Kelly Armstrong’s deep ties to oil raise ethics concerns in North Dakota governor’s race
Kelly Armstrong, front-runner for North Dakota governor, would oversee state bodies that regulate the oil and gas industry from which he derives nearly all of his personal income.
Jacob Orledge reports for ProPublica in partnership with the North Dakota Monitor.
In short:
- Armstrong, who earns most of his income from oil and gas, would chair state bodies regulating the energy industry if elected governor.
- The Industrial Commission and Land Board, which he would lead, have faced criticism for supporting corporate interests over landowners.
- North Dakota has weak financial disclosure rules and its ethics commission only acts on filed complaints, lacking enforcement power.
Key quote:
"The mechanics of how we’ve done things in North Dakota don’t really make sense from an ethics standpoint."
— Scott Skokos, executive director of Dakota Resource Council.
Why this matters:
Armstrong’s potential conflict of interest raises questions about whether he can impartially regulate an industry from which he profits. With weak oversight rules, public trust in regulatory decisions may be jeopardized.
Related: North Dakota's diverse environmental views revealed in statewide poll
