PSC Kevin Cramer: Prosecutions Over Dead Birds Are “Chilling”

BISMARCK, ND –Public Service Commissioner Kevin Cramer expressed serious concern about an apparent presumption of guilt that motivated the US Wildlife Department’s 45 day helicopter search for dead birds in North Dakota’s oil fields.

“That’s chilling to me in a free society” Cramer told Eugene Graner on today’s broadcast of the Scott Hennen Show. “I’m certainly concerned this was a high priority for the government” Cramer said.

If it was indeed a high priority, the discovery of 28 dead birds and the criminal charges issued by US Attorney Tim Purdon is now receiving national attention thanks to a scathing editorial published in today’s Wall Street Journal.

The article, which references an earlier report from Plainsdaily.com, lambasts Purdon’s “selective and foolish” prosecution, while noting the apparent hypocrisy of the administration’s refusal to prosecute wind companies for similar offenses. Cramer agrees with the WSJ editorial board’s analysis.

“When you selectively prosecute this way, it’s the worst injustice and the grossest form of discrimination in a free society that you can ever have” Cramer said.

Written by: Logan Little on September 29, 2011.