690: 'Life's good in North Dakota' (Video)
Plain Talk
In the world of journalism, it's a truth that we can tend to focus on the negative. "Safe airplane landings aren't news," the adage goes. There's a reason for that. The proverbial airplanes are supposed to land safely. When they don't, and when people and property are hurt, we want to know what happened, and why it happened, and who is responsible. Sometimes, though, it behooves us to talk about the planes that land safely. When we report about economic development programs, we tend to focus on the fails. The marginal companies that gobbled up lots of public dollars and then went out of...
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690: 'Life's good in North Dakota'
Plain Talk
In the world of journalism, it's a truth that we can tend to focus on the negative. "Safe airplane landings aren't news," the adage goes. There's a reason for that. The proverbial airplanes are supposed to land safely. When they don't, and when people and property are hurt, we want to know what happened, and why it happened, and who is responsible. Sometimes, though, it behooves us to talk about the planes that land safely. When we report about economic development programs, we tend to focus on the fails. The marginal companies that gobbled up lots of public dollars and then went out of...
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689: It's opening day of baseball! (Video)
Plain Talk
Today marks the first official day of the Major League Baseball -- opening day! It's become a tradition on the Plain Talk podcast that Kelly Armstrong, first as a member of Congress, and now as governor of the great state of North Dakota, comes on the show to talk about baseball -- and just baseball -- on opening day. Armstrong is a fan of the Mets, and says that started when he was 10 years old, watching the famous (some might say infamous) 1986 Mets win the World Series. "If you couldn't fall in love with the New York Mets in 1986, you were doing it wrong," he said, "and I didn't even...
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689: It's opening day of baseball!
Plain Talk
Today marks the first official day of the Major League Baseball -- opening day! It's become a tradition on the Plain Talk podcast that Kelly Armstrong, first as a member of Congress, and now as governor of the great state of North Dakota, comes on the show to talk about baseball -- and just baseball -- on opening day. Armstrong is a fan of the Mets, and says that started when he was 10 years old, watching the famous (some might say infamous) 1986 Mets win the World Series. "If you couldn't fall in love with the New York Mets in 1986, you were doing it wrong," he said, "and I didn't even know...
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688: 'We clean our voter rolls every single night in the state of North Dakota' (Video)
Plain Talk
There is a furious national debate about the SAVE Act -- federal legislation backed by Republicans aimed at creating tough new national standards for election security -- and North Dakota occupies a unique role in it. Our state is the only state without voter registration. The SAVE Act, as it is presently amended, contains exemptions to maintain that status, and Sec. of State Michael Howe says that's appropriate, because current North Dakota laws already make our elections very secure. "I like to tell people North Dakota's been dealing with election integrity well before it was cool," he said...
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688: 'We clean our voter rolls every single night in the state of North Dakota'
Plain Talk
There is a furious national debate about the SAVE Act -- federal legislation backed by Republicans aimed at creating tough new national standards for election security -- and North Dakota occupies a unique role in it. Our state is the only state without voter registration. The SAVE Act, as it is presently amended, contains exemptions to maintain that status, and Sec. of State Michael Howe says that's appropriate, because current North Dakota laws already make our elections very secure. "I like to tell people North Dakota's been dealing with election integrity well before it was cool," he said...
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687: 'The best case scenario for the Fargo PD is a nightmare' (Video)
Plain Talk
Angela Lipps is a Tennesee grandmother who, through no fault of her own, is making headlines in North Dakota, and the region, and the nation, for something you don't want to make headlines for. She was subjected to arrest at gun point, months of detainment during the extradition process, all because the Fargo Police Department used an artificial intelligence facial recognition tool to match her to security camera footage of a suspect who allegedly defrauded banks in North Dakota. Lipps was quickly released when her Fargo-based defense attorney, Jay Greenwood, submitted finaicial records and...
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687: 'The best case scenario for the Fargo PD is a nightmare'
Plain Talk
Angela Lipps is a Tennesee grandmother who, through no fault of her own, is making headlines in North Dakota, and the region, and the nation, for something you don't want to make headlines for. She was subjected to arrest at gun point, months of detainment during the extradition process, all because the Fargo Police Department used an artificial intelligence facial recognition tool to match her to security camera footage of a suspect who allegedly defrauded banks in North Dakota. Lipps was quickly released when her Fargo-based defense attorney, Jay Greenwood, submitted finaicial records and...
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686: 'It was just a weird pitch for Cramer to swing at' (Video)
Plain Talk
According to an AI analysis touted by thrice-failed statewide candidate Rick Becker, who is currently seeking a seat in the state Legislature in District 7, because I write too many articles about him. Is that an accurate diagnosis, or is this a case of yet another whiny politician trying to throw dirt on apt criticisms? We discussed it on this episode of Plain Talk, and whille me and co-host Chad Oban didn't agree with the criticism, we did find Becker's method to be a creative one, if perhaps more reflective of his mental state than mine. Also, Sen. Kevin Cramer recently criticizing...
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686: 'It was just a weird pitch for Cramer to swing at'
Plain Talk
According to an AI analysis touted by thrice-failed statewide candidate Rick Becker, who is currently seeking a seat in the state Legislature in District 7, because I write too many articles about him. Is that an accurate diagnosis, or is this a case of yet another whiny politician trying to throw dirt on apt criticisms? We discussed it on this episode of Plain Talk, and whille me and co-host Chad Oban didn't agree with the criticism, we did find Becker's method to be a creative one, if perhaps more reflective of his mental state than mine. Also, Sen. Kevin Cramer recently criticizing...
info_outlineMark Friese, a long-time criminal defense attorney who has worked some high-profile cases, including serving as disgraced former lawmaker Ray Holmberg's attorney, has been appointed to the North Dakota Supreme Court by Gov. Kelly Armstrong.
Why does he want to serve on the court? "It's a lot easier to be critical of the court when you're sitting on the opposite side of the table," he told us on this episode of Plain Talk. "I'm hopeful that I can impact some change and offer a perspective that's, quite frankly, not been held by the court previously."
Friese will be the only member of the Supreme Court with a background in criminal defense. He also touted his background as a former police officer, and working in the military courts as a member of the North Dakota National Guard, as unique experiences he can bring to the bench.
While expressing deep respect for the current justices, he also had some criticism.
"There are instances where the court has not been consistent in its rationale, consistent in its reasoning," he said. "I think practitioners need to be able to rely on those decisions and know how those decisions are going to come down, and we haven't seen that universally from our court."
In the past the Supreme Court has pushed toward allowing more digital access to court records, but it's a project that hasn't been completed yet. Friese said he thinks public access is important, but also noted that information contained in court records can be exploited for fraud and other nefarious reasons.
"There has to be a careful balance. The public has a right to know. You have a right to sit in the courtroom. You have a right to access the docket," he said. "But the danger exists when those court records are used for improper purposes."
He also said that serving on the bench will be "isolating" in a way, as he will no longer be able to serve clients, and he won't be able to speak as freely publicly about issues he's passionate about.
"I had a great big box full of cards and letters and thank you notes from clients and their families for helping them through difficult times. I'm really going to miss that aspect of practice," he said. "Being on the court is going to be isolating. I won't be able to speak as openly and publicly as I have in the past on issues."
Also on this episode, co-host Chad Oban and I discussed the upcoming Democratic-NPL and NDGOP conventions, the NDGOP's proposed rule to fine disloyal members, the state of North Dakota's legislative races, and we responded to some listener feedback.
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