Authorities sentenced a North Dakota man to 5 years in state prison on Friday after he fatally hit an 18-year-old with his car — following his expression of concern about the teenager&#8217;s alleged connection to a &#8220;Republican extremist&#8221; group.
Shannon Brandt of Glenfield, North Dakota, pled guilty to manslaughter in May after fatally running over Cayler Ellingson with his 2003 Ford Explorer on September 18, 2022, in McHenry, North Dakota.
A state district court judge reportedly gave Brandt the sentencing with nearly a year of credit for time served under house arrest, including three years&#8217; supervised probation and a yearlong suspension of his driver&#8217;s license. The maximum penalty for such charges is 10 years in prison, a $20,000 fine, or both, according to <a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-dakota-hit-run-argument-death-sentence-2a81fc37edab4ed083b3eab26dc199f6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Associated Press</a>.
Ellingson&#8217;s mother, Sheri, reportedly requested the judge hand down the maximum sentence for Brandt.
&#8220;Shannon, you took a piece of our family that&#8217;s not replaceable,&#8221; she said, according to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/shannon-brandt-sentenced-prison-death-north-dakota-teen-cayler-ellingson?intcmp=tw_fnc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fox News</a>. &#8220;When you chose to take Cayler&#8217;s life and happiness, you took ours too. You have caused our family endless pain, heartache, sleepless nights.
&#8220;Our days, months, and years will never be the same because of your selfishness,&#8221; Ellingson added.
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/north-dakota-man-pleads-guilty-to-manslaughter-after-hitting-teen-he-feared-was-linked-to-republican-extremist-group" target="_blank" rel="noopener">case</a> quickly became controversial after an affidavit from police suggested that Brandt had run down Ellingson following a political disagreement, a claim investigators backtracked later after little evidence supported the assertion.
Foster County State Attorney Kara Brinster said Brandt had been drinking and arguing with Ellingson before the incident.
Brandt claimed in a 911 call that he had felt threatened by Ellingson over the teen&#8217;s alleged connection to a &#8220;Republican extremist group&#8221; and was urging others to attack Brandt after a political argument, according to the call.
&#8220;He was threatening me with something to have to do with — something with an extremist Republican group. And then he made a phone call. He made a phone call saying, &#8216;I thought he was Republican (background noise) or something. You&#8217;re going have to come here and handle him.&#8217; I got scared to death. I didn&#8217;t know what to do,&#8221; a transcript of Brandt&#8217;s 911 call says.
Brandt said that he accidentally hit the teen while trying to get away from him during a crowded event in McHenry.
An autopsy report said that Ellingson&#8217;s fatal &#8220;injuries weren&#8217;t caused from being struck by Shannon Brandt&#8217;s vehicle and were caused by being run over&#8221; once he was on the ground.
Authorities initially charged Brandt with criminal vehicular homicide, but Forster County State&#8217;s Attorney Kara Brinster later upgraded those charges to murder, according to Fox News. The charges were later reduced to manslaughter, to which Brandt pleaded guilty on May 18.
Before the judge sentenced Brandt, he addressed the court and apologized to everyone impacted by his actions.
&#8220;I&#8217;m here to take responsibility for the role I played in this tragedy,&#8221; Brandt said. &#8220;I&#8217;m very sorry to the Ellingson family, my family, and anybody else that has been affected by my actions. I have always enjoyed seeing the Ellingsons and would never have intentionally caused harm to any of them.&#8221;
&#8220;I am truly devastated by the impact this has had on the entire community,&#8221; Brandt added.
Defense attorney Mark Friese told The Associated Press that Brandt &#8220;is relieved to have finally been able to offer his apology and to allow the Ellingson family to move forward. It&#8217;s been a very difficult year for everyone involved.&#8221;
&#8220;It got exacerbated by false information making it into the media and people using this tragedy to advance their political platforms,&#8221; Friese said.
Brandt reportedly was diagnosed with autism, which Foster County Judge Bradley Cruff mentioned during the sentencing.
&#8220;You didn&#8217;t intentionally run him over,&#8221; Cruff said. &#8220;I acknowledge that. I understand what the experts in this case are saying about how your mind works. And you didn&#8217;t intentionally kill Cayler.&#8221;
&#8220;But he did die,&#8221; Cruff added. &#8220;And that&#8217;s a result of your alcohol consumption. You recklessly pushed Cayler to the ground with your SUV, you recklessly ran him over, and you recklessly killed him.&#8221;
Leif Le Mahieu contributed to this report.

Shannon Brandt

North Dakota Man Gets Five Years For Running Over And Killing Teen With His Car Over Concerns He Was A ‘Republican Extremist’

Murder

North Dakota

Political Violence

U.S.

