates. One is the debate over data centers. There are good arguments to be made on both sides of the debate, but some elements involved in it have become incapable of acknowledging that it's possible to disagree in good faith. The other is the debate over public service itself, and how difficult its become in an era where social media has made it possible for an angry and overwrought minority to hound those in public service. "The slander, the judgment of my character, my integrity. They just call it into question like I never existed before," Berger told us on this episode of Plain Talk, say he's been accused of taking bribes on the data center issue. "Then the calls with the swearing at me, you know, the f-word, the a-word. "If you want to have a conversation, I'll just lay [the phone] on the counter, they can cuss at the counter." "I've got nothing to hide," Berger added, noting that there have been open records requests filed for his communications and financial information. The ironic thing is that Berger says he hasn't actually made up his mind on whether Applied Digital should build a data center in Oliver County. "I have never told anyone but my wife how I feel about it because I'm not sure how I feel," Berger said. "And Dave with Applied Digital, when he first called...I just told him, I'm not sold on it. What you got to sell it to is the public. And that's that's how I got to base my opinions, right? You've got to listen to both sides." Berger is no longer in office -- he's said that he plans on spending more time with his family in retirement -- but he did have some advice for people who see stories like his and are afraid of serving in office: "Keep going forward," he said. Also on this episode, guest co-host Rep. Zac Ista and I talk about whether U.S. House candidate Trygve Hammer is trying to peel some populist voters away from incumbent U.S. Rep. Julie Fedorchak as well as the controversy of the U.S. Supreme Court's so-called "shadow docket." If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

When Oliver County Commissioner Dave Berger -- a veteran of more than 50 years of local public service -- stepped down amid what he describes as an abusive and slanderous backlash over a data center proposed by Applied Digital, it illustrated the dark side of two debates. One is the debate over data centers. There are good arguments to be made on both sides of the debate, but some elements involved in it have become incapable of acknowledging that it's possible to disagree in good faith. The other is the debate over public service itself, and how difficult its become in an era where social media has made it possible for an angry and overwrought minority to hound those in public service. "The slander, the judgment of my character, my integrity. They just call it into question like I never existed before," Berger told us on this episode of Plain Talk, say he's been accused of taking bribes on the data center issue. "Then the calls with the swearing at me, you know, the f-word, the a-word. "If you want to have a conversation, I'll just lay [the phone] on the counter, they can cuss at the counter." "I've got nothing to hide," Berger added, noting that there have been open records requests filed for his communications and financial information. The ironic thing is that Berger says he hasn't actually made up his mind on whether Applied Digital should build a data center in Oliver County. "I have never told anyone but my wife how I feel about it because I'm not sure how I feel," Berger said. "And Dave with Applied Digital, when he first called...I just told him, I'm not sold on it. What you got to sell it to is the public. And that's that's how I got to base my opinions, right? You've got to listen to both sides." Berger is no longer in office -- he's said that he plans on spending more time with his family in retirement -- but he did have some advice for people who see stories like his and are afraid of serving in office: "Keep going forward," he said. Also on this episode, guest co-host Rep. Zac Ista and I talk about whether U.S. House candidate Trygve Hammer is trying to peel some populist voters away from incumbent U.S. Rep. Julie Fedorchak as well as the controversy of the U.S. Supreme Court's so-called "shadow docket." If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

If you get into a scrape involving local government in North Dakota -- say a garbage truck side swipes your car, or you get hurt on park district property -- the organization you'd likely seek relief through is the North Dakota Insurance Reserve Fund. This is an entity created by local governments, and funded by local tax dollars, which acts essentially like an insurance company. But the organization has come under fire, with critics saying NDIRF can be ruthless when it comes to claims filed by the public, even as the organization passes along millions in conferments to its members. On this episode of Plain Talk, NDIRF CEO Keith Pic said the organization serves North Dakota by keeping costs down for local governments. "I think the important part here is that the coverages that we provide are unique to North Dakota," he said. "We can be responsive to North Dakota. We don't have the entire United States impacting the rates that would be charged for the risk that our political subdivisions have." I recently wrote an article critical of NDIRF over the organization's handling of the Northwood school bus crash, where dozens of students were injured. That happened back in 2023, but the litigation around it is still lingering, with some families and legal representatives blaming NDIRF for bogging the process down. "The easy thing for NDIRF in that situation would have been to just pay the $300,000 and just be done with it," Pic said, referring to the underinsured motorist coverage for the school district that is at issue. "But I think there would have been some major inequities that would happen or would have happened from that global settlement if we had participated in it. And here you had kids that were still treating well into 2025. Well, we don't know the extent of those injuries in 2024 when that global mediation happened." Pic also argued that the millions in conferments the organization has made back to local governments have nothing to do with claims decisions. "There's no thought as to how is this going to affect our financials. Our claims adjusters are very much examining, what is the legal liability? What's a legal standard as to what can make up this claim and is it an allowable claim to be paid?" he said. "Ultimately, the claims decisions are made afterwards after the year's over. We have an actuarial analysis that's completed to make sure that our our liabilities are set. So I think it's a misconception that there's this incentive uh to make that happen." Pic says he's an "open book" for critics. "I'm certainly hopeful that I can help resolve some of the issues that have come up. Every day is a day of improvement, little by little, and hopefully we can regain the public trust in what we do." Also on this episode, we talk about political troll Brandon Prichard directing inquiries about his organizations campaign finance disclosures to Saul Goodman, and the reality of North Dakota's three political parties. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

