Politics in Washington D.C. and North Dakota

Hunter Biden on Trump’s attempt to “harm” father

Since July, President Trump has been attempting to get the Ukraine, a country Trump has been withholding important aid money from, to investigate both Hunter and Joe Biden’s business practices in the country. According to NBC News, Trump believes that Joe Biden used his power as Vice President to advance his son’s career despite the lack of any physical evidence. After many around D.C and America saw the connection of Trump’s actions, an inquiry of impeachment has begun. 

Hunter Biden was on the board for a Ukrainian natural gas company. Biden admits in an interview with NBC News that the position was probably offered to him because of his relation to Joe Biden. In the same interview with NBC, Biden said: “In retrospect, look, I think that it was poor judgment on my part… I gave a hook to some very unethical people to act in illegal ways to try to do some harm to my father. That’s where I made the mistake,” Biden said about President Trump’s actions against his father who is considered to be Trump’s biggest opposer. 

Evidence shows Trump administration tried to restrict Fiona Hill’s testimony. 

Fiona Hill was President Donald Trump’s main analyst/advisor in dealings with Russia until August this year. Hill is the first person to testify in the impeachment inquiry who worked for President Trump, as reported by NBC News. Hill is expected to discuss how President Trump and his administration did not utilize her when dealing with the Ukraine and decided to go rogue in their Ukrainian policies. 

Hill’s lawyer released correspondence and a White House deputy that depict the Trump administration trying to limit what Hill could testify about.  The White House is not seen attempting to stop Hill from testifying, which she is doing voluntarily, but reminding Hill and her lawyers about certain information that could be considered an executive privilege. Hill testified on Oct. 14.

Hill testifies on Trump impeachment inquiry

The former main Russia advisor for the Trump administration testified on Oct. 14. In her 10-hour closed-door testimony, Hill discussed that she brought information about Rudolph W. Giuliani, Trump’s personal lawyer, and some of his actions that she deemed questionable to Gordon Sondland, who was the U.S. ambassador to the European Union. According to the Washington Post, Hill also testified on the fact that Giuliani’s actions were not coordinated by the appropriate officials who are supposed to be responsible for U.S. foreign policy. 

Hill also discussed that her boss, John Bolton, who is also being considered to testify at the impeachment inquiry, was “furious” when he heard about Giuliani’s actions towards the Ukraine, which both Hill and Bolton deemed to be politically motivated. Trump’s impeachment inquiry was sparked by a phone call he made to the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, where he asked Zelensky to investigate his political rival, Joe Biden. The phone call was made after Trump’s administration withheld important aid money to the Ukraine.

Kevin Glatt resigns

Earlier this month, Kevin Glatt, who has been with the auditor/treasury office since 1986, announced his resignation as Burleigh County Auditor and Treasurer. Glatt’s resignation letter was only one sentence long as he left for a weekend-long hunting trip. When asked by the Bismarck Tribune about his choice to leave his long-held position, he had “No comment.”

Glatt’s resignation will become in effect Dec. 14. The county commission will determine an interim auditor while the State sets up an election. After his resignation, the five commissioners of the county were all asked about Glatt’s departure, all of them were unable to designate a reason for his departure. 

Abandoned oil wells discussed by oil industry and environmental groups

Environmental groups have commended the state of North Dakota for proposing more regulations on abandoned oil wells throughout the state. Environmental groups say that it is a move in the right direction in protecting the state’s land and natural resources as reported by the Bismarck Tribute. Oil industries find issues with these oil-and gas-related rule adjustments that are being proposed by the North Dakota’s Oil and Gas Division. Oil industries say that these new regulations will make it more difficult for them to reopen wells that currently aren’t being used, but have the potential to be reopened.