Commerce Department flags $4M in conflicts involving two Development Fund board leaders

What the primary sources show

• The North Dakota Commerce Department identified conflict of interest transactions involving two Development Fund board leaders. [Bismarck Tribune] [Mandan People Reporting News (public group)] [Bismarck Community Buzz (public group)] [Bismarck people reporting the news (public group)]
• The transactions totaled nearly $4 million. [Bismarck Tribune] [Mandan People Reporting News (public group)] [Bismarck Community Buzz (public group)] [Bismarck people reporting the news (public group)]
• The Commerce Department declined to identify the companies involved. [Bismarck Tribune] [Mandan People Reporting News (public group)] [Bismarck Community Buzz (public group)] [Bismarck people reporting the news (public group)]

What they left out / still unanswered

• Which companies received the grant money or contracts tied to the conflicts?
• What other transactions comprised the remaining $3.5 million in conflicts?
• What enforcement action, if any, will the Commerce Department take?

Official line vs. how each source framed it

• Bismarck Tribune: Bismarck Tribune reported the Commerce Department identified the conflicts and added the specific detail that the board chair's firm received $500k in grants. Read it → · Paywall
• Mandan People Reporting News (public group): Mandan People Reporting News shared the Commerce Department identification without additional reporting. Read it →
• Bismarck Community Buzz (public group): Bismarck Community Buzz shared the Commerce Department identification without additional reporting. Read it →
• Bismarck people reporting the news (public group): Bismarck people reporting the news shared the Commerce Department identification without additional reporting. Read it →

701 News writes these summaries from the sources above and checks every sentence against them. Read the originals for the full reporting. Corrections

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