If you get into a scrape involving local government in North Dakota -- say a garbage truck side swipes your car, or you get hurt on park district property -- the organization you'd likely seek relief through is the North Dakota Insurance Reserve Fund. This is an entity created by local governments, and funded by local tax dollars, which acts essentially like an insurance company. But the organization has come under fire, with critics saying NDIRF can be ruthless when it comes to claims filed by the public, even as the organization passes along millions in conferments to its members. On this episode of Plain Talk, NDIRF CEO Keith Pic said the organization serves North Dakota by keeping costs down for local governments. "I think the important part here is that the coverages that we provide are unique to North Dakota," he said. "We can be responsive to North Dakota. We don't have the entire United States impacting the rates that would be charged for the risk that our political subdivisions have." I recently wrote an article critical of NDIRF over the organization's handling of the Northwood school bus crash, where dozens of students were injured. That happened back in 2023, but the litigation around it is still lingering, with some families and legal representatives blaming NDIRF for bogging the process down. "The easy thing for NDIRF in that situation would have been to just pay the $300,000 and just be done with it," Pic said, referring to the underinsured motorist coverage for the school district that is at issue. "But I think there would have been some major inequities that would happen or would have happened from that global settlement if we had participated in it. And here you had kids that were still treating well into 2025. Well, we don't know the extent of those injuries in 2024 when that global mediation happened." Pic also argued that the millions in conferments the organization has made back to local governments have nothing to do with claims decisions. "There's no thought as to how is this going to affect our financials. Our claims adjusters are very much examining, what is the legal liability? What's a legal standard as to what can make up this claim and is it an allowable claim to be paid?" he said. "Ultimately, the claims decisions are made afterwards after the year's over. We have an actuarial analysis that's completed to make sure that our our liabilities are set. So I think it's a misconception that there's this incentive uh to make that happen." Pic says he's an "open book" for critics. "I'm certainly hopeful that I can help resolve some of the issues that have come up. Every day is a day of improvement, little by little, and hopefully we can regain the public trust in what we do." Also on this episode, we talk about political troll Brandon Prichard directing inquiries about his organizations campaign finance disclosures to Saul Goodman, and the reality of North Dakota's three political parties. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

Sen. Kevin Cramer and I have had a running dispute over President Donald Trump and his approach to politics. Cramer says media critics like me are too focused on Trump's antics. I say people like Cramer are too muted in their own criticism. "I'm a United States senator from North Dakota who has a really good personal relationship with the president of the United States," Cramer said in defense of his stance on this episode of Plain Talk, "and there is a long list of advantages for the people of North Dakota because of that relationship." "This is not a place where you can burn a lot of bridges," he added. Cramer also accused the news media of not being focused enough on the accomplishments of the Trump era, including tax reform. "My complaint is not just that they aren't covering the tax cuts enough. It's that certain media outlets are so fascinated by the rants and raves of people about the evils of Donald Trump and Republicans, but they don't write about the accomplishments with the samem," he said. "In fact, they almost don't publish any of it." He also talked about the war President Donald Trump has launched against Iran, and whether it needs congressional approval.  "In the case of the War Powers Act, there's a pretty strong argument -- it's never been tested, mind you, but pretty strong argument -- that the War Powers Act as a piece of legislation as a power that Congress has passed in law is not even constitutional," he said. "But having said that, as it stands, the War Powers Act is what requires the president to, when he does enact a kinetic conflict like we're in with Iran right now, he has 60 days in which to either get out of it or inform Congress or he can extension." Cramer says he believes Trump should want congressional approval. Also on this interview, Cramer talks about his efforts to improve U.S. relations with Canada, and co-host Chad Oban and I discuss the out of state money funding Together for School Meals, the ballot measure campaign to have the state cover the cost of school meals for parents. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode.

Sen. Kevin Cramer and I have had a running dispute over President Donald Trump and his approach to politics. Cramer says media critics like me are too focused on Trump's antics. I say people like Cramer are too muted in their own criticism. "I'm a United States senator from North Dakota who has a really good personal relationship with the president of the United States," Cramer said in defense of his stance on this episode of Plain Talk, "and there is a long list of advantages for the people of North Dakota because of that relationship." "This is not a place where you can burn a lot of bridges," he added. Cramer also accused the news media of not being focused enough on the accomplishments of the Trump era, including tax reform. "My complaint is not just that they aren't covering the tax cuts enough. It's that certain media outlets are so fascinated by the rants and raves of people about the evils of Donald Trump and Republicans, but they don't write about the accomplishments with the samem," he said. "In fact, they almost don't publish any of it." He also talked about the war President Donald Trump has launched against Iran, and whether it needs congressional approval.  "In the case of the War Powers Act, there's a pretty strong argument -- it's never been tested, mind you, but pretty strong argument -- that the War Powers Act as a piece of legislation as a power that Congress has passed in law is not even constitutional," he said. "But having said that, as it stands, the War Powers Act is what requires the president to, when he does enact a kinetic conflict like we're in with Iran right now, he has 60 days in which to either get out of it or inform Congress or he can extension." Cramer says he believes Trump should want congressional approval. Also on this episode, Cramer talks about his efforts to improve U.S. relations with Canada, and co-host Chad Oban and I discuss the out of state money funding Together for School Meals, the ballot measure campaign to have the state cover the cost of school meals for parents. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode.

