GOP Lawmaker Under Fire Over Texts to Inmate Facing Child Porn Charges

[Celerity]

North Dakota’s longest-serving state senator, Ray E. Holmberg, stepped down from a leadership post over his 72 messages with an inmate accused of sexually abusing his nephews.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/north-dakota-gop-state-sen-ray-holmberg-quits-leadership-post-over-texts-to-inmate-facing-child-porn-charges



An influential Republican state lawmaker stepped down as leader of an important legislative panel less than a week after a report accused him of exchanging more than 70 text messages with a jailed landscaper facing federal child pornography and sexual abuse charges.

Sen. Ray E. Holmberg, a 78-year-old grandfather of five, is North Dakota’s longest-serving state senator—and until yesterday, chairman of the Legislative Management Committee, which decides members’ assignments and topics to consider for legislation.

“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 said in a statement on Wednesday announcing his resignation. “Consequently, I will be stepping down as chairman of Legislative Management, effective immediately. This will allow Vice-Chairman Chet Pollert to complete my term. No further comments on this announcement will be forthcoming.”

Reached by phone Thursday morning, Holmberg, who last month abruptly announced he would not seek reelection due to “medical issues,” declined to comment on the texts or explain why he had been in touch last August with 34-year-old Nicholas James Morgan-Derosier, whom the feds allege had victimized as many as 21 children, including his own nephews. The two reportedly texted back and forth some 72 times, with 65 of the messages being sent within a two-hour timeframe, according to the Forum Of Fargo, which obtained the jail call log through a Freedom of Information request.

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