North Dakota Republican Governor Doug Burgum announced Tuesday evening that he was launching a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/2024-election" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2024 presidential campaign</a>. 
Burgum, first elected governor of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/north-dakota" target="_blank" rel="noopener">North Dakota</a> in 2016, announced his campaign in an <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/north-dakota-to-the-white-house-economy-energy-presidential-announcement-election-2024-candidate-552a70a0">op-ed</a> in the Wall Street Journal, stating that he would focus on the economy, national security, and energy production. He previously worked as an executive at Microsoft. 
“When Joe Biden released his video announcing his re-election campaign, it was shocking what was missing. He failed to articulate any economic vision for the country, he ignored the anxiety of families grappling with inflation, and he looked the other way as a recession looms,” Burgum, 66, wrote in his announcement. “We need a change in the White House. We need a new leader for a changing economy. That’s why I’m announcing my run for president today.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Today, America’s facing new challenges, and how we respond will define our future. We need a new leader for our changing economy.
As Governor of North Dakota, Doug Burgum has cut red tape, balanced the budget, and passed the largest tax cuts in state history &#8211; and now he&#39;s ready… <a href="https://t.co/0HK5WRTft2">pic.twitter.com/0HK5WRTft2</a>
&mdash; Doug Burgum (@DougBurgum) <a href="https://twitter.com/DougBurgum/status/1666480536531943426?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The governor, who grew up in Arthur, North Dakota, has also addressed culture war issues during his time as governor, signing a ban on transgender surgeries for minors and a pro-life bill that effectively banned all abortions in the state. 
Earlier this year, Burgum <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/3926656-north-dakota-governor-vetoes-bill-restricting-transgender-students-pronouns/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vetoed</a> a bill that would have mandated teachers only use a student’s “preferred pronouns” if the child&#8217;s parents and a school administrator had given prior approval. He also previously <a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-dakota-transgender-lgbtq-sports-ban-04c0f81665e763a63760c793fb67948a#:~:text=North%20Dakota%27s%20Republican%20Gov.,veto%2Dproof%20majorities%20this%20year." target="_blank" rel="noopener">vetoed</a> a bill prohibiting biological males from girls’ sports before signing such a ban into law in 2023. 
In his op-ed, Burgum highlighted his business experience, pointing to the company he helped to run, Great Plains Software. In 2001, he sold the company to Microsoft for over a billion dollars. 
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The governorship was his first elected position.
“When I ran for governor in 2016, we shook up the political establishment — then cut more than a billion dollars in spending, balanced the budget, unleashed energy production, and diversified the economy. This year we achieved pension reform, helped pass term limits, and enacted the biggest tax cut in state history,” he said.
Burgum, who <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/07/us/politics/doug-burgum-2024-presidential-campaign.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">once worked</a> as a chimney sweep, joins a crowded field of Republican hopefuls, including former President Donald Trump, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/former-vice-president-mike-pence-launches-run-for-president" target="_blank" rel="noopener">former Vice President Mike Pence,</a> entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.
“It shouldn’t be a surprise that small-town values have guided me my entire life; small-town values are at the core of America,” Burgum <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/06/07/north-dakota-doug-burgum-presidential-bid-00100715" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> at a campaign event. “And frankly, big cities could use more ideas and more values from small towns right now.”

Doug Burgum, senior vice president at Microsoft Corp. respon

North Dakota Republican Governor Doug Burgum Launches Run For President

2024

2024 Election

2024 Primaries

Elections

Politics

Presidency

Parents are furious at a North Dakota school district they say is openly defying a state law that prohibits hiding children&#8217;s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/gender" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gender</a> identities from their parents.
On May 8, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, a Republican, signed a <a href="https://www.ndlegis.gov/assembly/68-2023/regular/documents/23-0864-10000.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">law</a> prohibiting schools from withholding or concealing information about a student&#8217;s transgender status from the student&#8217;s parent.
Just a day later, Fargo Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Rupak Gandhi <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/05/28/north-dakota-parents-mad-at-school-board-for-defying-gender-identities-law/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> the school district should &#8220;double down&#8221; on supporting students who want to change their gender identity.
“We will not openly out any student because of one law if we know that that’s going to cause harm to that child,” Gandhi <a href="https://thenationaldesk.com/news/americas-news-now/north-dakota-school-district-will-conceal-students-gender-identity-from-parents-despite-new-law-fargo-public-schools-transgender-lgbt-governor-doug-burgum" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> at a May 9 school board meeting. Gandhi also said he believes there is a conflict between federal and state law on this issue.
The school district said their policies were not meant to go &#8220;<a href="https://thenationaldesk.com/news/americas-news-now/north-dakota-school-district-will-conceal-students-gender-identity-from-parents-despite-new-law-fargo-public-schools-transgender-lgbt-governor-doug-burgum" target="_blank" rel="noopener">against</a>&#8221; parents, but some parents weren&#8217;t convinced. On May 23, parents showed up at another school board meeting to express their anger and concerns.
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“The way I heard it is that you want to protect kids from their parents,” one father said. “Not only do you think you know my kids better than I do, you think you know every kid better than every parent does by saying you will not deal with the parents.&#8221;
“Whether or not you agree with the politics of the law or what is behind it, I really urge you all to pay attention to what we’re setting as a precedent,” a mother told the board.
“Whose kids are these? Do they belong to you as a school board? Do they belong to Fargo Public Schools or is each parent’s child ultimately the decision-maker in their family over what is allowed and what is safe for that child?&#8221; the mom said.
The mom added, “Parenting 101: You teach your kids that nobody that asks you to keep a secret is safe.”
Parents also expressed concerns that Fargo Public Schools is risking potential legal challenges by announcing they do not intend to fully comply with the new law. They urged the school district to back down on their resolve to buck the law.
The new law also prohibits schools from requiring employees to use a student&#8217;s preferred pronouns. Schools may also not ban anyone from using someone else&#8217;s preferred pronouns.
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The law also says that schools must prohibit students from using bathrooms that do not correspond with the student&#8217;s biological sex. If a parent consents, the school may come up with a plan for a trans-identifying student to use a separate restroom.
More than 17,000 schools across the country have rules saying school staff can or should hide a student&#8217;s gender identity from parents, according to <a href="https://defendinged.org/investigations/list-of-school-district-transgender-gender-nonconforming-student-policies/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a list</a> compiled by Parents Defending Education.
Those schools serve more than 10 million students in 38 states.
Some of the larger districts on the list are Chicago Public Schools, Los Angeles Unified School District, D.C. Public Schools, Baltimore City Public Schools, San Francisco Unified School District, Portland Public Schools, and Seattle Public Schools.
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Inside of a First Grade Classroom

