Rick Berg’s wealth under scrutiny in North Dakota Senate race

Source: Politico

Republican Rep. Rick Berg, running for Senate in North Dakota, has close ties to a controversial property management company that has been the target of dozens of tenant complaints, been cited for alleged fire safety violations and received a less than stellar grade from the Better Business Bureau.

Berg, one of the wealthiest members of Congress, personally owns apartment buildings run by Goldmark Property Management Inc., one of North Dakota’s largest landlords. Employees of the firm and related companies, including business associates Berg has known for decades, have donated tens of thousands of dollars to Berg and GOP committees to back his runs for federal office.

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However, Goldmark Property Management’s website listed Berg as a senior vice president of the company until last month, when the Web page was scrubbed. Berg has acted as a public spokesman for Goldmark Property Management in the past, and the firm was listed as his employer in a campaign donation made in 2000. Berg now says this was a clerical error.

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During Berg’s tenure in the state Legislature, he sponsored or backed legislation that would have given landlords increased authority to evict unruly tenants; required tenants to pay immediate restitution to landlords for losing challenges to eviction notices; called for bigger security deposits by new tenants; opposed rent control and mandatory fire sprinklers; and voted for tax relief for property owners, including landlords.

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Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0912/81422.html

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Berg now claims he's "had absolutely no involvement in the company she cited in her ad; no ownership, no management, no employment, no involvement."