Alright, here is a fun one today, a little dive into North Dakota's shortest tenured governor, Thomas Hilliard Moodie. North Dakota’s nineteenth governor, he holds a unique place in the state's political history both for his tenure length as well as being the third of 4 governors in a matter of just 7 months. Born on May 26, 1878, in Winona, Minnesota, Moodie's early life included limited schooling and diverse jobs in journalism, from a printer’s apprentice at the Wadena Pioneer to editor roles across various North Dakota newspapers, including a stint at the Bismarck Tribune.
Moodie's political career took shape when President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed him in 1933 to a committee overseeing federal grants for public buildings. A year later, Moodie secured the Democratic nomination for governor, defeating Republican candidate Lydia Langer, wife of former Governor William Langer, in the 1934 election (which was a time of massive upheaval in the state).
However, Moodie's governorship quickly became embroiled in controversy. Immediately after taking office on January 7, 1935, questions arose regarding his eligibility. It soon emerged that Moodie had voted in a Minnesota municipal election in 1932, violating North Dakota’s five-year residency requirement for governors. Additionally, allegations surfaced that Moodie, born in Canada, had never been naturalized as a U.S. citizen.
Amid intense political drama including impeachment proceedings launched by the Nonpartisan League-controlled House on unspecified charges of "crime, corrupt conduct, malfeasance and misdemeanors in office"; Moodie was advised by the Attorney General that the impeachment was incomplete until formal articles were presented to the Senate. In a remarkable act of political defiance, Moodie called armed soldiers into the Capitol at Bismarck to protect himself against forcible removal from office, echoing a similar situation seven months earlier involving former Governor Bill Langer.
Ultimately, the North Dakota Supreme Court intervened, ruling Moodie ineligible due to the residency violation. He was removed from office on February 16, 1935, after serving only five weeks. Lieutenant Governor Walter Welford succeeded him.
Following his brief governorship, Moodie continued public service through federal appointments, including administrator roles for the North Dakota Federal Housing Administration and the Works Progress Administration (WPA), and as deputy administrator for Montana's State War Finance Committee during World War II becoming an effective Democrat administrator during FDR's tenure. Later, he returned to journalism and served as financial editor for the Spokane Chronicle in Washington.
Thomas H. Moodie passed away on March 3, 1948, in Spokane, Washington, at age 69, leaving behind a legacy marked by one of the shortest and most turbulent gubernatorial terms, not just in North Dakota, but in American history.