Parents Furious At North Dakota School District For Suggesting It Will Buck Law On Kids’ Gender Identities

Parents Furious At North Dakota School District For Suggesting It Will Buck Law On Kids' Gender Identities

Education

Gender

A 42-year-old <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/north-dakota" target="_blank" rel="noopener">North Dakota</a> man pled guilty to manslaughter after he hit an 18-year-old with his car following <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/man-ran-down-killed-teen-he-thought-was-republican-extremist-police" target="_blank" rel="noopener">his expression of concern</a> about the teen being connected to a “Republican extremist” group.
Shannon Brandt pled guilty to manslaughter after Cayler Ellingson was killed when he was hit by Brandt’s vehicle in September 2022. The guilty plea comes just weeks after the charges were <a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-dakota-hit-run-reduced-charge-b219ade4b9ec511446a9bb49c067eca4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reduced</a> from murder to manslaughter.
The case quickly became controversial after an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/man-who-allegedly-drove-over-republican-teen-i-dont-want-to-lose-my-job-life-house-because-of-bond" target="_blank" rel="noopener">affidavit from police</a> suggested that Brandt had run down Ellingson following a political disagreement, a claim that was backtracked by later investigators. Ellingson’s death was determined to be an accident, and not intentional according to investigators.
Foster County State Attorney Kara Brinster <a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/north-dakota-man-pleads-guilty-to-fatal-hit-and-run-in-case-that-drew-political-attention/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that Brandt had been drinking and arguing with Ellingson prior to the incident.
Brandt, of Glenfield, North Dakota, claimed in a 911 call that he had felt threatened by Ellingson, over the teen’s alleged connection to a “Republican extremist group,” and was urging others to attack Brandt after a political argument, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/north-dakota-police-claim-shannon-brandt-called-slain-teen-republican-extremist-contradicted-911-call" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the call.
“He was threatening me with something to have to do with — something with an extremist Republican group. And then he made a phone call. He made a phone call saying, ‘I thought he was Republican (background noise) or something. You’re going have to come here and handle him.’ I got scared to death. I didn’t know what to do,” a <a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/611243452/2936-001-1#" target="_blank" rel="noopener">transcript</a> of Brandt’s 911 call says.
Brandt said that he accidentally hit the teen when he was trying to get away from him during a crowded event in McHenry. “As we have pointed out since the beginning, there is no evidence to support the misplaced allegation of intentional homicide,” said Mark Friese, Brandt’s lawyer. “The state and defense forensic experts have provided comprehensive reports confirming this tragedy was an accident. Misplaced media hype and community conjecture is no substitute for evidence.”
 An autopsy report said that Ellingson’s fatal “injuries weren’t caused from being struck by Shannon Brandt’s vehicle and were caused by being run over” once he was on the ground.
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Police said that Brandt appeared to be intoxicated when they showed up at his home after the accident.
When sentenced, he could face 10 years in prison. An additional charge of leaving the scene of the accident was also dropped before Brandt was set to be tried on May 30.
&#8220;Shannon has never denied responsibility for his part in this tragic accident,&#8221; Friese <a href="https://www.inforum.com/news/north-dakota/north-dakota-man-admits-to-running-over-killing-teen-after-street-dance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> The Forum. &#8220;A plea of guilty permits him to accept responsibility while limiting the stress and emotional toll for all involved.&#8221;

Screen Shot 2023-05-19 at 4.31.09 PM

North Dakota Man Pleads Guilty To Manslaughter After Hitting Teen He Feared Was Linked To ‘Republican Extremist Group’

