O'Brien | District 42 DemNPL

Concerns about Emily O'Brien

District 42 Dem NPL leadership has two central concerns about Emily O'Brien.

First, the recent ethics concerns reveal she is in this for herself:

(1) O’Brien engaged in lobbying efforts to help pass a sales tax exemption for the bioscience industry. Article 14 says legislators cannot be lobbyists while serving and for two years after serving. The complaint alleges O’Brien failed to disclose her position as chief operating officer for the Bioscience Association of North Dakota during the 2023 legislative session.

"“She has utilized her ability to introduce bills and promote bills as a legislator to advocate for bills specifically benefiting her association, her industry and her industry association members.”"

(2) A reminder of the Wayne Stenehjem scheme to lease and renovate a building in south Bismarck to use as office space for several divisions under the Attorney General’s Office, an expenditure made without appropriate approval or oversight. A covert contract granted Jason Dockter, a Bismarck Republican and close associate of Stenehjem, a contract, was found guilty for his role in this scheme.

The crime Dockter was found guilty is that of “a public servant [who] takes official action which is likely to benefit him as a result of an acquisition of a pecuniary interest in any property, transaction, or enterprise, or of a speculation or wager, which he made, or caused or aided another to make, in contemplation of such official action.”

Simply put, Dockter used his position to get richer, himself. And contrary to the jury finding, O'Brien testified that she believes Dockter hasn’t violated any ethics rule.

In both scenarios, she has demonstrated putting money in the pocket of Legislators is more important than following the law.

Second, it has been more than six years since Emily has lived in the district.

She lied about her eligibilty to represented District 42 in 2020 and lied continuously throughout the last term about where she lived. And she's lying now. The entire Republican apparatus that supports this dishonesty should be ashamed.

We've known about her dishonest on this issue for some time:

August 2000 letter hand delivered to Emily O'Brien at her Olsen Drive home.

August 2000 letter re: Emily O'Brien to Grand Forks officials

For approximately five years, Emily used a friend's address to collect mail and project the appearance she lived in District 42. The long-con involved in this does not speak to innocence. She signed a document in April 2024 to run for re-election in District 42. The owner of the house - the husband of the friend who was helping her manage a false address - clearly states she hasn't lived or stayed with them for approximately five years.

The latest act of her deception is this: she and her partner bought a multi-family home and she says that she uses one of these units as a get-away from her partner's house when she needs time away. Because the law is so badly written, and, you know, because she's privileged, it is likely she's done enough to evade any legal recourse. But still, let's be real:

She doesn't live here. She doesn't represent us. She doesn't deserve your vote.