Republicans continue to provide us examples of child predation from their own ranks. This week’s Grand Old Pedophile is former school counselor Ray Holmberg, who retired last year after 45 years as a Republican State Senator:
A grand jury in North Dakota U.S. District Court indicted 79-year-old Ray Everett Holmberg on Thursday, Oct. 26. The indictment that was unsealed Monday alleged he traveled from North Dakota to Prague between June 24, 2011, and Nov. 1, 2016, with intentions to “engage in illicit sexual activity” with minors. He also was accused of receiving or attempting to receive child porn between Nov. 24, 2012, and March 4, 2013.
…The indictment listed aliases of Sean Evan and Sean Evans for Holmberg. He used aliases to convince a child to send him sexually explicit images, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Puhl alleged Monday in court.
Holmberg also used the internet to set up travel arrangements to Prague and discuss his sexual exploits with others, she alleged [April Baumgarten, “Former North Dakota Sen. Ray Holmberg Denies Traveling to Have Sex with Minors After Federal Indictment,” InForum, 2023.10.30].
Holmberg says he didn’t do the dirty deeds, but he at least appears to have misappropriated state resources:
The investigation into Holmberg started about two years ago, his attorney Mark Friese said in court. Federal agents searched Holmberg’s home in November 2021 , according to a search warrant.
Officers seized several items at the house, including a state-issued laptop and iPad, according to the North Dakota Legislative Council. Those items had not been returned to the state as of Monday, Legislative Council Director John Bjornson said [Baumgarten, 2023.10.30].
Holmberg ascribed his abrupt retirement last year to “medical issues” impeding his concentration and recall. Dang—I hope he didn’t forget that state laptop and iPad in Prague.
Holmberg was a big traveler and used state money to cover many of his flights:
He was reimbursed roughly $126,000 for nearly 70 out-of-state trips from 2013 to mid-April 2022 to places that included four dozen U.S. cities, as well as China, Canada, Puerto Rico and several European countries, according to an Associated Press review of his travel records [Tasha Carvell, “Former State Sen. Holmberg Indicted on Child Sex Tourism & Pornography Charges; Pleads Not Guilty,” KFGO, 2023.10.30].
Holmberg won’t be traveling much while he awaits trial. He gets to walk the streets of Grand Forks with an electronic monitor, but he can’t go out of town except to Fargo for medical appointments. He also can’t carry a gun, use the Internet without court permission, or interact with anyone minors without supervision.
Dang, dude really went out of his way.
I’m sure he just travelled to Prague to say ‘Hi!’…
It’s become a given in the GOP, that the most vehement “PRO FAMILY VALUES!!!” are the ones who are heading to Prague (or Romania) for a little fun with little friends. Or covering up sexual abuse of wrestling students under their watch. Or taking photos in their home(s) and claiming their phone was hacked. Etc., etc., etc.
You can’t really talk too much.
You people voted for a pervert that showered with his 12 year old daughter.
You can’t really talk too much.
You people voted for a pervert that showered with his 12 year old daughter.
And your irrefutable truth is…….?
LCJ appears to be “gleefully spreading the lie around. . . .”
At least that is what one commenter on Reddit claims:
https://www.reddit.com/r/OutOfTheLoop/comments/14wd9ri/what_is_up_with_joe_biden_showering_with_his/
I have no idea what the truth is, so I won’t make any such claims like LCJ, but I did find interesting analysis on Snopes. It appears this story originated with a purchase of a stolen item by “Truth Veritas,” a source with a highly questionable background for veracity, and that even “founder James O’Keefe in August 2022, [said] his organization could not confirm the diary received belonged to Ashley Biden. ”
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/ashley-biden-leaked-diary-accusation/
I, like onion, wonder if LCJ has a credible source for that claim, or if LCJ is either simply a troll spreading misinformation or a Russian operative trying to undermine the U.S. government by spreading spurious lies. In any event, at this point based on what I could find, LCJ’s claim appears to be baseless.
When one party is in total control, like the Repubs are in ND & SD, lots of things are covered up. Been listening to KFGO all day today and am talk show had legislator in charge of taxpayer money used for trips, had attitude they don’t need to answer to constituents because they know better how to spend money on junkets. Same attitude of SD legislators with their holier than thou attitude and we know what is best for you, and we’ll give you info on a need to know basis.
The North Dakota tax payer providing funding for “Sex trafficking junkets” to foreign lands by a senior Republican Legislator over a period of several years?? Who’s watching the store?? Loose financial management and no see, no tell, policies for senior majority law makers (and administrators??) seems like something that would be done by North Dakota’s sister State.
Amen, Arlo B.
AMEN, ARLO B.
Good job decrypting and debunking LCJ, BCB.
LCJ, we can talk about Holmberg‘s alleged crimes. Would you agree that the crimes for which he’s been charged or reprehensible? Would you agree those crimes run against the family values for which the Republican party claims to stand?
Mr. H, the crimes of which this Nodakian fellow has been charged are reprehensible and against the values of approximately 99.37% of Republicans in general.