Car Crash

Crime

Death

The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/u-s-air-force" target="_blank" rel="noopener">U.S. Air Force</a> relieved six leaders from their positions at a nuclear base in North Dakota but offered few details about why they were removed.
A brief press release said Maj. Gen. Andrew J. Gebara, commander of 8th Air Force, removed two commanders from their positions of leadership at Minot Air Force Base on Monday.
<a href="https://taskandpurpose.com/news/air-force-minot-commanders-relieved/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Task and Purpose identified</a> the these leaders as Col. Gregory Mayer, who led the 5th Mission Support Group, and Maj. Jonathan Welch, commander of the 5th Logistics Readiness Squadron.
They were removed &#8220;due to a loss of confidence in their ability to complete their assigned duties,&#8221; <a href="https://www.8af.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3310780/8th-air-force-commander-relieves-two-commanders-at-minot/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the 8th Air Force said</a>.
The 5th Mission Support Group, which has about 1,600 military and civilian members, focuses on &#8220;delivering essential installation mission support and community service, securing our resources, providing proper care of base facilities and infrastructure, while developing combat-ready airmen,&#8221; <a href="https://www.minot.af.mil/Base-Units/5th-Bomb-Wing-Units/#:~:text=5th%20Mission%20Support%20Group,-The%205th%20Mission&amp;text=Focused%20on%20delivering%20essential%20installation,while%20developing%20combat%2Dready%20airmen.">per the base website</a>. It serves the 5th Bomb Wing, 91st Missile Wing, and other units.
Four subordinate leaders were also relieved of duty by commanders at the base, but the 8th Air Force statement did not provide specifics about the circumstances of their removal. Overall, the 8th Air Force said further details would not be released to protect their privacy.
&#8220;These personnel actions were necessary to maintain the very high standards we demand of those units entrusted with supporting our Nation&#8217;s nuclear mission,&#8221; Gebara said in a statement provided by the 8th Air Force.
&#8220;Eighth Force continues to safeguard global combat power and conduct around-the-clock strategic deterrence operations in a safe, secure and effective manner,&#8221; Gebara added. &#8220;Our mission is foundational to our Nation&#8217;s defense, and we remain committed to the success of that no-fail mission.&#8221;
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Minot Air Force Base, which opened in 1957, is home to a number of wings and squadrons.
&#8220;Minot AFB is the only dual-wing nuclear capable base in the Air Force, hosting two legs of the Strategic Triad,&#8221; according to the <a href="https://www.minot.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/264277/minot-air-force-base/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">base&#8217;s mission statement</a>. &#8220;The 5th Bomb Wing operates 26 B-52 aircraft, and the 91st Missile Wing operates 150 ICBM sites.&#8221;
The base made headlines in 2007 when six nuclear warheads affixed to cruise missiles were mistakenly loaded onto a flight to Louisiana, leading to investigations and several officers <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/10/19/loose.nukes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">being relieved of duty</a>.

A B-52H Stratofortress

Air Force Mysteriously Removes Six Leaders At Nuclear Base

Military

Nuclear Weapons

U.S. Air Force

The people of North Dakota saw the Chinese plan for opening a corn mill near a sensitive military base and took matters into their own hands, blocking the project.
In the wake of what was reputedly a Chinese spy balloon being shot down after it floated over sensitive U.S. military installations, the Grand Forks City Council, aware that the U.S. military did not have jurisdiction to kill the project, voted unanimously on Monday to block Chinese food producer Fufeng Group from building the mill only 12 miles from the Grand Forks Air Force Base. Last spring three North Dakotans sold the land for millions of dollars; the town’s mayor, Brandon Bochenski, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/07/01/chinese-purchase-of-north-dakota-farmland-raises-national-security-concerns-in-washington.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pointed out</a> that the proposed $700 million plant would create more than 200 jobs but also admitted there were national security concerns.
“The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) considered an October 2022 filing by the Fufeng Group to acquire certain assets in the vicinity of Grand Forks, North Dakota. Grand Forks Air Force Base is the center of military activities related to both air and space operations,” U.S. Air Force Assistant Secretary Andrew P. Hunter <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11704309/Air-Force-shoots-Chinas-plan-build-corn-15-miles-North-Dakota-base.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warned</a> North Dakota senators John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer in January.
“While CFIUS concluded that it did not have jurisdiction, the Department’s view is unambiguous: the proposed project represents a significant threat to national security with both near and long-term risks of significant impacts to our operations in the area,” he added.
“With regard to Fufeng, if you’re going to strategically decouple, that means we don’t want their investment,” Cramer <a href="https://www.am1100theflag.com/show-episodes/48874-6-03-22-whats-on-your-mind-hour-2">said</a> last June.
Prior to that, last April Air Force Major Jeremy Fox <a href="//A01EC18D-6786-4FC4-8AD0-5DB3687FBB3E/v" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote a memo</a> stating, “some of the most sensitive elements of Grand Forks exist with the digital uplinks and downlinks inherent with unmanned air systems and their interaction with space based assets,” adding, “if proximal access were given to our adversaries, and their collections were directed at us, it would present a costly national security risk causing grave damage to (the) United States’ strategic advantages.&#8221;
&#8220;Passive collection of those signals would be undetectable, as the requirements to do so would merely require ordinary antennas tuned to the right collecting frequencies. This introduces a grave vulnerability to our Department of Defense installations and is incredibly compromising to US National Security,” he <a href="https://www.jamestownsun.com/opinion/columns/hennen-new-threats-from-the-proposed-chinese-investment-in-grand-forks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">continued</a>.
The Monday meeting featured comments from members of the public before the vote. One citizen <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11720609/Air-Force-chief-begs-North-Dakota-not-let-Chinese-company-build-corn-secret-base.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">snapped</a>, “Why would an individual, or individuals, or a company be involved with somebody that is aggressive to the United States, especially if they&#8217;re an adversary against us? The only conclusion I come is up with is money, black mail prestige, power, sedition, treason. I&#8217;m not understanding, why would you advocate for it? How can you defend yourself against a foreign enemy against the United States? Those are questions that need to be asked.”

