A North Dakota lawmaker has been found guilty of ethics violations but faces no penalties. The North Dakota Ethics Commission determined Rep. Jason Dockter, a Bismarck Republican, committed three ethics violations related to his ownership of a building leased to state agencies.
Dockter partially owns a company that leases property to the Attorney General’s Office and Department of Health and Human Services. In 2023, he voted for budget bills funding those same agencies’ leases, violating conflict of interest rules. He was also criminally convicted last year for the votes, receiving community service, a $2,500 fine, and probation.
The Ethics Commission’s 93-page report suggests Dockter leveraged his position to arrange the lease deal and notes he owns three other properties leased to state entities. The commission says it’s now up to the Legislature to decide on disciplinary action. This marks the first time the commission has declared a public official engaged in unethical behavior since its creation in 2018.
Comments