Sen. Scott Meyer, a Republican from Grand Forks, engages in conversation with a fellow legislator during a legislative committee meeting held on October 23, 2023. Seated to his right is Sen. Terry Wanzek, a Republican from Jamestown. The photo captures the two senators in the midst of a discussion, illustrating their active involvement in the legislative process.
Kyle Thorson, the Democratic-NPL Senate candidate in District 18, submitted the report on Tuesday. He received Facebook messages from Republican Scott Meyer in the early morning, which prompted him to take action.
According to the police report, Thorson expressed his reluctance to press charges against Meyer. He clarified to the North Dakota Monitor that he decided to file a complaint as a precautionary measure, in case any future incidents were to occur.
Meyer expressed to the Monitor that he has personally apologized to Thorson.
“I allowed my emotions to get the best of me,” Meyer admitted on Wednesday. “He didn’t deserve that.”
Thorson confirmed that Meyer had apologized, and he stated that he would accept it at face value.
In one of the messages mentioned in the police report, Meyer expressed the following: “No matter the outcome of this election, you have provoked me into a fight. This conflict will not simply fade away after November 5th. I have not caused any harm to you, but I will not forget your actions. Cheers to your foolishness.”
In an interview with the Monitor, Meyer admitted to being the one responsible for the “error in judgment” after going through Thorson’s campaign posts and consuming alcohol.
A different message stated, “My special operators are familiar with you.” He proceeded to share a screenshot of a Google search outcome for “Special Operations,” which elaborated on military tactics executed by expertly trained small units.
Thorson admitted feeling some fear in that situation.
In March, Meyer took on the role of engagement director of GrandSKY. GrandSKY is known for its testing of unmanned aircraft at a location adjacent to the Grand Forks Air Force Base and its support to the base.
According to Thorson, a small coffee business owner in Grand Forks, if someone is unable to handle their personal issues without taking it out on others, they may not be the best fit for Bismarck.
Meyer believes that he can continue to be a productive legislator.
“I appreciate their perspective, but I am confident in my ability to excel in this role and I am committed to maintaining a professional demeanor that does not divert attention,” he expressed.