Flight Crew on Alert

North Dakotans Take Matters In Their Own Hands, Block Chinese Mill Near Military Base

Communist China

U.S. Military

A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/north-dakota" target="_blank" rel="noopener">North Dakota</a> mayor has moved to block approval of a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/china" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chinese</a>-owned corn mill in his town after the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/u-s-air-force" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Air Force</a> warned that it could potentially be a national security threat. 
Grand Forks Mayor Brandon Bochenski, a Republican and former NHL player, said with the city council’s approval, he would block the opening of the mill operated by Fufeng USA, an American <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/31/us/corn-mill-fufeng-china-north-dakota.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">subsidiary</a> of a Chinese company. 
“The federal government has requested the city’s help in stopping the project as geo-political tensions have greatly increased since the initial announcement of the project,” Bochenski <a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/chinese-corn-mill-project-in-north-dakota-to-be-terminated_5024900.html?ea_src=frontpage_A_topstory&amp;ea_med=list" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a statement. 
“The only remedies the city has to meet this directive is to refuse to connect industrial infrastructure and deny building permits. As mayor of the city of Grand Forks, I am requesting these remedies be undertaken and the project be stopped, pending City Council approval,” Bochenski continued. 
Bochenski’s announcement followed a <a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/623090728/Airforce-Fu-Feng-Letter#" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a> sent to Sen. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/john-hoeven" target="_blank" rel="noopener">John Hoeven</a> (R-ND) and Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) from the Air Force which detailed its concern about the project. The site of the proposed mill facility would be about 12 miles from Grand Forks Air Force Base. 
The Republican senators had inquired about whether the mill would present any security concerns. 
“[The] Department’s view is unambiguous: the proposed project presents a significant threat to national security with both near- and long-term risks of significant impacts to our operation in the area,” a letter from the Air Force read. 
North Dakota Republican Governor Doug Burgum <a href="https://www.governor.nd.gov/news/burgum-issues-statement-air-force-letter-citing-significant-threat-fufeng-project-grand-forks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> he supported the move to pull approval for the mill. 
“As we said previously, our top priority is the security of our citizens and our nation,” he said in a statement. “Given these concerns, we support the decision by the City of Grand Forks to initiate steps to stop the project with Fufeng Group and will support the city in finding another partner for a corn milling operation.”
If approval for the project, which was initially given in July 2022, is pulled, Fufeng USA would still have ownership of the 370 acres that it had purchased for the project. 
“It goes to show you that the people still have the ability to rise up and overcome. If they’d listened to us in the beginning, it would’ve saved them a year’s worth of time and a lot of money,” Ben Grzadzielewski, a Grand Forks resident, told The Epoch Times. 
The issue of Chinese companies or operatives purchasing agricultural land in the U.S. has become a prominent focus of some lawmakers at both the federal and state level. Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) has <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/chip-roy-introduces-bill-keep-china-from-snapping-up-us-farmland" target="_blank" rel="noopener">introduced</a> legislation to prohibit anyone linked to the Chinese Communist Party from buying farmland in the U.S., while Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/desantis-vows-to-bar-chinese-communist-party-operatives-from-buying-up-florida-property" target="_blank" rel="noopener">proposed</a> a similar measure in the Sunshine State.

Pouring corn grain into tractor trailer after harvest at field

North Dakota Mayor Moves To Block Chinese-Owned Corn Mill After Warning From Air Force

