North Dakota legislators changing security measures to improve lawmaker safety

[Desmond Milligan 0]

Maria Rosa Nieves, a member of Capitol Security under the North Dakota Highway Patrol, screens a visitor at the public entrance to the Capitol on Aug. 13, 2025. North Dakota legislators are discussing ways to enhance lawmaker security. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)

North Dakota legislators are working to bolster security measures in response to shootings of two Minnesota lawmakers.

Senate Minority Leader Kathy Hogan, D-Fargo, recommended during a committee discussion Wednesday that legislators adopt an official process to report threats.

“I’ve been threatened many times, and it rolls off me, but for some people, the first time they get threatened, it’s very frightening,” Hogan said. She said some lawmakers have “thick skin” and don’t report those incidents, but she suggested that should change after the killings in Minnesota.

“Then, if we get a pattern, we’re sensitive about it,” Hogan said during the Legislative Procedure and Arrangements Committee. “We’ve had to think differently than we’re ever had to think, and that’s the sad part.”

The discussion Wednesday came in response to the June 14 assassination of Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, who were killed in their Brooklyn Park home. Another state lawmaker, Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were shot multiple times but survived. Vance Boelter was apprehended after a 42-hour manhunt and faces six felony charges.

In the aftermath of those attacks, a North Dakota man was charged with sending threatening messages to at least one U.S. official and other state officials. The threats by Charles Dalzell of St. Thomas referenced the Minnesota shootings, court records say. A jury trial is set for this fall.

North Dakota man charged with threatening official after email citing Minnesota shootings

Legislative Council has accumulated a mailbox full of letters and numerous voicemails from the man, Director John Bjornson said.

“It is something that is fairly common that we deal with on a regular basis,” Bjornson said.

Speaker of the House Rep. Robin Weisz, R-Hurdsfield, said he received a threat from Dalzell.

“I don’t know how he got my cellphone number,” Weisz said. “He was ranting and raving about the governor and how I need to force the governor to follow the law.”

Weisz said he explained to the man that he does not control the governor or the state courts, which prompted the man to hang up.

Weisz said he didn’t report the matter to law enforcement, but said he should have followed up with the governor.

Separately, Weisz said he’s received emails threatening his children.

“I’ve even had an email where a lady said, ‘I just want you to know, I know where you live,’ and so I emailed her back and said, ‘Great, when can I expect you.’ Never heard from her again,” he said.

Weisz said he will not be intimidated or bullied for representing his district in the Legislature.

Any reports of threats against lawmakers received by Legislative Council are reported to the North Dakota Highway Patrol, Bjornson said.

Emily Thompson, director of the legal division for Legislative Council, said a more in-depth discussion on lawmaker security will continue at the next committee meeting. Immediately following the Minnesota attacks, Legislative Council removed home addresses of North Dakota lawmakers from the Legislature’s website. Other measures being discussed include providing post office boxes for lawmaker mail and offering safety training.

“Here in North Dakota, we’ve just taken our security somewhat for granted,” said Sen. Jerry Klein, R-Fessenden, committee chair.

North Dakota Monitor reporter Michael Achterling can be reached at [email protected].

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