BEK TV owns three broadcast stations in North Dakota. It is based out of Steele, North Dakota, which is 45 minutes east of Bismarck in roughly the center of the state.
BEK is a media cooperative, serving both telecom services and broadcasting to 11,000 of the state’s residents, and is digitally available statewide. Its most recent annual report shows $150 million in assets.
The broadcaster employs as their key talent, Lori Hinz. Hinz has been voted “Best TV Personality” around Bismarck in years past. Hinz is a National Committeewoman for the Republican National Committee and an executive with the North Dakota GOP.
BEK TV cultivated a conservative customer base, encouraging deplatformed and dispossessed conservatives to come on their shows and host their programs. BEK wanted to be a right-wing version of Fox News for North Dakota.
But recordings released exclusively to the Gateway Pundit appear to show Hinz agreeing to suppress news content and coordinate likely illegal payments in order to keep a brewing state scandal out of public view.
Hinz was given several hundred megabytes worth of data and documents supporting the claims of a whistleblower alleging systemic corruption and fraud in North Dakota, including accusations of politically-motivated murders. Hinz reportedly promised the whistleblower that she would report the story.
But instead, Hinz, who is close personal friends for several decades with one of the subjects involved, U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer, allegedly attempted to set up a deal by which the whistleblower would stay silent and get paid, and the story would not get reported. The whistleblower was not asking for compensation, but on the tapes it sounds like Hinz was arranging it anyway over his protests.
MEDIA OUTLET BROKERS DEAL WHERE U.S. SENATOR PRESSURES STATE TO PAY OFF SOURCE, AGREES TO BURY THE STORY
On the audio, Hinz is overheard apparently coordinating and negotiating an alleged extortion deal for a tipster and source who is not even asking for money. Hinz appears to be offering to compensate the source and keep his life safe, while simultaneously explaining why she is not going to publish the story.
The sources for this story says Hinz and others offered to let the source name their own price, and prodded him to ask for any amount in payment.
Government sources claim that BEK TV head Derrick Bulawa told a working group, “This story doesn’t have to get out” and that those in attendance expressed concern that the situation felt like extortion, to which they were told, “this is the way things get done.”
Hinz tells the Gateway Pundit that the whistleblower is merely “impatient” and she was willing to write the story, and is even still working on it, but could not say when the story was set to be published. She referenced stories she worked on for six months or more, and offered that as a timeline.
The story involved, still developing, involves billions of dollars of malfeasance in the nation’s supply chain putting airline travel at risk.
Hinz had no coherent response when it was pointed out to her that she felt confident enough in the story to broker a multi-million dollar payment to the source, but did not have enough confidence to publish a single story on the topic.
BEK TV THREATENS TO SUE GATEWAY PUNDIT FOR DEFAMATION
Hinz also repeatedly kept threatening the Gateway Pundit with libel and defamation lawsuits during the phone call, suggesting that “you better get everything right” and that things should be “viewed from a perspective of how it will look as defamation.” Hinz and BEK TV appear to be circling the wagons, as similar threatening language was expressed by BEK TV CEO Derrick Bulawa to the Gateway Pundit.
Hinz’s threats to the Gateway Pundit included this statement: “Well, I certainly hope you take into consideration that there may be defamation issues involved with this, and I think that it would be a really good idea for you to pause, much like we did, and get more information.”
These delays are at the core of what the whistleblower says is the payoff scheme he was being offered: name your price but the cost was that the news, and the full story of what happened to him, would never get out.
The audio evidence shows the whistleblower challenging Hinz for even trying to set up this alleged extortion deal, stating: “You also told me that you were somehow brokering on my behalf, and it makes me very uncomfortable to call them, because you’re doing something that, I am questioning even as to the ethics of it.” Without missing a beat, Hinz replies, “I understand.”
