Judge denies petition seeking governor probe

BISMARCK (AP) — A petition filed in Dunn County seeking a grand jury investigation into whether oil industry campaign contributions to Gov. Jack Dalrymple amount to bribery has been thrown out by a judge.

The Bismarck Tribune reported that South Central District Court Judge William Herauf ruled Wednesday that there weren’t enough qualified Dunn County signatures for the petition.

The petition calls for a grand jury investigation into approximately $81,600 in oil industry contributions made to the Dalrymple campaign between Jan. 1, 2011, and May 23 of this year.

Amanda Godfread, communications director for Dalrymple’s campaign, has called the petition politically motivated and baseless.

The petition was turned in by Nikki McAlpin of Grassy Butte, a former volunteer for independent gubernatorial candidate Paul Sorum.

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