Christmann: Democrat Ethics Complaints Cover Up An Extreme Environmental Agenda

State Senator Randy Christmann, who is Democrat Brad Crabtree’s opponent for the state’s open Public Service Commission seat (not that you could tell from the way Crabtree has been attacking Republicans he’s not running against) had an excellent viewpoint column in the Grand Forks Herald over the weekend which made some excellent points about Crabtree’s politically-driven ethics complaints.

Christmann points out that Crabtree, for all his blather about ethics, has yet to expose one incident of unethical conduct. What’s more, it seems the ethics charges Crabtree is making are covering up a lawsuit which seeks to hand over North Dakota’s regulation of surface mining to the federal government:

In recent weeks, my opponent has levied allegations against current PSC commissioners for accepting political contributions from industries regulated by the PSC. But the contributions Crabtree is referring to came from individuals, not corporations, and are perfectly legal.

He fails to cite any example or evidence where the companies in questions received anything other than equal treatment under the law.

The only legal action in this matter to date has been a lawsuit brought by a radical environmental group against the federal government.

They cite these contributions as a reason the courts should strip North Dakota of its right to regulate coal mining.

Not even the Obama administration thought the allegations had merit, so now these extremists are trying to use the courts to achieve their goals.

By the way, members of the environmental group suing the federal government also are donors to Crabtree’s campaign.

As I wrote over the weekend, this is about the consent of the governed. This is about whether or not those who are regulated should get a say in who regulates them.

The environmentalists who support Crabtree, people who would see much of this state’s industry shut down in the name of their far-left agenda, would have those who want to build coal mines or wind towers, etc., etc. silenced in campaigns for the PSC while leaving the door open for themselves. Put another way, they want their opposition to shut up.

That’s not how democracy works.