Corey Johnson is the chief of the Williston Fire Department and a candidate for the state House in District 23. Unlike one of the incumbents in District 23, state Rep. Nico Rios, who has made headlines with an ugly arrest for DUI and erratic behavior on social media, Johnson says he wants to cast his community and his region in a positive light. "I want a representative down in Bismarck that's going to be good on the policy and work to represent Williston and the northwest region, but also somebody that's going to represent us for who we actually are and not give us that negative image that comes back on our community from time to time. That is not what Williston is," he said on this episode of Plain Talk. Johnson is also the chair of the District 23 Republicans, and has received pushback on his candidacy from the populist faction of Republicans that has captured control of the state party, in part because he's opted to run in the June primary despite losing the endorsement at his local convention. He said that he brought his kids to that convention, even knowing he might lose, because "I want them to see failure." "I want them to see defeat and how you react to that and how you move forward," he continued. "But also, that is one step in the process and it didn't go the right way. It was a defeat, but it wasn't the end of the process. So, we moved on to round two and now we're going to the primary election. So, on principle, I think it's the right thing to do." Johnson says his experience as a first responder will bring an important perspective to the Legislature. As the state is coming in to a time when revenues may be dropping, Johnson says he's for trimming budgets, but not in an across-the-board way. He also said he'd like to work on the 3% cap on property tax increases passed during the last legislative session, particularly focusing on how it impacts smaller government entities like ambulance districts. Also on this episode, me and guest co-host Megan Indvik of Americans for Prosperity talk about the need for North Dakota to hit the reset button on its budget, how the state advances its tax code after property tax reform, and the controversy around the North Dakota Insurance Reserve Fund. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

Corey Johnson is the chief of the Williston Fire Department and a candidate for the state House in District 23. Unlike one of the incumbents in District 23, state Rep. Nico Rios, who has made headlines with an ugly arrest for DUI and erratic behavior on social media, Johnson says he wants to cast his community and his region in a positive light. "I want a representative down in Bismarck that's going to be good on the policy and work to represent Williston and the northwest region, but also somebody that's going to represent us for who we actually are and not give us that negative image that comes back on our community from time to time. That is not what Williston is," he said on this episode of Plain Talk. Johnson is also the chair of the District 23 Republicans, and has received pushback on his candidacy from the populist faction of Republicans that has captured control of the state party, in part because he's opted to run in the June primary despite losing the endorsement at his local convention. He said that he brought his kids to that convention, even knowing he might lose, because "I want them to see failure." "I want them to see defeat and how you react to that and how you move forward," he continued. "But also, that is one step in the process and it didn't go the right way. It was a defeat, but it wasn't the end of the process. So, we moved on to round two and now we're going to the primary election. So, on principle, I think it's the right thing to do." Johnson says his experience as a first responder will bring an important perspective to the Legislature. As the state is coming in to a time when revenues may be dropping, Johnson says he's for trimming budgets, but not in an across-the-board way. He also said he'd like to work on the 3% cap on property tax increases passed during the last legislative session, particularly focusing on how it impacts smaller government entities like ambulance districts. Also on this episode, me and guest co-host Megan Indvik of Americans for Prosperity talk about the need for North Dakota to hit the reset button on its budget, how the state advances its tax code after property tax reform, and the controversy around the North Dakota Insurance Reserve Fund.

When asked on this episode of Plain Talk about the justification that President Donald Trump's erratic regime of tariffs is necessary to flex America's economic might and negotiate better deals, John Bitzan, director of the Challey Institute at North Dakota State University, argued that the strategy has not worked. "We haven't gotten better deals out of this," he said. He pointed out that the goal of getting better deals was only used as a justification after the tariffs were already imposed. In a standard negotiation, "you tell people upfront what you're trying to negotiate...instead of putting the tariffs in place ahead of time," he said. Bitzan stated that if you look at the roughly 20 trade deals that have been made, they "are actually less beneficial to us than what existed prior to the tariffs." Plus, it's hard to say how meaningful the supposedly beneficial parts of those deals even are. He explained that commitments from entities like the European Union or South Korea to invest in the U.S. are likely hollow because they either lack the mechanism to compel private businesses to invest, or their parliaments haven't ratified the commitments. Recently Bitzan wrote a column for the Bismarck Tribune nothing that the State of North Dakota has had to step in with a loan program through the Bank of North Dakota to try and protect farmers from the impacts of these tariffs. "It is unusual for farmers to need this kind of support based on an action that has been taken by our government," he said.  "That's the thing that I think is very disturbing about this, is that you think about if there's a drought or some kind of a natural disaster or something like that, well, yeah, then farmers are going to experience financial difficulty and we want to help them out," he continued. "But this is a situation where we're actually causing the harm ourselves to them by our policies." Also on this episode, me and guest co-host Matt Fern discuss Rep. Julie Fedorchak's use of congressional franking privileges to promote her re-election campaign, former state lawmaker Judy Estenson pursuing the Republican nomination in a legislative district she doesn't live in, and we respond to listener feedback. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

