Wayne Stenehjem

Wayne Stenehjem
Born	2/5/1953
Birthplace	Mohall, North Dakota, U.S.
Died	1/28/2022 Bismarck, North Dakota, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Lawyer, politician
Known for	29th Attorney General of North Dakota
Education	University of North Dakota (BA, JD)
Spouse(s)	Beth Bakke Stenehjem
Children	1

Wayne Stenehjem (/ˈstɛnədʒəm/; February 5, 1953 – January 28, 2022) was an American lawyer and Republican politician who served as the 29th Attorney General of North Dakota from December 2000 until his death in January 2022, making him one of the longest-serving attorneys general in the state's history. Before assuming that office, Stenehjem spent nearly a quarter century in the North Dakota Legislative Assembly, first as a member of the North Dakota House of Representatives from 1976 to 1980 and then as a member of the North Dakota Senate from 1980 to 2000. Born in the small town of Mohall in northwestern North Dakota, he built a career in public service that spanned more than four decades. In 2016, Stenehjem sought the Republican nomination for governor of North Dakota but lost the primary election to Doug Burgum. He succeeded Heidi Heitkamp as attorney general and served under three governors — John Hoeven, Jack Dalrymple, and Burgum — before dying unexpectedly on January 28, 2022, at the age of 68 in a Bismarck hospital. He was succeeded by Drew Wrigley.

Early Life

Wayne Stenehjem was born on February 5, 1953, in Mohall, a small community in Renville County in northwestern North Dakota. He grew up in North Dakota during a period when the state's economy was largely driven by agriculture and its communities were closely knit. His brother, Bob Stenehjem, also entered North Dakota politics, serving in the North Dakota Senate and eventually becoming the Senate majority leader, making the Stenehjem family a prominent political dynasty in the state.

Stenehjem's upbringing in rural North Dakota shaped his connection to the state and its communities. He would go on to spend his entire adult life in public service within North Dakota, first moving to Bismarck, which became his permanent home and the base for his political and legal career.

Education

Stenehjem attended Bismarck State College before transferring to the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. He continued his legal education at the University of North Dakota School of Law, where he earned his Juris Doctor degree. The University of North Dakota later identified him as a member of its 1977 class. His legal training provided the foundation for both his legislative career and his later service as the state's chief legal officer.

Career

North Dakota House of Representatives (1976–1980)

Stenehjem began his political career at a young age, winning election to the North Dakota House of Representatives in 1976 as a Republican when he was just 23 years old. He served in the House for two terms, from 1976 to 1980, gaining early legislative experience in state government. His tenure in the House coincided with a period of significant energy development in western North Dakota and growing interest in state-level governance issues related to agriculture and natural resources.

North Dakota Senate (1980–2000)

In 1980, Stenehjem moved to the North Dakota Senate, where he would serve for the next two decades. During his twenty years in the upper chamber, he became a well-known figure in state politics, building relationships across party lines and developing expertise in legal and policy matters. His long tenure in the Senate allowed him to accumulate significant institutional knowledge and legislative influence. His brother Bob Stenehjem also served in the North Dakota Senate, and the two were among the most recognized political figures in the state during this era.

Stenehjem's combined service of 24 years in the North Dakota Legislative Assembly — four years in the House and twenty in the Senate — established him as one of the most experienced legislators in the state by the time he left to assume the office of attorney general.

Attorney General of North Dakota (2000–2022)

Stenehjem was elected as the 29th Attorney General of North Dakota in 2000, succeeding Heidi Heitkamp, who had held the office since 1993. He took office on December 15, 2000, and would go on to hold the position for more than 21 years, serving under three successive governors: John Hoeven, Jack Dalrymple, and Doug Burgum.

As attorney general, Stenehjem served as the state's chief legal officer, overseeing the operations of the Attorney General's office, which included the Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Consumer Protection division, the Gaming division, and various other law enforcement and legal functions. He was repeatedly re-elected by North Dakota voters, winning multiple terms as the state's attorney general and running largely unchallenged in many election cycles. His longevity in the office reflected his standing among North Dakota's electorate.

