3/9/2010:
Governor William Langer was no stranger to controversy. The crafty lawyer from Casselton not only dominated the most rancorous era of state politics, but was perhaps the most ostentatious firebrand of them all. While loved by farmers for his staunch defense of their rights and incomes, Langer's appeal was far from universal. To his opponents, Langer represented the worst in politicians; a career opportunist who used whatever methods necessary to secure his political advancement. Langer even admitted that his brand of politics "tended to make feelings rather bitter."
Unfortunately for Langer, this widespread political ‘bitterness' tended to catch up with him. In 1934, Langer's enemies from both the Republican and Democratic parties coalesced around accusations that Langer inappropriately raised $179.95 in campaign donations; successfully pushed for his conviction of political corruption and removed Langer from the governorship. Langer eventually cleared himself of the felony charges and reclaimed the governor's office in 1936. But following his second term, Langer began looking for a new venue for his political sideshow. And so, Mr. Langer went to Washington.
But the road to D.C. wasn't easy. Langer first had to be elected. And once more standing in the way of the governor's ambitions was a determined coalition of Democrats and Republicans. The united efforts of Langer's enemies succeeded in scuttling his bid for a US Senate seat, and by the beginning of 1939, the now twice former-governor was again cast into the political wilderness. Bereft of a public position, Langer remained in the state's political spotlight by campaigning for an increase in old-age pensions. However, Governor John Moses, who had made his governorship a general rebuke of Langer's time in office, personally spearheaded the operation against Langer's pension bill. Governor Moses' victory not only frustrated Langer's efforts to push his political agenda, but seemed to reveal Langer's waning influence in the state.
However, the reports of William Langer's political death were greatly exaggerated. In 1940, the coalition of anti-Langer North Dakotans crumbled. Langer's political enemies within the Republican Party believed that his political fortunes were finished and failed to unify around a single candidate as they had in 1938. As a result Langer won the Republican nomination for Senate with only 40% of the primary vote. Now alerted to Langer's political resurgence, conservative Republicans persuaded William Lemke to run as an independent while hoping to persuade Democratic candidate Charles Vogel to tacitly withdraw from the race. But as a committed New Dealer and upset at the Republicans' sustained opposition to Roosevelt's policies, Vogel refused. With the opposition now firmly divided, Langer managed to squeak out a victory, and was finally elected to the US Senate.
But Langer's opponents were not yet ready to admit defeat. Before the Senator-elect managed to take his seat, his political enemies filed petitions of protest, accusing Langer of bribery and political corruption. With his political future once again in doubt, the Senate hearing to expel William Langer opened debate on this date in 1942.
Dakota Datebook written by Lane Sunwall
Sources
"North Dakota Governors", State Historical Society of North Dakota http://www.nd.gov/hist/ndgov2.htm (accessed January 5, 2008).
Robinson, Elwyn B. History of North Dakota. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press, 1966.
US Senate, "The Expulsion Case of William Langer of North Dakota (1942)", U.S. Federal Government http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/expulsion_cases/123WilliamLanger_expulsion.htm (accessed September 9, 2009).
"William Langer Papers: Biographical Sketch", University of North Dakota http://www.und.nodak.edu/dept/library/Collections/Langer/og19.html (accessed September 9, 2009).