When asked on this episode of Plain Talk about the justification that President Donald Trump's erratic regime of tariffs is necessary to flex America's economic might and negotiate better deals, John Bitzan, director of the Challey Institute at North Dakota State University, argued that the strategy has not worked. "We haven't gotten better deals out of this," he said. He pointed out that the goal of getting better deals was only used as a justification after the tariffs were already imposed. In a standard negotiation, "you tell people upfront what you're trying to negotiate...instead of putting the tariffs in place ahead of time," he said. Bitzan stated that if you look at the roughly 20 trade deals that have been made, they "are actually less beneficial to us than what existed prior to the tariffs." Plus, it's hard to say how meaningful the supposedly beneficial parts of those deals even are. He explained that commitments from entities like the European Union or South Korea to invest in the U.S. are likely hollow because they either lack the mechanism to compel private businesses to invest, or their parliaments haven't ratified the commitments. Recently Bitzan wrote a column for the Bismarck Tribune nothing that the State of North Dakota has had to step in with a loan program through the Bank of North Dakota to try and protect farmers from the impacts of these tariffs. "It is unusual for farmers to need this kind of support based on an action that has been taken by our government," he said.  "That's the thing that I think is very disturbing about this, is that you think about if there's a drought or some kind of a natural disaster or something like that, well, yeah, then farmers are going to experience financial difficulty and we want to help them out," he continued. "But this is a situation where we're actually causing the harm ourselves to them by our policies." Also on this episode, me and guest co-host Matt Fern discuss Rep. Julie Fedorchak's use of congressional franking privileges to promote her re-election campaign, former state lawmaker Judy Estenson pursuing the Republican nomination in a legislative district she doesn't live in, and we respond to listener feedback. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

What is civil asset forfeiture? It's the process through which law enforcement can "seize your property on the basis of suspicion that it's involved in a crime," Patrick Reasonover told us on this episode of Plain Talk. What's worse? The cops often get to keep the proceeds. Or, at least, their departments do. Reasonover is one of the producers of the documentary, "When Cops Become Robbers," which was recently screened by the Challey Institute at North Dakota State University. The film tells the stories of three people who had their money and property taken by law enforcement despite not having been involved in any crime. It also includes interviews with people on both sides of the issue. But the conclusion of the film is that civil asset forfeiture isn't anything like justice. "They need not arrest you or charge you with the crime," Reasonover said. "You need not be convicted for them to take and keep your property. You have to then prove the innocence of the property that it was not used to commit a crime or is the proceeds of a crime in order to get it back." In North Dakota, lawmakers have passed some reforms for civil asset forfeiture in recent legislative sessions. Police must now adhere to the "clear and convincing evidence" standard for linking seized property to a crime. There is also a conviction requirement, though it's a weak one, as it does not apply if the owner fails to contest the forfeiture in court or if the owner reaches a settlement with the state. State law also still provides a financial incentive for law enforcement to seize property by allowing them to keep the proceeds up to $200,000 per year (after which the revenues go to the state's general fund). Worst, perhaps, is that North Dakota still allows "equitable sharing" agreements with federal law enforcement, which is a handy way to do an end-run around state law. Reasonover says that's exactly how it was designed to work. "What's important to know about this equitable sharing loophole is it actually wasn't really designed as a loophole," he said. "The federal government designed this system to work exactly as it's working. They wanted to incentivize local police jurisdictions to get involved in the drug war. They wanted them to actively go out, pull over and seize money. And they wanted to incentivize them to do it." Local law enforcement still gets to keep the majority of the revenue from the seized property. "If they make it a federal seizure, which is super easy to do, then the local jurisdiction sends 20% of the money to the feds," Reasonover said. Also on this episode, me and co-host Chad Oban talk about the Afroman kerfuffle, the problem with always "backing the blue," and a conspiracy theory about the Byron Noem revelations. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