Hinz tells the whistleblower on the tapes: “I, we’re just doing one step at a time. We kinda have to do one step, and then the next step, and the next step. This is the first step. The first step is to make sure that you’re protected, and that you get your money. And that’s, that is the absolute most imperative thing. It is not gonna help our, our State, if you are… It’s not gonna help you, it’s not gonna help our St – it’s not gonna help anybody if, if something happens to… (Hinz stops speaking mid-sentence for about 5 seconds) So, I want you to have plausible deniability.”
BUT THE GATEWAY PUNDIT HAS THE AUDIO TAPES
You can listen to the audio files here (7:32), here (3:29) and here (10:49) for these calls from mid-September 2024. We have posted the full-text transcripts of these clips at the bottom of this story.
The transcripts appear to show that Lori Hinz was not operating as a journalist, but instead it appears she was trying to broker a financial deal for a source to protect North Dakota’s political class, and suppress the explosive news story.
The whistleblower claims they never asked Hinz to assist with money. Rather, the whistleblower claims she and BEK’s CEO pursued the extortion deal independently even after receiving a concerned email from the whistleblower clarifying that in no way was BEK authorized to act as the whistleblower’s “agent, representative, negotiator.” The whistleblower was clear in writing that he was only working with BEK “as a media organization who has an interest in reporting this”.
Legal experts say that this situation appears to amount to a possible form of extortion, where Hinz, acting as the journalist, crafted herself as a middleman to negotiate a multi-million dollar ‘deal’ with U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) to keep the story out of the news.
Those who know Lori Hinz say it is completely out of character for her, and they suspect that she is being pressured to comply and cooperate.
Corruption in North Dakota is, according to insiders, rampant and chronic, covered by a cultural desire not to spread negative gossip and also not to smear the name of the state known mostly for farming, missiles, and oil.
Yet despite that reputation, storms of scandal have been brewing.
ONGOING SCANDALS PLAGUE NORTH DAKOTA
North Dakota’s last two Attorney Generals died suddenly, aged 68 and 48 – both involved in an investigation into an ongoing child sex trafficking ring involving former State Senator Ray Holmberg. Holmberg was originally charged with flying abroad for underage sex with boys and child pornography. The child porn charges have been dropped and Holmberg has been released with no bail bond, just a promise to be good. Insiders say others were clearly involved, but only Holmberg has been indicted.
The Gateway Pundit reported last week on major financial problems alleged at the Bank of North Dakota, where the Governor-controlled bank is likely writing down $475 million each year in bad investments.
The whistleblower on the audio tapes lives in fear of his life, and those of his family.
FRIENDS OF HINZ EXPRESS SHOCK, OUTRAGE AT TAPES
Friends of Lori Hinz believe that she was pressured into playing this role. A conservative activist in the state, Jerol Gohrick who runs a group called Sons of Liberty tells the Gateway Pundit, “I want to know who got to Lori, and what pressure those RINOs used to take such an upstanding, respectable, God-fearing woman, and bring her to this – to turn her against an incredibly brave whistleblower whose life has been turned upside down and under threat by corrupt politicians for two years now. Sons of Liberty is investigating those treasonous RINO bosses for other serious crimes; they appear to have no limits on their willingness to extort in this state. I directly confronted (North Dakota Attorney General Drew) Wrigley in his office last week, after he refused my calls for 5 months, and told him, ‘Drew, everyone’s pointing at you on this.’”
“She’s trying to push her own personal agenda. She was trying to keep the Senators out of this mess, to help position herself in all of this. I have known her for several years, and to better her career, she was trying to set up this extortion ring. I don’t get it. Maybe Senator Cramer was going to pay her off, who knows how high this all goes,” continued Gohrick.
Friends of Lori Hinz claim she is very loyal to Senator Cramer, knowing him for 42 years since she was 18, since she was in college. The transcripts appear to show Hinz agreeing to protect Cramer prior to the election, by suppressing bad news stories that might hurt him or implicate him, in exchange for Cramer helping to secure major payments and benefits to the whistleblower.
Hinz challenges that characterization of the excerpts. While confirming the accuracy and authenticity of the recordings, she claims she was merely assisting the whistleblower, and it was not a financial transaction in exchange for not running a story. Hinz said that the longer recordings were relevant, but could not clarify what was left out of the extended versions. The Gateway Pundit has reviewed the longer audio and there is nothing relevant missing from the excerpts. Hinz said her primary goal was the safety of the source and ensuring that the state government fulfilled on their promises. Hinz also protested that she was recorded without her knowledge, though that is legal in North Dakota.
Independent Governor candidate Michael Coachman tells the Gateway Pundit this mafia-style leadership approach in North Dakota is the very thing his candidacy intends to change, and that he has been active in trying to solve this problem without resorting to extortion. “When I first met the whistleblower, I prayed with his family, and they were scared. I reassured them, ‘This is what they want. They want you to feel alone. They want you to feel isolated. They want you to feel like you’re on your own. But you’re not. We’ve got your back.’”
North Dakota billionaire Governor Doug Burgum has been the state’s 33rd top Executive, serving since 2016. Burgum was pushed by some as a potential Vice Presidential candidate alongside Donald Trump. Burgum and his team, say state insiders, were involved in this brewing scandal from the start.
The Gateway Pundit reached out to the Office of U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and that of Gov. Doug Burgum (R) by phone and email and did not hear back.
The Gateway Pundit will update this article if any subject offers additional quotes, statements, or facts.
TRANSCRIPT 1: (duration: 3:29) – Sept. 11, 2024 – LISTEN HERE
Whistleblower: If I may ask. I mean, none of this seems to be related to media reporting or building a story. Is it just simply that truly the weight of the evidence, if accurately told, puts a permanent mark on these people. I mean, what is the reason of calling Cramer? I guess
Lori Hinz: The reason for calling Cramer is to allow an opportunity for them to do the right thing by you, and that’s first and foremost you need to be you need to be protected, and you need to be made whole with what they have promised you that needs to happen first, anything else that happens after that is going to be on whoever perpetrated the malfeasance.
Whistleblower: So, I mean… Agent Breijo is on trial for murder, who partnered in a cover-up effort on my site with North Dakota BCI… is there any possible way you can fix that?
Lori Hinz: That I don’t know. We’re just doing one step at a time. We kind of have to do one step and then the next step. And the next step, this is the first step. The first step is to make sure that you’re protected and that you get your money. And that’s that is the absolute most imperative thing. It is not going to help our our state if you’re it’s not going to help you? It’s not going to help it’s not going to help anybody. If something happens to… I want you to have plausible deniability. Can We? We? Can, you know, I, I know it wasn’t your idea, and I know it wasn’t your your your stated preference. I know that. I am I’m aware of that, but I also know that this is literally the best option to keep you safe.
Whistleblower: Ok. Multiple people helping me said they thought a call like that would get me killed.
Lori Hinz: No, I don’t think it will. I do think that he’s going to go and he’s going to go and he’s going to have a talk with Commerce. He had already said that he thinks that Commerce is sketchy, and, yeah, he’s not even that’s an understatement. The problem is, is that they have to somehow come up with some answer to him now of why they are cutting off your money. So even if he knows more, which we are pretty sure he does, even if he knows more, it is in his best interest, particularly politically, before his election, to not have this exposed immediately.
TRANSCRIPT 2: (duration: 7:32) – September 11, 2024 – LISTEN HERE
Lori Hinz: Hi Charles!
Whistleblower: Hey, how’s it going?
Lori Hinz: Hi, how are you? So I actually finally got ahold of Senator Cramer today. He had been in Europe and that was the problem. But he got back to Congress. And I texted him again a couple of times. He finally got back to me today, so I just got off the phone with him, probably 35-40 minutes ago, and had a little conversation with him. So it’s good. It went very well. I was very… uh, measured, and let him speak a lot, and didn’t say a whole lot, but I, I just said, I need some help here. I think, because I think you can help solve this issue. I said, I, it is about Dunseith, and that’s all I said. And then I just waited, and it was dead silent. He goes “okay,” which told me that he might know what Dunseith meant. So that was good, and I did my best to try to discern from his voice what he was when he was saying. But he said, I said, I said, um, I have knowledge of a very important story from there, and it deals with a gentleman who has a business there. He was brought in by Commerce, and now suddenly he is in default for no reason whatsoever of his own for anything that he has done, I said, and these people lured him here, and he started a business, did a great remodel. I said, I have been there. I have seen all sorts of evidence, and I think you can help solve this problem. And he said, “Hmm, can you tell me a little bit more about the story and refresh my memory?” I said, well, Commerce, got him to come here and then Commerce got him to hire a guy, and the guy was lousy and corrupt, and so he fired him, and now Commerce is pulling his funding, and that is… it’s not right. I said, I have two goals. I do not want to run with the story. I don’t want to do the story because I am afraid that somebody, I’m afraid this gentleman is going to get killed, and he goes: “understood.” And I said, my first number one goal is that this gentleman is safe and that his family is safe. That’s my number one goal. My second goal is that he is given what he was promised, and he’s able to do his business. He goes, “Okay”, I said. And I think the problem stems from Commerce, because Commerce got him here, and then now suddenly is acting like he’s some kind of criminal, and that is not the case, and I think Commerce needs to make this right, and Commerce seems very sketchy to me. And he said, “I agree with you. I think Commerce is sketchy also.” He said, “This is not a federal issue. This is a state issue.” I said, it sounds like a state issue. He said, I’m going to contact my people who might know more about this, who have been keeping up with it? He said, Lisa. I said, Gibbons? And he said, Yes, Lisa Gibbons. And he said, Chris Moreau. He said he they’re in different offices, but he said, those are the people who would know about this issue in this story. I said, I have somebody. I said, state Senators know about this, they were there with me. We went to the site. We spent some time there. I said they know about it, and a gentleman last night told me. I didn’t tell them who it was, but I said a gentleman last night told me that he was itching, he wanted to call (North Dakota Attorney General) Drew Wrigley. And (Senator) Kevin (Cramer) said, “Well, that might not be a bad idea. That could probably be a good idea bringing Drew in.” And then he says, Let me see what I can do. I said, I’m just wondering if there is a way that we can get Commerce to do what they promised and get him his money. And he said, “Well, how much?” And I said, Well, I think there are two things. I said, the gentleman can tell you the numbers exactly, but I think there are two things that they promised him that they are not delivering on, and you need to get those numbers from him. But I said, um, this needs to be this needs to be solved and made right by Commerce. And he said, “Well, I will tell you. I will see if I can persuade someone at Commerce to do the right thing.” That’s what he said, and that sounded very… positive to me.
Whistleblower: Okay… How is an issue that’s under federal investigation, not a federal issue?
Lori Hinz: I agree. I agree, but I am happy that he is considering this a state issue, which means that he wants to make it right. If he would have said, and put his hand that he knew that it would be, I think he knew after I said that I’d seen all the evidence that I knew that he knew that I knew that his staffers were on those, all of those phone calls. All of those Zoom meetings… so he knows that now.
Whistleblower: Ok…
Lori Hinz: I agree with you, I think it’s a federal issue. He said, two times he said, this is not a federal issue this is a state issue. And I thought, well, if you want to keep it a state issue and make it a Commerce issue and blow up Commerce because of it, I am totally okay with that. Now I don’t have to do the story, but he knows that it is about to come out and you (North Dakota State Senator) Kent Weston tell me that you have talked to some other media people, which is great. I think that is just fine, but they may want to just wait a little bit before blasting stuff out so that Kevin can, uh, solve this issue.
Whistleblower: Okay, you don’t… go ahead.
Lori Hinz: I got your email about you and not wanting to have anything to do with this, and you don’t have to have to face this. This is on us. This is on Derek and me, and our goal is to keep you safe. Not get you killed. And we’ll be able to get your money. You need to get you need to get your financing so that you can get back up in business. So I do think that Kevin is capable of doing that. I do think that he’s able to exert some sort of leverage on Commerce to do what they need to do the right way and to make you whole. I think he’s capable of that.
Whistleblower: You didn’t just put a target on my back?
Lori Hinz: I didn’t just put a target on your back. I did not. No, no.
TRANSCRIPT 3: (duration: 10:49) – September 18, 2024 – LISTEN HERE
Lori Hinz: Hey Charles.
Whistleblower: Hey,
Lori Hinz: How are you doing?
Whistleblower: Good. Sorry, I just had to wrap a call.
Lori Hinz: No worries. I totally get it. So since I don’t have any new updates for you, I just wanted to check in and see how you’re doing. I have pinged the Senator (Kevin Cramer) again, and I’m just keeping on it and just trying to, like, send him occasional text so I’m not bombarding him, but he knows that I have not remotely forgotten about it, so that’s where I’m at right now. And I just wanted to kind of give you an update and let you know that.
Whistleblower: Okay, I haven’t asked you to do that. I’m looking forward to accurate reporting of the story.
Lori Hinz: Yep, I know. I… I have to do this first.
Whistleblower: And what is the reason?
Lori Hinz: The reason is because this is the best way to get a good result, and then we can go great guns with the story, but first we have to protect you, and also your assets that are owed to you by the state. So we’ll do that first, and then you will go great guns after that. That first thing we need to do is make sure that you are covered.
Whistleblower: I don’t see how this approach is helpful.
Lori Hinz: I understand that. I understand you don’t see that, but this is literally the best way. And I am convinced there I wouldn’t have gone this direction. I was great guns at first, but I think that would have just put you in great peril. I really do. I truly feel like that would have put you in much, much more great danger, grave danger. So this is a lot more comfortable with this way, because I do think that there may be some downward pressure to get Commerce to do the right thing, and in so doing also protect you and your family.
Whistleblower: I think you guys are actually just amping up pressure against our business with your tactics, because it’s gotten to Commerce, it’s gotten to the Governor, and they’re digging their heels in against us.
Lori Hinz: Even talked to who has gotten to Congress and who’s gotten to the governor?
Whistleblower: Gonna leave it at that.
Lori Hinz: Okay.
Whistleblower: There’s no help. I think you’re making things worse.
Lori Hinz: I don’t I don’t think we’re making things worse. I think we’re being prudent in order to protect you.
Whistleblower: I think you have a story that needs to be told in order to protect me.
Lori Hinz: I think that you are concerned about getting the bigger story of the danger to airlines out, and that needs to be on the back burner a little bit. That has to be the result that people come to on their own, rather than the flash in the pan first story, I really do.
Whistleblower: You’re putting words in my mouth because I told you, since the beginning, I have been sabotaged since the start of this. And the state issues alone are a story the way they targeted a recruited business.
Lori Hinz: Yeah, I agree. I think that that is a big story then, so when we have to fix first, yeah, I agree with you.
Whistleblower: Okay, we are definitely not on the same page, but I do thank you for giving me a call to let me know where you’re at.
Lori Hinz: And I know you’re frustrated. I totally get it. After years of this bullshittery, I totally get it. I really do. I just want you to remain calm and let you know that if we can sit tight little on this I do. I am very encouraged by the initial contact I had, and I am very encouraged that that will be a motivator for this individual to get some relief for you from the state. I really am. I’m very confident I would not be taking this path if I didn’t think it was going to be appropriate, safe for you, and also give you these needed results. And down the line, yes, we can absolutely blow the story up. I just don’t want to do it and and then put you in danger. And I really, really, really worried about that part. And so that’s that’s why the delay. And I know everybody wants to go great guns great guns. I will tell you that I’m having good conversations with legislators about this. I’ve had some really good conversations with multiple people. I’m keeping in touch with (State Senator) Kent Weston and keeping in touch with all of the, all of the players I just texted with (State Senator) Judy Estonson in a little while, though, Andrea Thomas, no big deal. I can call her back. Um, I just, I just want you to know that I have not just let it lay, I have absolutely kept in touch with the people and the players, including Coach and everybody else. So…
Whistleblower: And you’ve caused problems for me because you’ve told them you’re going forward with a story, and instead, you have this other thing that you’re doing, and then they have talked to me and said, Well, this is what’s happening, but you’re doing this other thing.
Lori Hinz: Well, we are going to do the story, and I just told you that again, that’s the plan, is to do the story, but only after you get your required money. It’s the worst thing that we could do, is pull it up and then you end up with nothing. And I do not want that to happen to you and your family. I think that’s ridiculous.
Whistleblower: I don’t believe that by protecting the state in this that they’re going to somehow do the right thing for me, because they’ve done the wrong thing for two straight years. I think by letting the public know that they are targeting us, have done so egregiously. Have actually you heard testimony from an officer who was instructed not even to assist if we made distress calls.
Lori Hinz: I know.
Whistleblower: I don’t believe waiting is the appropriate way at all, nor was that the agreement under which I provided the thumb drive to you. I’m making my position very clear.
Lori Hinz: I know.
Whistleblower: I feel that I was betrayed.
Lori Hinz: Well, I am so sorry. I certainly didn’t mean to betray you. I do want to protect you, however, please be advised and know that for a fact, that I’m not holding back purposely to hurt or harm you in any way, but rather to get you what you need. I am I am, I’m going about this little I’m just going to try it first, if it is, if it is not working, and if nothing happens. Or worse, something gets even wonky or goes sideways, then… all bets are off. But as of right now…
Whistleblower: You guys are causing wonky I can tell you that, and I’m not going to go into the details, but it’s not getting better. It’s getting worse.
Lori Hinz: Are you being threatened more?
Whistleblower: I’m not going to go into the details.
Lori Hinz: If you can’t give me details, and that’s that’s fine. I can’t, I can’t help you any further with that.
Whistleblower: The Reason I’m not giving me details is because you’re having, instead of setting up a meeting for me and a legislator, you’re having meetings supposedly on my behalf, which I haven’t authorized.
Lori Hinz: Did you talk to the contact that I gave you? Have you talked to them?
Whistleblower: No.
Lori Hinz: Okay, well, you asked for a contact in his office, and I gave that to you, and I gave you his scheduler’s cell phone number.
Whistleblower: You also told me that you were somehow brokering on my behalf, and it makes me very uncomfortable to call them, because you’re doing something that I am questioning, even as to the ethics of it.
Lori Hinz: I understand.
Whistleblower: Put me in a very uncomfortable position.
Lori Hinz: You are already in a terrible position.
Whistleblower: And you guys have a media platform that can assist telling the truth about how the state train wrecked us and then made up allegations in order to try and get rid of us, and now doesn’t know what to do, because we’re still here and we have growing support.
Lori Hinz: Exactly right, and I will continue to help that support grow. I have already done that. I will continue to do that.
Whistleblower: But when you tell legislators that you know you’re working on the story, but you tell me that you’re not working on the story. I mean, last week, you told me the story doesn’t need to go out. You can get this fixed. Different people, different things, and then it confuses everybody, and it makes it more complicated for the group that’s trying to help me. I’m sharing my position. I’m sharing what is happening and that you’re not doing good, you are not helping.
Lori Hinz: I understand that you view it that way. I do understand your frustration, and I understand that you feel like people are being confused
Whistleblower: Because I trusted you. I trusted you to do it one way,
Lori Hinz: You still can, you still can and I just telling you I am doing this methodically, rather than jumping both feet in right off the bat. I’m trying to be prudent rather than imprudent. I am trying to be methodical rather than not thinking things through, and I hope that is helpful. I don’t think that it’s a good idea to do knee jerk things, and so I am taking an approach that is allowing us to be as careful as possible with your and your family’s lives and also with your financial future for your company.
Whistleblower: I have partners that will take us forward. They simply need the state to stop sabotaging us in the background,
Lori Hinz: And that’s exactly what we’re taking care of and working on right now. That’s exactly right. That’s exactly the tact we’re trying to make sure that the that the state and commerce is no longer sabotaging. That’s the goal.
Whistleblower: And it’s gotten worse.
