Controversy has erupted over what appears to be an attempt at a coverup involving the deletion of the official state email account of an elected North Dakota state official, who served the people of North Dakota with honor and distinction for just over two decades prior to his death last year. What apparently has happened in the wake of former North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem’s death last year leaves more questions than answers.
Stenehjem was the longest-serving attorney general in North Dakota history. First elected in 2000, Stenehjem served as the state’s chief law enforcement officer for 22 years. Prior to that, he was a state legislator for 24 years. Stenehjem suddenly passed away in January of last year.
It has been widely reported by North Dakota news media outlets that within 24 hours of his death on Jan. 28, 2022; Liz Brocker, Stenehjem’s longtime personal assistant, requested that his official state email account be deleted and wiped clean. It has also been reported that Stenehjem’s office at the capitol building was suddenly cleaned out shortly following his death.
The even bigger questions here which have yet to be answered, are why did Brocker allegedly go to such lengths to shield Stenehjem’s official, or unofficial matters that were contained in his email account as well as his office from media and public scrutiny? Also, why was it that Stenehjem’s office was cleaned out so suddenly? Was there something that was being hidden in order for her to have allegedly gone to such lengths as these?
It was reported last week that there are records of Brocker and now-former assistant attorney general Troy Seibel having used their state-issued key fobs to enter the state capitol building on several occasions at hours that would otherwise be considered well outside of normal business hours. In a column published last week, Forum Communications Company columnist Rob Port commented that this kind of activity might be indicative of someone removing items from Stenehjem’s office and taking them outside of the building. I agree with Port.
First, we have the deletion of Stenehjem’s – and I might add, Seibel’s – official state email accounts. At Brocker’s request. Now we have the news of his office at the capitol building suddenly being cleaned out. All of this certainly smells fishy to me. If this doesn’t smell fishy to you, then I don’t know what does. It is also interesting to note that neither Brocker nor Seibel have granted interview requests from a number of news media members here in the state, regarding this matter.
Olson, of Fargo, is a published author of commentary and opinion articles in publications across North Dakota. He is also a regular contributor to the Journal’s opinion page. He may be reached at: rickolson@midco.net.