What is civil asset forfeiture? It's the process through which law enforcement can "seize your property on the basis of suspicion that it's involved in a crime," Patrick Reasonover told us on this episode of Plain Talk. What's worse? The cops often get to keep the proceeds. Or, at least, their departments do. Reasonover is one of the producers of the documentary, "When Cops Become Robbers," which was recently screened by the Challey Institute at North Dakota State University. The film tells the stories of three people who had their money and property taken by law enforcement despite not having been involved in any crime. It also includes interviews with people on both sides of the issue. But the conclusion of the film is that civil asset forfeiture isn't anything like justice. "They need not arrest you or charge you with the crime," Reasonover said. "You need not be convicted for them to take and keep your property. You have to then prove the innocence of the property that it was not used to commit a crime or is the proceeds of a crime in order to get it back." In North Dakota, lawmakers have passed some reforms for civil asset forfeiture in recent legislative sessions. Police must now adhere to the "clear and convincing evidence" standard for linking seized property to a crime. There is also a conviction requirement, though it's a weak one, as it does not apply if the owner fails to contest the forfeiture in court or if the owner reaches a settlement with the state. State law also still provides a financial incentive for law enforcement to seize property by allowing them to keep the proceeds up to $200,000 per year (after which the revenues go to the state's general fund). Worst, perhaps, is that North Dakota still allows "equitable sharing" agreements with federal law enforcement, which is a handy way to do an end-run around state law. Reasonover says that's exactly how it was designed to work. "What's important to know about this equitable sharing loophole is it actually wasn't really designed as a loophole," he said. "The federal government designed this system to work exactly as it's working. They wanted to incentivize local police jurisdictions to get involved in the drug war. They wanted them to actively go out, pull over and seize money. And they wanted to incentivize them to do it." Local law enforcement still gets to keep the majority of the revenue from the seized property. "If they make it a federal seizure, which is super easy to do, then the local jurisdiction sends 20% of the money to the feds," Reasonover said. Also on this episode, me and co-host Chad Oban talk about the Afroman kerfuffle, the problem with always "backing the blue," and a conspiracy theory about the Byron Noem revelations. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

How hard is it to do revenue forecasts for the State of North Dakota, which is heavily dependent on revenues from commodity-driven industries like agriculture and energy? On this Plain Talk, Joe Morrissette, director of the Office of Management and Budget, gave one example: For 1$ that oil prices move, there's a roughly $36 million swing in state revenues. The war in Iran hasn't just driven oil prices $1 over projects. It's as much as $30 over, with no real certainty on where it will level off. "It's a significant significant swing in the state's financial picture in just a short time," Morrissette said. Still, all that additional revenue isn't expected to change production activity -- oil and gas producers aren't going to invest heavily in chasing a price that's probably not going to be sustained -- and doesn't change the state's budget picture all that much. "Even though we've got this inflow of oil tax revenues, it's really not changing significantly," he said. "Changing a little bit, but not significantly changing our budget challenge in the next biennium." Also on this episode, co-host Chad Oban and I react to all the controversy stemming from the North Dakota Republican Party's divisive and dismal state convention. The populist activists who now control the party are attacking incumbents for not attending the convention, yet many of them have skipped past conventions, and even campaigned against convention-endorsed candidates. Former lawmaker Rick Becker, for instance, participate in a press conference that was critical of incumbents for skipping the convention. Yet Becker skipped the 2026 vacation to take a vacation in Belize. In 2024, he campaigned against convention-endorsed candidate Alex Balazs for the U.S. House. In 2022, he campaigned against convention-endorsed Sen. John Hoeven in the U.S. Senate race. Plus, we react to some listener feedback, including one message which argues that Democrats ought to use the votes some Republican lawmakers cast against approving a school meals bill against them this cycle. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

How hard is it to do revenue forecasts for the State of North Dakota, which is heavily dependent on revenues from commodity-driven industries like agriculture and energy? On this Plain Talk, Joe Morrissette, director of the Office of Management and Budget, gave one example: For 1$ that oil prices move, there's a roughly $36 million swing in state revenues. The war in Iran hasn't just driven oil prices $1 over projects. It's as much as $30 over, with no real certainty on where it will level off. "It's a significant significant swing in the state's financial picture in just a short time," Morrissette said. Still, all that additional revenue isn't expected to change production activity -- oil and gas producers aren't going to invest heavily in chasing a price that's probably not going to be sustained -- and doesn't change the state's budget picture all that much. "Even though we've got this inflow of oil tax revenues, it's really not changing significantly," he said. "Changing a little bit, but not significantly changing our budget challenge in the next biennium." Also on this episode, co-host Chad Oban and I react to all the controversy stemming from the North Dakota Republican Party's divisive and dismal state convention. The populist activists who now control the party are attacking incumbents for not attending the convention, yet many of them have skipped past conventions, and even campaigned against convention-endorsed candidates. Former lawmaker Rick Becker, for instance, participate in a press conference that was critical of incumbents for skipping the convention. Yet Becker skipped the 2026 vacation to take a vacation in Belize. In 2024, he campaigned against convention-endorsed candidate Alex Balazs for the U.S. House. In 2022, he campaigned against convention-endorsed Sen. John Hoeven in the U.S. Senate race. Plus, we react to some listener feedback, including one message which argues that Democrats ought to use the votes some Republican lawmakers cast against approving a school meals bill against them this cycle. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

