North Dakota State Capitol Building
A power struggle between the Governor’s Office and the State Ethics Commission has kept three commission seats unfilled, and the stalemate continued late last week.
A selection committee remained deadlocked Friday on appointments to the North Dakota Ethics Commission, after Governor Kelly Armstrong rejected the reappointment of incumbent Murray Sagsveen and called for a “reset” of the panel.
Legislative members on the committee including Sen. David Hogue of Minot and Sen. Kathy Hogan of Fargo argued Sagsveen should be kept on the committee to reduce turnover and keep cases moving. The Governor held firm, and no nominees advanced.
The impasse comes as the five-member commission faces three vacancies. The commission was created by voters in 2018 to enforce ethics rules for state officials.
The dispute centers on executive control versus commission continuity. Armstrong has pressed for new leadership, while the commission and legislative members have pushed stability after recent departures. There’s no timeline yet for another vote. The committee left the meeting without a resolution and indicated talks would continue.
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