China

Global Politics

John Hoeven

Three more governors are joining the growing number of states banning employees from using <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tiktok">TikTok</a> on state-owned devices.
In separate orders announced Tuesday and Wednesday, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, and Alabama Governor Kay Ivey all prohibited state employees from using the Chinese-owned social media app on devices owned by the state. The three states are the latest to ban the app, following similar moves already made by a half-dozen other states, and bipartisan legislation to ban TikTok in Congress.
“It is clear that TikTok represents a national security risk to our country and I refuse to subject the citizens of Iowa to that risk,” Reynolds said in a <a href="https://governor.iowa.gov/press-release/gov-reynolds%C2%A0issues-directive%C2%A0to-ban%C2%A0access-to%C2%A0tiktok%C2%A0on%C2%A0state-of-iowa%C2%A0devices%C2%A0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> Tuesday. “They trust us with their personal and confidential information and we will take every step possible to protect it, including from the Chinese government. The safety of Iowans is my number one priority and that includes their cybersecurity.” Reynolds&#8217;s order prohibits state agencies from owning or subscribing to a TikTok account and bans the app on state-owned devices.
In a memo to all state agency heads in Alabama, <a href="https://twitter.com/GovernorKayIvey/status/1602517248924684289" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ivey</a> announced that she had ordered the Secretary of Information Technology to prohibit the app from accessing the state&#8217;s IT network and devices, with some exceptions for law enforcement and other critical functions. She also called for state agencies to take steps to prevent TikTok from accessing sensitive state data. &#8220;Protecting Alabama&#8217;s IT infrastructure from cyber threats is vital to ensuring the safety and success of our State,&#8221; Ivey wrote in the memo.
&#8220;The computer devices and networks used by our state government house significant amounts significant amounts of Alabamians&#8217; sensitive data. They also ensure the proper functioning of numerous automated government functions.&#8221; Ivey pointed to recent reports from <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/04/us/tiktok-pentagon-military-ban.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">national security officials</a> warning about the excessive amounts and types of data the app asks permission to take from a user&#8217;s device, as well as parent company ByteDance&#8217;s ties to the Chinese Communist Party.
Burgum&#8217;s <a href="https://twitter.com/BrendanCarrFCC/status/1602825493291864066?s=20&amp;t=GDZm2mYxEaUXxcdW_A9H5g" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Executive Order</a> went a step further than either Reynolds&#8217;s or Ivey&#8217;s; in addition to blocking the application from state devices, North Dakota state employees are prohibited from even visiting the TikTok website on state devices. Burgum also announced that his state agencies would be implementing controls to prevent state employees from using the platform. The order also voiced similar concerns about reports from the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/we-do-have-national-security-concerns-fbi-director-warns-chinese-community-party-uses-tiktok-to-compromise-american-privacy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FBI</a> about the company&#8217;s ties to the CCP. It also made mention of federal government efforts to ban the platform.
More than a half-dozen states have already banned state employees from using the Chinese-owned platform from state-owned devices. Nebraska Governor <a href="https://governor.nebraska.gov/press/gov-ricketts-announces-tiktok-app-ban-state-devices" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pete Ricketts</a> was the first to ban the app on state devices, back in August 2020. South Dakota Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/south-dakota-governor-noem-blocks-state-employees-from-downloading-tiktok" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kristi Noem</a> blocked the app in November of this year. The move set off a chain reaction from other Republican governors; the Republican governors of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/a-clear-and-present-danger-to-its-users-south-carolina-gov-bans-state-employees-from-using-tiktok-amid-national-security-concerns" target="_blank" rel="noopener">South Carolina</a>, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/another-governor-bans-tiktok-from-state-devices" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Maryland</a>, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/texas-gov-greg-abbott-bans-state-employees-from-using-tiktok-amid-chinese-espionage-threats" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Texas</a>, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/effective-immediately-utah-bans-tiktok-from-state-devices" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Utah</a>, and <a href="https://kfor.com/news/local/oklahoma-governor-bans-tiktok-from-state-devices/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Oklahoma</a> have since banned the app from state devices.
A bipartisan effort to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lawmakers-introduce-bill-to-block-tiktok-in-u-s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ban the app</a> is also underway in Congress. On Tuesday, Republican Florida Senator Marco Rubio announced legislation to ban TikTok in the U.S. Republican Wisconsin Congressman Mike Gallagher and Democratic Illinois Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi unveiled the same bill in the House.

TikTok : Illustration

Three More States Ban State Employees From Using TikTok Over Security Concerns, CCP Ties

Iowa, Alabama, North Dakota Ban State Employees From Using TikTok Over Security Concerns, CCP Ties

Alabama

governor

Iowa

Republican

TikTok

A North Dakota judge has ruled to temporarily block the state&#8217;s abortion ban from going into effect, claiming a constitutional challenge has a strong chance of succeeding.
Burleigh County District Court Judge Bruce Romanick offered the ruling on Monday, upholding his previous decision regarding the ban.
&#8220;Whether the North Dakota Constitution conveys a fundamental right to an abortion is an issue that is very much alive and active,&#8221; Romanick <a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/604186465/Romanick-Findings#download&amp;from_embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> in the ruling.
&#8220;This issue does not have a clear and obvious answer. Therefore, the court finds that (the Red River Women&#8217;s Clinic) has a substantial probability of succeeding on the merits through showing that there is a &#8216;real and substantial question&#8217; before the court,&#8221; the decision added.
Red River Women&#8217;s Clinic of Fargo, the state&#8217;s only abortion provider, filed a lawsuit in July after the Supreme Court&#8217;s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and return laws regarding abortion to the states.
North Dakota was one of several states with a trigger law set to be enacted following the court&#8217;s decision. In 2007, the state legislature passed a bill that would ban abortion except in cases of rape, incest, or when the mother&#8217;s life is in jeopardy.
Red River Women&#8217;s Clinic <a href="https://www.kare11.com/article/news/health/red-river-womens-clinic-fargo-moorhead-abortion/89-e44d04b3-582d-4acb-b8b9-06533bdda640" target="_blank" rel="noopener">raised</a> approximately $1 million following the Supreme Court decision and moved its operations to neighboring Minnesota&#8217;s Moorhead community. It initially faced a deadline to close in Fargo by August 26 after 24 years of operation.
Romanick issued a temporary stay to the trigger law in August. The state&#8217;s Supreme Court then ordered the judge to reconsider the case, leading to yet a second temporary ban as the litigation moves forward in court.
Tammi Kromenaker, director of the Red River Women’s Clinic, expressed her agreement with the decision in a statement to the Associated Press.
&#8220;We want physicians who are treating patients to feel like they can use their best medical judgment and training and not be looking at the law books as to how they can take care of patients,&#8221; she <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/judge-injunction-remains-north-dakota-abortion-ban-92446444" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
North Dakota is not alone in facing litigation over its trigger law. In Idaho, an August ruling blocked part of the state&#8217;s abortion ban, siding with the Biden administration.
The Justice Department sued Idaho, claiming its <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/idaho-supreme-court-allows-two-pro-life-laws-to-take-effect" target="_blank" rel="noopener">abortion ban</a> would stop emergency room doctors from performing abortions needed to stabilize the health of women in medical emergencies.
A federal district court in the state agreed that doctors in Idaho could not be legally punished for acting to protect the health of endangered mothers in a preliminary injunction in August.
A total of 13 states had trigger laws set to go into effect following the Supreme Court&#8217;s decision to return abortion laws to states. Several additional states have passed new laws following the decision to limit abortion. Up to <a href="https://www.guttmacher.org/article/2021/10/26-states-are-certain-or-likely-ban-abortion-without-roe-heres-which-ones-and-why" target="_blank" rel="noopener">26 states</a> are likely to strongly limit abortion following the Supreme Court&#8217;s decision.