In the world of journalism, it's a truth that we can tend to focus on the negative. "Safe airplane landings aren't news," the adage goes. There's a reason for that. The proverbial airplanes are supposed to land safely. When they don't, and when people and property are hurt, we want to know what happened, and why it happened, and who is responsible. Sometimes, though, it behooves us to talk about the planes that land safely. When we report about economic development programs, we tend to focus on the fails. The marginal companies that gobbled up lots of public dollars and then went out of business, or got preferential treatment because they were owned and operated by someone related to someone else in a position of power in government. We need to tell those stories, but sometimes we also need to tell the success stories. Peter Chamberlain is the founder and CEO of WalkWise, a North Dakota-based startup that sells a product that attaches to the walkers and canes of the elderly and infirm, allowing family and medical professionals to track activity, monitor movement, and be alerted when there might be a problem. Chamberlain doesn't have any strong roots in North Dakota. What drew his business and his family here was the opportunities made available by the state's economic development efforts. "This is the world's first and only smart mobility aid attachment," Chamberlain told us of his product on this episode of Plain Talk. "I feel very confident in saying I would not be here today, WalkWise would not exist today, if it weren't for the programs that exist in North Dakota, that frankly don't exist other places," he added. "Life's good in North Dakota." It's not just the direct investment and support he's received through endeavors like the Legacy Fund's in-state investment program. Chamberlain also credits "ecosystem builders" working in the Commerce Department and elsewhere who helped him connect with people and other businesses, including a manufacturer in tiny Cayuga, North Dakota, where the WorkWise product is made. He emphasized how much he likes working with a local manufacturer because he can physically visit the plant and the owners are "invested personally" in the product's success. Also on this episode, me and co-host Chad Oban talk about the upcoming NDGOP convention, the party's efforts to keep me from attending to report on the event, and whether political parties ought to continue to have special access to the state ballot. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

In the world of journalism, it's a truth that we can tend to focus on the negative. "Safe airplane landings aren't news," the adage goes. There's a reason for that. The proverbial airplanes are supposed to land safely. When they don't, and when people and property are hurt, we want to know what happened, and why it happened, and who is responsible. Sometimes, though, it behooves us to talk about the planes that land safely. When we report about economic development programs, we tend to focus on the fails. The marginal companies that gobbled up lots of public dollars and then went out of business, or got preferential treatment because they were owned and operated by someone related to someone else in a position of power in government. We need to tell those stories, but sometimes we also need to tell the success stories. Peter Chamberlain is the founder and CEO of WalkWise, a North Dakota-based startup that sells a product that attaches to the walkers and canes of the elderly and infirm, allowing family and medical professionals to track activity, monitor movement, and be alerted when there might be a problem. Chamberlain doesn't have any strong roots in North Dakota. What drew his business and his family here was the opportunities made available by the state's economic development efforts. "This is the world's first and only smart mobility aid attachment," Chamberlain told us of his product on this episode of Plain Talk. "I feel very confident in saying I would not be here today, WalkWise would not exist today, if it weren't for the programs that exist in North Dakota, that frankly don't exist other places," he added. "Life's good in North Dakota." It's not just the direct investment and support he's received through endeavors like the Legacy Fund's in-state investment program. Chamberlain also credits "ecosystem builders" working in the Commerce Department and elsewhere who helped him connect with people and other businesses, including a manufacturer in tiny Cayuga, North Dakota, where the WorkWise product is made. He emphasized how much he likes working with a local manufacturer because he can physically visit the plant and the owners are "invested personally" in the product's success. Also on this episode, me and co-host Chad Oban talk about the upcoming NDGOP convention, the party's efforts to keep me from attending to report on the event, and whether political parties ought to continue to have special access to the state ballot. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

Today marks the first official day of the Major League Baseball -- opening day! It's become a tradition on the Plain Talk podcast that Kelly Armstrong, first as a member of Congress, and now as governor of the great state of North Dakota, comes on the show to talk about baseball -- and just baseball -- on opening day. Armstrong is a fan of the Mets, and says that started when he was 10 years old, watching the famous (some might say infamous) 1986 Mets win the World Series. "If you couldn't fall in love with the New York Mets in 1986, you were doing it wrong," he said, "and I didn't even know anything about cocaine then." The game has gone through some big changes in recent years. The governor says most of them have been positive, but he's in wait-and-see mode on this new challenge system for balls and strikes. "The pitch clock was such a huge, great thing for the game. The not letting the relievers switch out five times in an inning, mound visits, throw over, they've speeded the game up," he said." They've got it a little closer to society. If this [pitch challenge system] bogs it back down again, I don't think it's a success." With conflict looming between the MLB owners and the players, Armstrong says he'd be ok with a salary cap, as long as there's also a threshold teams have to meet for investing in their rosters. "I would be okay with a cap if there's also a floor," he said. Also on this episode, co-host Chad Oban and I discuss the fight in Congress over the SAVE Act, travel delays thanks to dysfunctin in Washington D.C., the looming economic cost of the war in Iran, the importance of access to records from law enforcement investigations pertaining to public officials, and we answered some listner feedback. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

