Ethics Commission Highlights Time Management in Annual Report

 Rebecca Binstock, left, executive director of the North Dakota Ethics Commission.  (Photo by Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)

(North Dakota Monitor) – A new report shows that Ethics Commission complaints that don’t require a full investigation are usually closed in fewer than six months.

The commission was directed by the 2025 Legislature to compile annual reports to help the public understand how it operates — especially in light of ongoing concerns from state officials that the agency takes too long to resolve baseless allegations.

The first-of-its-kind document highlights the commission’s work since its inception in 2019, with a special focus on the fiscal year that began on July 1, 2024, and ended June 30, 2025.

Over the last six years, the commission has received a total of 158 complaints. Of those, 106 have been closed, the report states. It says most complaints were dismissed without requiring an official investigation.