North Dakota Capitol

North Dakota Abortion Ban Temporarily Blocked As Trigger Law Case Continues

Abortion

Courts

Roe v. Wade's Long And Brutal Legacy

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/north-dakota" target="_blank" rel="noopener">North Dakota</a> prosecutors on Friday leveled a murder charge against the man who allegedly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/man-ran-down-killed-teen-he-thought-was-republican-extremist-police" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ran down 18-year-old Cayler Ellingson</a> earlier this month because he was a “Republican extremist” and had threatened him.
Shannon Brandt, 41, was arrested in the wee hours of September 18 after police say that he fatally struck Ellingson with his SUV after a street dance in McHenry, North Dakota. Brandt, who police said was drunk and fled the scene, told a 911 operator Ellingson was part of a &#8220;Republican extremist group&#8221; and had tried to &#8220;get him.&#8221; The politically charged killing in a town of only 64 people drew national headlines.
&#8220;I just wanna ask you a question, am I going to prison?&#8221; Brandt asked the 911 operator, according to a probable cause affidavit filed Friday. The document said Brandt indicated on the call that the incident was intentional.
<div id="attachment_444690" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-444690" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-444690 size-large" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Screen-Shot-2022-09-30-at-3.17.00-PM-1024x521.png" alt="North Dakota prosecutors on Friday leveled a murder charge against the man who allegedly ran down 18-year-old Cayler Ellingson earlier this month because he was a “Republican extremist” and had threatened him." width="1024" height="521" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/09/Screen-Shot-2022-09-30-at-3.17.00-PM-1024x521.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/09/Screen-Shot-2022-09-30-at-3.17.00-PM-300x153.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/09/Screen-Shot-2022-09-30-at-3.17.00-PM-768x391.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/09/Screen-Shot-2022-09-30-at-3.17.00-PM-1536x781.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/09/Screen-Shot-2022-09-30-at-3.17.00-PM.png 1844w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />A GoFundMe page set up for Cayler Ellington has so far raised over $50,000. (GoFundMe)</div>
Ellingson called his mom at just after 2:30 a.m., moments before he was killed to say he was being chased after the street dance. She told her son she would come pick him up, according to police, but by the time she arrived at the scene, her son was had been fatally struck in an alleyway. The heartbroken mother told police she does not believe her son knew his killer.
Brandt was initially charged with vehicular homicide and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/man-who-admitted-to-murdering-republican-teenager-over-politics-is-freed-from-prison-report-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">released September 20</a> from the Stutsman County Jail after posting a $50,000 bond. The new charge was announced Friday by Foster County State’s Attorney Kara Brinster and was the result of an investigation by the North Dakota Highway Patrol, Foster County Sheriff’s Department, and the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
The affidavit revealed new and chilling details about Ellingson’s final moments and what Brandt allegedly did after.
Ellingson’s mother said her son told her he was being harassed and that &#8220;maybe he should call his cousins or posse,&#8221; according to the affidavit. She said she did not know at the time if he felt threatened but told him she was on her way. His last call to his mother was at 2:42 a.m., when he said &#8220;something to the effect of they are after me or he is after me,&#8221; before the call cut off, according to the affidavit.
A short time later, Brandt was on the phone with a 911 operator, at first claiming Ellingson had somehow prevented him from leaving the area.
“He wasn&#8217;t going to let me go, I hit him. I didn&#8217;t mean to and and he&#8217;s subdued,” Brandt said, according to the affidavit. “I was scared to death but he&#8217;s subdued, he can&#8217;t do anything to me now so, so this is why I&#8217;m calling you.
&#8220;I mean I…I almost oh god, I almost just runaway but I thought jeez obviously if it was a total accident I wouldn&#8217;t be scared but I know it was more than that,&#8221; Brandt said, according to the affidavit.
A <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/caylor-ellingson?qid=20aa1e3b957e536a63c476ac4488879b" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe page</a> set up to raise money for Ellingson&#8217;s family has raised over $50,000.