During his tenure, Stenehjem dealt with a range of legal and policy issues affecting North Dakota, including matters related to the state's oil boom in the Bakken formation, consumer protection, and law enforcement. The Attorney General's office under Stenehjem was responsible for overseeing the Bureau of Criminal Investigation, which handled major criminal cases across the state.

2016 Gubernatorial Campaign

In 2016, Stenehjem sought the Republican nomination for governor of North Dakota, entering the race as a longtime public servant with extensive experience in state government. However, he faced a challenge from Doug Burgum, a wealthy businessman and technology executive who largely self-funded his campaign. Despite Stenehjem's long record of public service and name recognition in the state, Burgum defeated him in the Republican primary on June 14, 2016, winning by a margin of approximately 20 percentage points. The loss was notable given Stenehjem's decades of experience in North Dakota politics and his stature as the sitting attorney general. After his defeat in the primary, Stenehjem returned to his duties as attorney general and continued to serve in that role through the remainder of his life, ultimately serving under Burgum after the latter's election as governor.

Post-Death Controversies

Following Stenehjem's death, several controversies emerged regarding his conduct while in office, particularly related to the investigation of former North Dakota state senator Ray Holmberg.

In March 2024, the Associated Press reported that deleted emails from Stenehjem's official account had been recovered as part of an investigation into Holmberg, who had been a long-serving state legislator. The emails had been deleted from Stenehjem's account after his death, and their recovery raised questions about what the late attorney general had known about allegations against Holmberg.

In September 2024, the North Dakota Monitor reported that a former state official who had authorized the deletion of Stenehjem's email account had died, further complicating efforts to understand the circumstances surrounding the email deletion.

In March 2025, the Forum of Fargo-Moorhead reported that, according to the state's current attorney general, Stenehjem had deleted voicemails and "obstructed" an international child sex crimes investigation into Holmberg, who had been described as Stenehjem's close friend. The report indicated that Stenehjem had interfered with the investigation into Holmberg's activities.

Holmberg was ultimately sentenced to ten years in prison for sex crimes in March 2026.

The revelations prompted public debate in North Dakota about Stenehjem's legacy. In May 2025, a letter to the editor published in The Bismarck Tribune urged the public to "stop trashing Wayne Stenehjem's memory," defending him as "a very good man, a respected legislator, and an excellent and long serving attorney general."

Personal Life

Stenehjem married Beth Bakke Stenehjem, and the couple had one child. He lived in Bismarck, North Dakota, for much of his adult life, making it the center of both his personal and professional activities. His brother, Bob Stenehjem, also had a prominent career in North Dakota politics, serving as the majority leader of the North Dakota Senate.

Death

On January 28, 2022, Stenehjem was taken to a hospital in Bismarck after becoming unresponsive. He died later that day at the age of 68, just eight days before his 69th birthday. His death was described as unexpected by the Attorney General's office and by political leaders across the state.

A funeral service was held at 11:00 AM on Thursday, February 3, 2022. Following his death, Drew Wrigley was appointed to succeed him as Attorney General of North Dakota.

Legacy

Wayne Stenehjem's career in North Dakota public service spanned more than 45 years, from his first election to the state House of Representatives in 1976 to his death while serving as attorney general in 2022. His combined tenure in the legislature and the attorney general's office made him one of the longest-serving public officials in North Dakota history.

The North Dakota Attorney General's office described him as "widely respected and well-known" in the state's political and legal communities. The University of North Dakota School of Law noted his passing, identifying him as a graduate of its 1977 class and acknowledging his long career in public service.

However, Stenehjem's legacy became subject to significant public scrutiny following posthumous revelations about his alleged obstruction of the investigation into Ray Holmberg. The allegations that he deleted voicemails and interfered with an international child sex crimes investigation cast a shadow over his decades of public service and prompted ongoing debate in North Dakota about how his career should be remembered.

His successor, Drew Wrigley, pursued the recovery of Stenehjem's deleted emails and continued the investigation into the Holmberg matter, bringing public attention to the allegations against the late attorney general.