North Dakota's campaign disclosure laws continue to be among the weakest in the country, earning an "F" in the Center for Public Integrity's most recent survey released this week.

The center, a nonprofit group in Washington, D.C., issued its first 43-question survey to every state in 1999, which asks about legislators' employment, investments, personal finances, property holdings and other activities outside the legislature.

North Dakota dropped two places in this year's survey to 33rd, down from 31st in 2006 and 1999.

Among some of the weaknesses in North Dakota's campaign disclosure laws, according to the center are:

n No employer description is required, nor a requirement to disclose primary occupation.

n Financial disclosures are not required annually, only during election years.

n The state does not publish a list of delinquent filers.

Candidates in North Dakota also do not have to report expenses during a campaign.

"There's a differing of opinion of what constitutes a passing grade and a failing grade" when it comes to campaign disclosure laws around the country, said Jim Silrum, the North Dakota deputy secretary of state.

He said campaign disclosure in North Dakota allows for people to give to candidates they may not otherwise give to because donations under $200 do not have to be reported.

Sen. Tim Mathern, D-Fargo, said the results of the survey did not surprise him.

"We operate in North Dakota under an illusion," he said, adding: "Any of us can be led into trouble. The best way to stay out of trouble is more transparency and better reporting."

No tweets from N.D.

Twitter might be mentioned on every other segment on cable news nowadays, but the micro-blogging social network hasn't convinced the likes of North Dakota's congressional delegation to join.

"I don't think most Americans want to have a politician tweeting where they ate a cheeseburger for lunch or what their most innermost thoughts are about hammers and nails," said Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D. "I have not joined the chorus."

If you were curious, Dorgan said he usually has a sandwich at his desk for lunch.

Sandra Salstrom, spokeswoman for Rep. Earl Pomeroy, D-N.D., said the congressman prefers "more traditional methods of communicating because they lend themselves to a greater level of dialogue than can be had in 140 characters." He also has a Facebook page.

Sean Neary, spokesman for Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., said the senator is considering signing up for a Twitter account.

Perhaps North Dakota's delegation is saving itself from becoming the butt of late-night comic jokes by avoiding Twitter.

Case in point - Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Mich., who had this to say on his Twitter feed last week during the protests in Iran: "Iranian twitter activity similar to what we did in House last year when Republicans were shut down in the House."

Overstatement, anyone?

More hot air

An interest group in favor of the cap-and-trade legislation before Congress slammed Americans for Prosperity this week for its so-called "Hot Air Tour."

The Environmental Law and Policy Center called the event "propaganda," which was slated to feature hot air balloon rides in Bismarck on Tuesday, but reportedly didn't because of weather.

"Americans for Prosperity is traveling the country, offering free hot air balloon rides to the public, and telling them scary half-truths about energy legislation and our country's environment," said Mindi Grieve, a spokeswoman for the Environmental Law & Policy Center. "Frankly, Americans for Prosperity is full of hot air."

Health care rally

in Washington

A group of 11 North Dakotans with the group NDPeople.org went to Washington, D.C., for a Thursday rally on the National Mall in support of a public health insurance option.

Congress is considering many versions of health care reform this summer.

"Health care reform is either going to happen to us or we can take a part in the process," said Mathern, who was in Washington for the rally.

And if you were wondering ¦

Gov. John Hoeven was in Medora last weekend for a charity golf tournament. He saw the musical with his family, too, said spokesman Don Canton.

(Reach reporter Brian Duggan at 223-8482 or at brian.duggan@;bismarcktribune.com.)