Today marks the first official day of the Major League Baseball -- opening day! It's become a tradition on the Plain Talk podcast that Kelly Armstrong, first as a member of Congress, and now as governor of the great state of North Dakota, comes on the show to talk about baseball -- and just baseball -- on opening day. Armstrong is a fan of the Mets, and says that started when he was 10 years old, watching the famous (some might say infamous) 1986 Mets win the World Series. "If you couldn't fall in love with the New York Mets in 1986, you were doing it wrong," he said, "and I didn't even know anything about cocaine then." The game has gone through some big changes in recent years. The governor says most of them have been positive, but he's in wait-and-see mode on this new challenge system for balls and strikes. "The pitch clock was such a huge, great thing for the game. The not letting the relievers switch out five times in an inning, mound visits, throw over, they've speeded the game up," he said." They've got it a little closer to society. If this [pitch challenge system] bogs it back down again, I don't think it's a success." With conflict looming between the MLB owners and the players, Armstrong says he'd be ok with a salary cap, as long as there's also a threshold teams have to meet for investing in their rosters. "I would be okay with a cap if there's also a floor," he said. Also on this episode, co-host Chad Oban and I discuss the fight in Congress over the SAVE Act, travel delays thanks to dysfunctin in Washington D.C., the looming economic cost of the war in Iran, the importance of access to records from law enforcement investigations pertaining to public officials, and we answered some listner feedback. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

There is a furious national debate about the SAVE Act -- federal legislation backed by Republicans aimed at creating tough new national standards for election security -- and North Dakota occupies a unique role in it. Our state is the only state without voter registration. The SAVE Act, as it is presently amended, contains exemptions to maintain that status, and Sec. of State Michael Howe says that's appropriate, because current North Dakota laws already make our elections very secure. "I like to tell people North Dakota's been dealing with election integrity well before it was cool," he said on this episode of Plain Talk. He pointed out that North Dakota already verifies the citizenship of voters. "If you're getting a North Dakota ID for the very first time, you have to prove your citizenship. We have that in our central voter file. If you're here legally but not a US citizen, it will say on your physical ID card, permanent or temporary." He also said that the state goes through great pains to ensure that the state's voter rolls do not contain the names of ineligible voters. "In North Dakota, we clean our voter roles every single night." "We get information from the Department of Transportation, that's involved in an interstate cross check program. So, if you move from North Dakota to the state of Tennessee and get a Tennessee identification card, state of Tennessee notifies our DOT who notifies the North Dakota Secretary of State's office and we can do that overnight," he continued. "The DOCR, if someone's incarcerated, they notify the Secretary of State's office, this person's incarcerated, they're not a qualified elector anymore. Someone passes away, we get an update from Vital Records every single night that so-and-so has passed away in some place, North Dakota, and they're removed from our central voter file." Howe is up for re-election this year and he, like the other Republican statewide incumbents, has opted not to attend the North Dakota Republican Party's endorsing convention. "I attended as many district conventions as I could um in all four corners of the state. In talking with folks, they just said, 'Hey, look, Michael, we support you 100%. We'll do we'll knock doors. We'll contribute, but we just don't want to go to Minot," he said, referring to the location for the convention. "I fully understand and respect why Republicans in North Dakota have been turned off by this process," he continued. "It makes me sad. I hope it comes back uh to what it was." Also on this episode, me and guest co-host Jessica Bell discussed the debate between endorsing conventions and open primaries, the proper role of public servants, and we responded to a letter to the editor from Rep. Desiree Morton critical of my reporting on the state of the NDGOP. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

There is a furious national debate about the SAVE Act -- federal legislation backed by Republicans aimed at creating tough new national standards for election security -- and North Dakota occupies a unique role in it. Our state is the only state without voter registration. The SAVE Act, as it is presently amended, contains exemptions to maintain that status, and Sec. of State Michael Howe says that's appropriate, because current North Dakota laws already make our elections very secure. "I like to tell people North Dakota's been dealing with election integrity well before it was cool," he said on this episode of Plain Talk. He pointed out that North Dakota already verifies the citizenship of voters. "If you're getting a North Dakota ID for the very first time, you have to prove your citizenship. We have that in our central voter file. If you're here legally but not a US citizen, it will say on your physical ID card, permanent or temporary." He also said that the state goes through great pains to ensure that the state's voter rolls do not contain the names of ineligible voters. "In North Dakota, we clean our voter roles every single night." "We get information from the Department of Transportation, that's involved in an interstate cross check program. So, if you move from North Dakota to the state of Tennessee and get a Tennessee identification card, state of Tennessee notifies our DOT who notifies the North Dakota Secretary of State's office and we can do that overnight," he continued. "The DOCR, if someone's incarcerated, they notify the Secretary of State's office, this person's incarcerated, they're not a qualified elector anymore. Someone passes away, we get an update from Vital Records every single night that so-and-so has passed away in some place, North Dakota, and they're removed from our central voter file." Howe is up for re-election this year and he, like the other Republican statewide incumbents, has opted not to attend the North Dakota Republican Party's endorsing convention. "I attended as many district conventions as I could um in all four corners of the state. In talking with folks, they just said, 'Hey, look, Michael, we support you 100%. We'll do we'll knock doors. We'll contribute, but we just don't want to go to Minot," he said, referring to the location for the convention. "I fully understand and respect why Republicans in North Dakota have been turned off by this process," he continued. "It makes me sad. I hope it comes back uh to what it was." Also on this episode, me and guest co-host Jessica Bell discussed the debate between endorsing conventions and open primaries, the proper role of public servants, and we responded to a letter to the editor from Rep. Desiree Morton critical of my reporting on the state of the NDGOP. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

