North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem dies at 68

His spokeswoman, Liz Brocker, confirmed his death Friday night. Stenehjem had been taken to the hospital Friday morning after being found unresponsive in his home.

"It is with the utmost sadness that the Office of Attorney General announces that Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem passed away unexpectedly on Friday, Jan. 28, 2022. He was 68," said a statement issued by Brocker. "We know Wayne was a widely respected and well-known public figure, but we ask that his family be allowed time to grieve in private."

The cause of death was not immediately released. Funeral arrangements are pending with Bismarck Funeral Home, for both public and private services.

Gov. Doug Burgum directed all government agencies to fly the U.S. and North Dakota flags at half-staff until further notice in honor of Stenehjem's longtime service to the state, and he encouraged residents to do the same at their homes and businesses.

“Like so many North Dakotans who treasured his friendship and admired him for his more than four decades of exceptional service to our state, we are absolutely devastated by the passing of Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem,” Burgum said in a statement. “Wayne embodied public service, both as a dedicated legislator and the longest-serving attorney general in our state’s 133-year history.

"As the top law enforcement officer in North Dakota for over two decades, Attorney General Stenehjem always put the safety and well-being of our citizens first," the governor said. "North Dakota is a safer place because of his unwavering commitment to law and order, his loyalty to his team members and his utmost respect for our men and women in uniform. State and local governments also are more transparent thanks to his strong enforcement of North Dakota’s sunshine laws."

Police responded to a medical call at Stenehjem's home at 8:27 a.m. Friday, Lt. Luke Gardiner said. It wasn't immediately clear at what time Stenehjem died.

Brother Allan Stenehjem told the Tribune his brother had no known health issues that might have caused his hospitalization, and that his brother's condition was not related to COVID-19. 

Stenehjem announced last month that he would not seek reelection this year, intending to retire and spend time with his wife, traveling, bicycling and being involved with charitable organizations. He was first elected in 2000.

He said last month he was in good health and was "not in any way hampered."

Before becoming attorney general, Stenehjem served in the state House of Representatives from 1976-80 and in the state Senate from 1980-2000, representing a Grand Forks district.

He made a bid for governor in 2016 but was beaten in the Republican primary election by Doug Burgum, who won a second term in 2020.

Stenehjem's term expires Dec. 31, 2022.

History of service

When Stenehjem in December announced his decision to not seek reelection, he said combating illegal drugs was a top challenge of his tenure.

He counted accomplishments in securing the $30 million settlement from the 1985 Mandan diesel spill, establishing the 24/7 sobriety program for people convicted of subsequent DUIs, establishing the state crime lab, and improving the training of state crime bureau agents.

He cited other achievements in establishing the prescription drug take-back program, developing a human trafficking commission he chairs, upholding state open records and meetings laws as an "ardent supporter," advancing new natural gas flaring goals, creating his "extraordinary places" initiative for minimizing environmental impacts from oil and gas drilling, and enhancing the special prosecution unit of his office, which assists in serious drug, homicide and sexual assault cases.

He advised his successor to "hire the best people, and then let them do their job," and to uphold the U.S. and state constitutions and rule of law.

Burgum said that “On a personal level, Wayne was extremely proud of his small-town roots, his ties to UND (University of North Dakota) and time spent practicing law in Grand Forks, and especially his Scandinavian heritage. His dry Norwegian humor was at its sidesplitting best at Norsk Høstfest in Minot during the induction ceremonies for the Scandinavian-American Hall of Fame -- an honor he himself received in 2007.

"Most of all, he was a loving husband and father, often sharing photos of his travels with Beth and beaming with pride as he would carry a plate of her Scotcheroos into a meeting or talk about son Andrew’s military service and latest adventures," the governor said.

Fond memories

Former state Insurance Commissioner Jim Poolman called Stenehjem “one of the best public servants North Dakota has ever seen,” who “cared about everybody and took pride in his job and wanted to always do the right thing, even if it cost him support or votes."

Poolman met Stenehjem in 1992 when both were campaigning for the Legislature in a Grand Forks district. In 2000, they campaigned together for statewide office, and won.

Jim Poolman said one of his best memories with Stenehjem was when they were listening to political commentators on the radio while on the side of the road in western North Dakota, and heard them say the two could win their races.

“And we screamed like a couple of schoolgirls,” said Poolman, adding that he is saddened Stenehjem did not get to enjoy retirement with his wife.

In 2016, Poolman’s wife, state Sen. Nicole Poolman, was Stenehjem’s running mate for their unsuccessful bid for the governor’s office. She said she first met Stenehjem when she was a UND College Republican during the 1994 campaign with her husband. She recalls rollerblading in the UND homecoming parade wearing a campaign sweatshirt, and going door to door for the candidates.

Stenehjem introduced her to the Tower City cafe on the campaign trail, and knew at what mile marker to call in an order for a cheeseburger and fries, she said, laughing.

“He was somebody who didn’t just love North Dakota, he loved the people of North Dakota more than anybody I have ever met, and that’s really what separated him from all of the rest,” she said. “He’s just an exceptional, humble public servant and a dear, dear friend.”

She said she joined him in the 2016 gubernatorial race because “there has been no greater public servant in North Dakota than Wayne Stenehjem.”

Longtime Sen. Ray Holmberg, R-Grand Forks, entered politics with Stenehjem in 1976, when they won their first terms in the Legislature to represent Grand Forks.

Holmberg called Stenehjem “fair, which is not always the case of all politicians … and he could appreciate where other people were coming from.”

He called Stenehjem passionate about open meeting and record laws, some of which he helped to author in the Senate.

Sen. Judy Lee, R-West Fargo, said Stenehjem gave “the best floor speech I ever heard in all my years in the Senate,” when he articulated details about a controversial bill.

“He was extraordinary in the way he could explain things,” Lee said.

Secretary of State Al Jaeger called Stenehjem a friend and a colleague who jokingly referred to Jaeger as “his favorite client, because over the years I’ve been sued several times.”

“I guess I always really took that as a compliment,” he said.

Stenehjem “certainly is somebody who has made a significant, positive contribution to the citizens of North Dakota as a legislator and as attorney general,” Jaeger said.

He also “was an excellent speaker in terms of delivering a message that had a lot of humor it,” Jaeger said.

Members of North Dakota's congressional delegation issued statements Friday mourning Stenehjem's death. Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., said Stenehjem was "a true patriot, dedicating his life to public service and our great state." Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., said Stenehjem "was a fierce advocate for the rule of law and the rights of our state’s residents." Rep. Kelly Armstrong, R-N.D., said "Wayne loved North Dakota as much as anyone I have ever met."

State GOP Chairman Perrie Schafer in a statement said Stenehjem's "record of service to the state of North Dakota and commitment to the constitution was second to none."

North Dakota's last statewide elected official to die in office was U.S. Sen. Quentin Burdick, D-N.D., in 1992.

Burgum will appoint someone to serve out the remainder of Stenehjem's term.

Republican former U.S. Attorney and former Lt. Gov. Drew Wrigley is the only candidate to announce a bid for attorney general in the 2022 election.