Republican senator, charged with theft, doesn’t want to be associated with Bastiat Caucus
MINOT, N.D. — Last week I wrote a column Sen. Jason Heitkamp, a Republican from Wahpeton representing District 26 in Bismarck.
Heitkamp called my editor about that column, complaining that I had associated him with the secretive Bastiat Caucus of very Trump-aligned Republican lawmakers. Heitkamp told my editor he doesn’t want to be associated with the Bastiat Caucus because he’s not a member and nobody wants to vote for them.
I updated my column to reflect Heitkamp’s preference not to be associated with the Bastiat Caucus, though I have internal emails sent to Caucus members during the legislative session earlier this year that include Heitkamp’s name. For a time, at least, the Bastiats clearly considered him a member.
I was thinking about Sen. Heitkamp’s decision to distance himself from the Bastiats as I was attempting, unsuccessfully, to reach him about a theft charge against him from Bottineau County (he also told my editor that he immediately ignores my calls when I dial him).
According to the Summons and Complaint, Heitkamp has been charged with misdemeanor theft and is scheduled to appear before the district court at 10 a.m. Nov. 2.
