Guilty Verdict Should Act As Warning For Elected And Appointed Officials

The guilty verdict against State Representative Jason Dockter should act as a warning for elected and appointed officials: "get your act together on ethics and personal enrichment."

Yesterday, North Dakota State Representative Jason Dockter (R-Bismarck) was found guilty of using his office for personal gain.

Rep. Jason Dockter, R-Bismarck, testifies on direct examination by his defense counsel during his misdemeanor criminal trial at the Burleigh County Courthouse on May 3, 2024. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)

From the North Dakota Monitor:

A jury found a state lawmaker guilty of violating an obscure conflict-of-interest law after a 10-hour trial Friday.

At issue in the case was Rep. Jason Dockter’s involvement in the lease of a Bismarck building to the Attorney General’s Office and the North Dakota Department of Health and his subsequent votes on agency budgets.

The jury took about 90 minutes to deliberate after hearing several hours of testimony from state officials.

South Central Judicial District Judge Weiler deferred sentencing Dockter on the misdemeanor until a later date, noting it had been a long and emotional day for everyone and she wanted time t…