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CNN Live Today

Interview With John Hoeven

Aired December 10, 2003 - 10:15   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: The governors of North Dakota and Minnesota are calling in the National Guard to help in the search for Dru Sjodin. Joining us to talk about that call up is North Dakota Governor John Hoeven. Governor, thank you for being with us this morning. I appreciate it.
GOV. JOHN HOEVEN, NORTH DAKOTA: Good morning, thank you for inviting me.

KAGAN: Is there any kind of update on the search for Dru Sjodin that you can give us?

HOEVEN: Well, from the very start we've had a tremendous search effort for her. We've had over 1,700 volunteers out there on Sunday searching for her. We're doing everything that we can from the state perspective to support law enforcement.

And now this weekend, starting Friday and going through Saturday and Sunday, we'll have an intensive search effort that involves state resources as well as local law enforcement from both North Dakota and Minnesota.

KAGAN: As I understand it for that part of the country, that's unprecedented, Governor.

HOEVEN: It's a big effort. For example, on our side, we'll have close 200 people lead by highway patrol officers, game wardens, bureau of criminal investigation agents along with our National Guard. And Minnesota will have a similar effort on its side.

KAGAN: And how big of a drain will that of your National Guard? A s I understand it, 40 percent of the National Guard of North Dakota has already been activated to serve in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

HOEVEN: You know, we have a tremendous National Guard, we have more men and women in the National Guard in North Dakota than any of the state in the union. We have many of them in Iraq and they're just absolutely incredible. But when we have any kind of need here in our state, they step up and they do a great job.

But Dru Sjodin and her family has touched everyone in our state, and really around the country. She's in our hearts and in our prayers and we're going to do everything we can to find her and to help with this law enforcement effort. And to make sure that justice is served here.

KAGAN: And your decision to use the National Guard and call them up, this comes at a time when you have the sheriff, the local sheriff in Grand Forks saying he doesn't believe Dru Sjodin is alive.

HOEVEN: You know, from the very start we have provided all of the resources asked for by the combined law enforcement task force. And, you know, that's involved in a variety of assets throughout the search. And that's really the position we take here. We support law enforcement in North Dakota. We give them the resources they need to do the job and we're going to continue to do that.

KAGAN: And let me ask you this about the justice system in North Dakota, because the big question of course is where, and where is Dru Sjodin? The other question though is why and why did this have to happen? The suspect in custody, Alfonso Rodriguez, a Level 3 sex offender released from prison without any kind of supervision. What are you trying to change that type -- that part of the justice system, Governor?

HOEVEN: Well, you understand he did not come out of our system.

KAGAN: Right.

HOEVEN: He came out of the state of Minnesota's system.

Now we're looking at our system to make sure violent offenders do not get out. This individual did not come out of our system. But at the same time we're also looking at how can we work with other states to make sure that offenders that come out of their state don't come here and commit crimes. And that is going to be very much a focus of what we work on going forward.

Right now we're focused on finding Dru Sjodin. I'm supporting her family, I'm supporting law enforcement, making sure justice is served here. But we're also going to make sure that we do all we can to keep violent offenders off the street and make sure that our state is safe.

You know, North Dakota is statistically the safest state in the country. We're committed to that, we're going to keep it that way.

KAGAN: A lot of work to be done. We wish you well with all those efforts. Governor, thank you so much for that.

HOEVEN: Thank you.

KAGAN: Governor John Hoeven of North Dakota.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired December 10, 2003 - 10:15   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: The governors of North Dakota and Minnesota are calling in the National Guard to help in the search for Dru Sjodin. Joining us to talk about that call up is North Dakota Governor John Hoeven. Governor, thank you for being with us this morning. I appreciate it.
GOV. JOHN HOEVEN, NORTH DAKOTA: Good morning, thank you for inviting me.

KAGAN: Is there any kind of update on the search for Dru Sjodin that you can give us?

HOEVEN: Well, from the very start we've had a tremendous search effort for her. We've had over 1,700 volunteers out there on Sunday searching for her. We're doing everything that we can from the state perspective to support law enforcement.

And now this weekend, starting Friday and going through Saturday and Sunday, we'll have an intensive search effort that involves state resources as well as local law enforcement from both North Dakota and Minnesota.

KAGAN: As I understand it for that part of the country, that's unprecedented, Governor.

HOEVEN: It's a big effort. For example, on our side, we'll have close 200 people lead by highway patrol officers, game wardens, bureau of criminal investigation agents along with our National Guard. And Minnesota will have a similar effort on its side.

KAGAN: And how big of a drain will that of your National Guard? A s I understand it, 40 percent of the National Guard of North Dakota has already been activated to serve in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

HOEVEN: You know, we have a tremendous National Guard, we have more men and women in the National Guard in North Dakota than any of the state in the union. We have many of them in Iraq and they're just absolutely incredible. But when we have any kind of need here in our state, they step up and they do a great job.

But Dru Sjodin and her family has touched everyone in our state, and really around the country. She's in our hearts and in our prayers and we're going to do everything we can to find her and to help with this law enforcement effort. And to make sure that justice is served here.

KAGAN: And your decision to use the National Guard and call them up, this comes at a time when you have the sheriff, the local sheriff in Grand Forks saying he doesn't believe Dru Sjodin is alive.

HOEVEN: You know, from the very start we have provided all of the resources asked for by the combined law enforcement task force. And, you know, that's involved in a variety of assets throughout the search. And that's really the position we take here. We support law enforcement in North Dakota. We give them the resources they need to do the job and we're going to continue to do that.

KAGAN: And let me ask you this about the justice system in North Dakota, because the big question of course is where, and where is Dru Sjodin? The other question though is why and why did this have to happen? The suspect in custody, Alfonso Rodriguez, a Level 3 sex offender released from prison without any kind of supervision. What are you trying to change that type -- that part of the justice system, Governor?

HOEVEN: Well, you understand he did not come out of our system.

KAGAN: Right.

HOEVEN: He came out of the state of Minnesota's system.

Now we're looking at our system to make sure violent offenders do not get out. This individual did not come out of our system. But at the same time we're also looking at how can we work with other states to make sure that offenders that come out of their state don't come here and commit crimes. And that is going to be very much a focus of what we work on going forward.

Right now we're focused on finding Dru Sjodin. I'm supporting her family, I'm supporting law enforcement, making sure justice is served here. But we're also going to make sure that we do all we can to keep violent offenders off the street and make sure that our state is safe.

You know, North Dakota is statistically the safest state in the country. We're committed to that, we're going to keep it that way.

KAGAN: A lot of work to be done. We wish you well with all those efforts. Governor, thank you so much for that.

HOEVEN: Thank you.

KAGAN: Governor John Hoeven of North Dakota.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com