Screen Shot 2022-09-30 at 3.23.09 PM

Murder Charge For ND Man Who Allegedly Ran Down ‘Republican Extremist’ Teen

Murder Charge For ND Man Who Allegedly Ran Down 'Republican Extremist' Teen

The 41-year-old man who allegedly admitted to murdering a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/republican-party" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Republican</a> teenager over politics at the start of the week said this week in court that he did not want to lose things in his life due to bond because of the charges.
Shannon Brandt was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/man-who-admitted-to-murdering-republican-teenager-over-politics-is-freed-from-prison-report-says">charged</a> with vehicular homicide and leaving the scene of a crash involving a death after he allegedly hit and killed Cayler Ellingson on Sunday in McHenry, a small town two hours northwest of Fargo, North Dakota. He posted bond on Tuesday.
Brandt said that he objected to the $50,000 bond that was set because he was not a flight risk.
He said, &#8220;I have a job, a life and a house and things that I don&#8217;t exactly want to see go by the wayside — family that are very important to me.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Brandt had a tough time understanding the charges against him in the killing of 18-year-old Cayler Ellingson.
&quot;I have a job, a life and a house and things I don&#39;t want to see go by the wayside—family that are very important to me,&quot; Brandt told a judge at his first court hearing. <a href="https://t.co/UG9vc9PvTV">pic.twitter.com/UG9vc9PvTV</a>
&mdash; Mia Cathell (@MiaCathell) <a href="https://twitter.com/MiaCathell/status/1572638319464546305?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 21, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Citing court documents, WDAY reported that Brandt told police the death stemmed from an argument over politics.
“He was the one who called 911 to report the crash,” said North Dakota Highway Patrol Capt. Bryan Niewind.
Brandt <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/man-ran-down-killed-teen-he-thought-was-republican-extremist-police" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called</a> 911 around 2:30 a.m. Sunday and told a dispatcher he had run down Ellingson, the site reported, citing a criminal complaint. Brandt, who police say was drunk, claimed Ellingson was part of a “Republican extremist group” and was urging others to attack Brandt after a political argument.
“Brandt admitted to striking the pedestrian with his car because he had a political argument with the pedestrian and believed the pedestrian was calling people to come get him,” court documents state. “Brandt admitted to leaving the scene of the incident and returning shortly after where he called 911.”
Prosecutors allege Ellingson called his mom moments before he was killed to say Brandt, who she knows, was chasing him after an event described as a street dance. By the time the woman arrived at the scene, her son was dead in an alleyway. The heartbroken mother told police she does not believe her son knew his killer.
“We are still trying to determine what, exactly, transpired at the time of crash and prior to that as well,” Niewind said. “We do not know of any witnesses. We are still making attempts to interview potential witnesses from the street dance, people that were present prior to the crash happening.”
The attack comes just a couple of weeks after President Joe Biden <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/a-man-killed-a-teenager-for-being-a-republican-extremist-police-say-is-the-president-still-responsible-for-political-violence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">declared</a> that “MAGA Republicans,” or people who support former President Donald Trump, represented “an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our republic.”

Man Who Allegedly Drove Over ‘Republican’ Teen: I Don’t Want To Lose My ‘Job,’ ‘Life,’ ‘House’ Because Of Bond

Man Who Allegedly Drove Over 'Republican' Teen: I Don't Want To Lose My 'Job,' 'Life,' 'House' Because Of Bond

The 41-year-old man who allegedly admitted to murdering a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/republican-party" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Republican</a> teenager over politics has been released from jail after posting $50,000 bond.
Shannon Brandt only spent a few days in a Stutsman County Jail after being charged with vehicular homicide and leaving the scene of a crash involving a death after he allegedly hit and killed Cayler Ellingson on Sunday in McHenry, a small town two hours northwest of Fargo. He posted bond on Tuesday.
Citing court documents, WDAY reported that Brandt told police the death stemmed from an argument over politics.
“He was the one who called 911 to report the crash,” said North Dakota Highway Patrol Capt. Bryan Niewind.
Brandt <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/man-ran-down-killed-teen-he-thought-was-republican-extremist-police" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called</a> 911 around 2:30 a.m. Sunday and told a dispatcher he had run down Ellingson, the site reported, citing a criminal complaint. Brandt, who police say was drunk, claimed Ellingson was part of a &#8220;Republican extremist group&#8221; and was urging others to attack Brandt after a political argument.
&#8220;Brandt admitted to striking the pedestrian with his car because he had a political argument with the pedestrian and believed the pedestrian was calling people to come get him,&#8221; court documents state. &#8220;Brandt admitted to leaving the scene of the incident and returning shortly after where he called 911.&#8221;
Prosecutors allege Ellingson called his mom moments before he was killed to say Brandt, who she knows, was chasing him after an event described as a street dance. By the time the woman arrived at the scene, her son was dead in an alleyway. The heartbroken mother told police she does not believe her son knew his killer.
“We are still trying to determine what, exactly, transpired at the time of crash and prior to that as well,” Niewind said. “We do not know of any witnesses. We are still making attempts to interview potential witnesses from the street dance, people that were present prior to the crash happening.”
The attack comes just a couple of weeks after President Joe Biden (D) <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/a-man-killed-a-teenager-for-being-a-republican-extremist-police-say-is-the-president-still-responsible-for-political-violence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">declared</a> that &#8220;MAGA Republicans,&#8221; or people who support former President Donald Trump, represented &#8220;an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our republic.&#8221;
&#8220;An 18 y/o conservative is murdered by 41 year old leftist &amp; the media is totally silent,&#8221; Donald Trump Jr. tweeted. &#8220;No connection to Joe Biden and his insane speech of just 2 weeks ago… it’s as though it never happened &amp; doesn’t matter. Of course Trump would not get that benefit b/c our media is broken!&#8221;
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An 18 y/o conservative is murdered by 41 year old leftist &amp; the media is totally silent. No connection to Joe Biden and his insane speech of just 2 weeks ago… it’s as though it never happened &amp; doesn’t matter. Of course Trump would not get that benefit b/c our media is broken!
&mdash; Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) <a href="https://twitter.com/DonaldJTrumpJr/status/1572681662844084224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 21, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Greg Wilson contributed to this report.

Man Who Admitted To Murdering Republican Teenager Over Politics Is Freed From Prison, Report Says

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