ND GOP, Dem leaders want outside probe of deleted emails

Democratic and Republican leaders are calling for an independent investigation into possible violations of North Dakota’s open records laws by the state attorney general’s office.

At issue is whether there was criminal wrongdoing by administrative assistant Liz Brocker, a former employee who handled the deletion of Republican Attorney General Wayne Stenhejem’s state email account a day after he died.

Brocker resigned last Friday.

It is a felony in North Dakota to if a public official “knowingly, without lawful authority, destroys, conceals, removes, or otherwise impairs the verity or availability of a government record.”

Republican Senate Majority Leader Rich Wardner and Democratic Party Chairman Patrick Hart are calling for an independent investigation.

Current Attorney General Drew Wrigley didn’t reply to messages seeking comment.

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AP