The U.S. Attorney's Office alleged Nicholas Morgan-Derosier sexually abused 20 to 21 children since 2011, including some with James McHaney, who worked for U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell.
"It's obvious that whatever was deleted was deemed more harmful than any heat the deletions might bring. In Wayne Stenehjem's case, Liz Brocker read the tea leaves correctly. Stenehjem's replacement, Drew Wrigley, has chosen to simply look the other way."
Federal agents took several electronic items and storage devices from Ray Holmberg's home in November, including some the state of North Dakota gave him to use as a lawmaker, his attorney confirmed.
Legislative expense reports show Sen. Ray Holmberg of Grand Forks spent more than $125,000 on travel over the last decade, far exceeding the average for lawmakers.
An investigation published by The Forum on April 15 revealed that North Dakota Sen. Ray Holmberg exchanged 72 text messages in August with Nicholas Morgan-Derosier, a Grand Forks County Jail inmate suspected of child porn and sex abuse crimes.
"Recent news stories have become a distraction for the important work of the legislative assembly during its interim meetings," Holmberg wrote. "Consequently, in respect for the institution and its other 140 members, I shall resign my Senate seat effective June 1, 2022."
When contacted by Forum News Service earlier this week, Sen. Ray Holmberg declined to comment and directed all inquiries to his new attorney, Mark Friese of the Vogel Law Firm in Fargo.
"Recent events and discussions have made it clear to me that the interim governing body of the legislature, Legislative Management, does not need to be any part of that discussion," Holmberg wrote in a released announcement.
Democrat-NPL Chair Patrick Hart said North Dakota's longest-serving state senator should step down as chair of Legislative Management, a powerful group that decides who sits on committees in the Legislature.
