State Sen. Doug Larsen, his wife, and their two young children died when the small plane they were in crashed in Utah.

Larsen was first elected to the Senate in 2020 and chaired a Senate panel focused on industry and business legislation.

Larsen’s District 34 comprises Mandan, the city neighboring Bismarck to the west across the Missouri River.

District 34 Republicans will appoint a successor to fill out the remainder of Larsen’s term, through November 2024.

Sen. Mike Duffy was cleared of 31 charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust on April 21, 2016. The charges stem from Duffy using Senate funds to pay for travel, housing in Ottawa, and other activities loosely tied to his work as a senator. He was also charged with soliciting a bribe from then-Prime Minster Stephen Harper’s chief of staff, Nigel Wright, in order to repay expenses ruled improper.

Following a 62-day trial, Ontario Court Justice Charles Vaillancourt dismissed 27 counts and found Duffy not guilty on the last four charges. In the 308-page decision, Vaillancourt found Duffy followed the rules of the Senate to the best of his ability, as the rules regarding legitimate expenses are vague.

Vaillancourt’s ruling also singled out Wright and other staff members in the Prime Minister’s Office for their behavior when dealing with the situation. Evidence, including emails, showed staff threatening, cajoling, and ultimately forcing Duffy to accept the money from Wright.

Had he been convicted, Duffy would have faced fines and jail time.

Photo of Sen. Mike Duffy by Ayelie on Wikimedia Commons.

Senate Deputy Majority Leader Thomas Libous was convicted of felony charges resulting from a federal investigation into a job his son received at a politically connected law firm.

Because he was found guilty, Libous is automatically removed from his Senate seat according to state law. His ouster leaves Senate Republicans with a slim majority and puts a renewed significance on the November 2015 elections.

Libous’ seat will be on the ballot on November 3, 2015, unless Gov. Cuomo calls a special election sooner.

Photo of Sen. Thomas Libous by Emmanuel Priest on Wikimedia Commons