Angela Lipps is a Tennesee grandmother who, through no fault of her own, is making headlines in North Dakota, and the region, and the nation, for something you don't want to make headlines for. She was subjected to arrest at gun point, months of detainment during the extradition process, all because the Fargo Police Department used an artificial intelligence facial recognition tool to match her to security camera footage of a suspect who allegedly defrauded banks in North Dakota. Lipps was quickly released when her Fargo-based defense attorney, Jay Greenwood, submitted finaicial records and other evidence to authorities showing that she was in Tennessee when they allege she was in North Dakota committing fraud. "Imagine what the best case scenario in in this situation for the Fargo PD is," Greenwood said on this episode of Plain Talk. "Let's say they have some new evidence and they discover that Angela Lips was the one that actually did do this. I don't think she did based on what I've seen. But let's say they do that and they say, 'Nope, we're going to recharge her.' So, they have to start this entire process over again, having screwed this entire thing up the first time because they didn't have the evidence that they needed before they charged her." "They brought her to Tennessee. They held her in Tennessee. They flew her on an airplane to North Dakota. They held her in North Dakota. Paid for all of that stuff," he continued. "Then they got some information, dismissed the case instead of, you know, using all this new evidence. And now she's back in Tennessee. And if they find something new, now we start the process all over again. And in addition to that, after all this uproar and the ineffective way that the Fargo police went about this, imagine trying to empanel a 12 person jury in Cass County that is going to listen to any of this. "It's just the best case scenario for the Fargo PD is a nightmare." Also on this episode, me and guest co-host Jessica Bell weigh in on the ongoing debate over data centers -- two central North Dakota counties in coal country have instituted moratoriums against the facilities -- and we respond to listener feedback. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

Angela Lipps is a Tennesee grandmother who, through no fault of her own, is making headlines in North Dakota, and the region, and the nation, for something you don't want to make headlines for. She was subjected to arrest at gun point, months of detainment during the extradition process, all because the Fargo Police Department used an artificial intelligence facial recognition tool to match her to security camera footage of a suspect who allegedly defrauded banks in North Dakota. Lipps was quickly released when her Fargo-based defense attorney, Jay Greenwood, submitted finaicial records and other evidence to authorities showing that she was in Tennessee when they allege she was in North Dakota committing fraud. "Imagine what the best case scenario in in this situation for the Fargo PD is," Greenwood said on this episode of Plain Talk. "Let's say they have some new evidence and they discover that Angela Lips was the one that actually did do this. I don't think she did based on what I've seen. But let's say they do that and they say, 'Nope, we're going to recharge her.' So, they have to start this entire process over again, having screwed this entire thing up the first time because they didn't have the evidence that they needed before they charged her." "They brought her to Tennessee. They held her in Tennessee. They flew her on an airplane to North Dakota. They held her in North Dakota. Paid for all of that stuff," he continued. "Then they got some information, dismissed the case instead of, you know, using all this new evidence. And now she's back in Tennessee. And if they find something new, now we start the process all over again. And in addition to that, after all this uproar and the ineffective way that the Fargo police went about this, imagine trying to empanel a 12 person jury in Cass County that is going to listen to any of this. "It's just the best case scenario for the Fargo PD is a nightmare." Also on this episode, me and guest co-host Jessica Bell weigh in on the ongoing debate over data centers -- two central North Dakota counties in coal country have instituted moratoriums against the facilities -- and we respond to listener feedback. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

According to an AI analysis touted by thrice-failed statewide candidate Rick Becker, who is currently seeking a seat in the state Legislature in District 7, I'm a narcissist with obsessive compulsive disorder because I write too many articles about him. Is that an accurate diagnosis, or is this a case of yet another whiny politician trying to throw dirt on apt criticisms? We discussed it on this episode of Plain Talk, and whille me and co-host Chad Oban didn't agree with the criticism, we did find Becker's method to be a creative one, if perhaps more reflective of his mental state than mine. Also, Sen. Kevin Cramer recently wrote a letter to the editor criticizing me for suggesting that former Sec. of Homeland Security Kristi Noem (who is now apparently one of the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. or something?) was scapegoated for the Trump administration's disastrous application of immigration policies in Minnesota and beyond. Oban argues that the rampant fraud in Minnesota's safety net programs which ended Gov. Tim Walz's political career ended up being overshadowed by the too-aggressive tactics engaged in by ICE. "I think the fraud thing would have also killed Penny Flanigan's, his lieutenant governor, race for US Senate if it hadn't been for the ICE thing," Oban said. "And now she's back up in the polls against Angie Craig for that Senate primary, because there's less focus on the fraud and more focus on the ICE piece." "I think it was just a weird pitch for Cramer to swing at here," he continued. Also on this episode, we discuss the war in Iran, and the potential blowback we may face in economic challenges and terrorism, as well as Sec. of Defense Pete Hegseth's status as a callow, fragile poseur who has no business in his current job. Plus, North Dakotans are still paying a local price for federal dysfunction as a local domestic violence nonprofit in Grand Forks faces hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue shortfalls due to delays in federal funding. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive