North Dakota court clerk reprimanded for ‘appalling’ Facebook post about pipeline protesters

BISMARCK – A deputy court clerk in Minot has been reprimanded for a Facebook post that sparked a social media firestorm over her suggestion that American Indians protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline be allowed to “keep their sacred land” and that the government should then “stop all the subsidies and hand outs.”

State Court Administrator Sally Holewa said the North Central Judicial District office in Ward County was inundated with phone calls about the comments posted Sept. 5 by Deputy Court Clerk Kolette Ostlund while she was on vacation.

“We were all just appalled also,” Holewa said. “It definitely does not represent the views of the court.”

Many callers wanted Ostlund fired, and she received at least one death threat and a threatening fax message, both of which were forwarded to the Ward County Sheriff’s Office, Holewa said.

Read more: http://www.inforum.com/news/state/4113382-north-dakota-court-clerk-reprimanded-appalling-facebook-post-about-pipeline